Menu

K9 Nose Work Classes

K9 Nose Work Classes

K9 Nose Work® Classes with Palo Alto Dog Training LLC

At Palo Alto Dog Training, we work with each dog according to his strengths, and proceed at his own pace. We keep the enterprising dogs challenged and excited, while supporting dogs that may have environmental sensitivities with more accessible, confidence-building searches.

I accept dogs of any age or physical condition, from puppy to senior. In our Nose Work classes, each dog takes a turn, while the other dogs wait patiently in their crates or vehicles. Therefore, dog-reactive dogs are welcome. I will evaluate dogs who are fearful of people on a case-by-case basis. Each dog must be able to stay in a crate or the owner’s vehicle during class, except when doing his/her own searches (I can assist in helping your dog adapt to a crate if that is a problem).

Introduction to Nose Work

From the first class, your dog will enjoy success in nose work with exercises set up to motivate her to find a treat or toy. Using reward-based training, your dog will learn to focus on finding her toy or treats in search boxes located throughout the training room, in spite of distractions. In addition, by carefully observing our dogs, you’ll learn how scent travels through the room.

Prerequisite: Your dog must be able to stay in a crate or your car for parts of each class. No other obedience or specialized training of any kind is required to get started.

Find out more: New classes listed here.

Introduction to Vehicles & Exteriors

Building on the successes achieved in Introduction to Nose Work, Introduction to Vehicles and Exteriors will continue to explore the excitement of nose work, by adding more advanced skills, and by moving out of doors. Using reward-based training, your dog will be exposed to more challenging searches, as well as begin searching in the more distracting outdoor environment. In addition, careful observation of our dogs will teach us how scent travels indoors and outdoors, under varying conditions.


Prerequisite: Introduction to Nose Work, or approval of instructor.

intro-to-vehicles

Introduction to Odor

Building on the successes achieved in previous classes, your dog will be introduced to the scent of birch oil. You continue to learn how odor moves through the environment, and your dog will be challenged with more difficult searches and more distracting environments. We will all be learning from each dog’s searching styles and patterns.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Vehicles and Exteriors, or approval of instructor. To practice outside of class, participants will be required to buy an odor kit, or buy odor supplies and create a kit.

Continuing Nose Work

Building on the successes achieved in previous classes, we will expose your dog to new challenges in pursuit of scent. Puzzles will include converging odor, lingering odor, larger search area, more challenging hides, and more distracting environments. On the human side, we will continue to learn how scent travels, how to read our dogs as they search, and how to manage our dogs through the search area.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Odor, or approval of instructor.