Fenzi Dog Sports Academy - N101S: NW101 - Introduction to Nosework

Course Details

Nosework is easily the hottest new sport around, and it’s easy to see why! It’s fun for humans, dogs love to participate, and it’s good for building confidence and focus in dogs that have issues like shyness, reactivity, aggression, or a simple lack of confidence. Any dog can participate; from puppies to very old or retired dogs. In a matter of weeks, you’ll see your dog confidently ignoring distractions and focusing on the target scent; and by the end of the course, many of the dogs will be ready to compete for their ORT.

This course is unique in that your dog will NOT pair food with odor in order to teach odor; instead, we use the proven training method that produces the nation's top drug and bomb detection dogs! Our backchaining method is effective on almost all dogs, from insecure and unfocused dogs to highly driven and intense workers. The proof is in the pudding; dogs going through only one or two levels of our courses are earning their ORT and NW titles in record time! Even if your dog has failed using other methods, we can help you succeed!

In this class, you will learn about the basic concepts in searching for odor, proper use of equipment, how to handle odor, how to make and place hides, and how to teach your dog the importance of odor obedience. You will also learn how to make the search for scent extremely important to your dog.

This class WILL utilize the concept of "cocktailing" as a preferred option. This means that we will get your dogs on up to 3 odors at one time. This approach is OPTIONAL and the student will have the option of one at a time introduction.

Teaching Approach

Lectures will be released weekly. In addition to exercises, there will be lectures on key concepts. There will be no homework assigned on the concept lectures such as lectures on Scent Theory, reading the dog, and handling. Lectures with exercises will include a written portion, example videos, and homework. The exercises will build on each other over the duration of the course, and most can be done in small spaces. There may be some bending required, however no quick movements are necessary. If you have questions as to how this can apply to your situation, please reach out to me via the instructor link.

This class will have a Teacher's Assistant (TA) available in the Facebook study group to help the Bronze and Silver students! Directions for joining will be in the classroom after you register.

The instructors for this class change every session, please check the Schedule page for this session's instructor. This session is taught by Stacy Barnett.

Instructor: Stacy Barnett

Stacy Barnett is a top nosework competitor and trainer, being the first handler to title multiple dogs with multiple Summit Level titles in the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW), (Judd SMTx3, Brava SMTx2). Stacy has been a faculty member at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy since 2015 (Click here for full bio and to view Stacy's upcoming courses)

Syllabus

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Week 1:

What is Nosework?
Handling and preparing odor
The two halves of Nosework training
Hunting games for low confidence dogs using food (optional)
Using and Conditioning Markers
Initial odor imprinting
Introducing the Switch Box
Supplemental: Using a Cocktail

Week 2:

Building Duration and Value for Odor
Moving the Switch Box to the Floor
Introduction to Hunting Games
Expanding on Hunting Games
Developing your Start Line Routine
Introduction to Handling and Body Language

Week 3:

Adding Searching Challenges: Push in and Go Between
Introduction to Interiors
Transition to Easy Interiors
Gear and Line Handling

Week 4:

Introduction to Aging
Introduction to Hides under Chairs
Adding Searching Challenges: Thresholds & Corners
Searching a New Interior
Searching on a New Surface

Week 5:

Intro to Blowing Odor using Switch Boxes
Setting Hides at Different Heights
Searching Amongst Basic Distractions
Adding Cold Containers to the Search Area
Selection Games
Supplemental: Moving from a Cocktail to Individual Odors

Week 6:

Switch Box Container Games
Developing Container Skills
Introduction to Cardboard Boxes
ORT Prep
Next Steps and Stuff to do Between Terms

Prerequisites & Supplies

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Prerequisites: Open to All.

These supplies are what you will need for the class... however, don't fear! These supplies will last you and you won't need to buy much more in the future. I will also teach you how to make new Qtips.

You will need:

- Odor Kit (either pre-assembled or make your own)

- Tins or other vessel to put the Qtips into

- A "container" that we will use for imprinting

- Cardboard Boxes that will be used towards the end of the class in preparation for an Odor Recognition Test

Intro to Nosework Supply list:

1. Odor Kit containing:

Scented q-tips
Tweezers to move qtips from jar to containers
Small metal tins with 3 holes that can fit in your hand (will come with a starter kit).
Birch oil (or your starter oil), comes with some kits**

SOURCES FOR PRE-MADE ODOR KITS:

K9NWSource put together the perfect kit at my request. This is ONE OPTION but a very good one if you are in the U.S. This makes ordering really easy... https://k9nwsource.com/shop/stacys-kit-101/

Choose the option "Stacy's 101 Kit" for the base kit which include scented Qtips, tins, heat shrink, and putty
As an additional option, you can choose IN ADDITION, oils in the drop down. This is there so that when your scented Qtips run out, you can make more on your own.

At http://www.paws4fun.net/target-odor-kit - the minimum you would need is the "labeled jar". This kit only comes with 5 scented qtips. The "target odor kit" includes the dram bottle of oil, more scented qtips and a cute case! With this kit you must indicate you want a tin slider with holes if you want holes (holes aren't necessary but they can be helpful)

At http://www.thek9nose.com/ - the minimum you would need is the "starter travel kit". The "Beginner Starter kit" includes a bottle of oil and some additional qtip holders.

NOTE: If you buy from Leerburg, be aware that the Qtips are not shipped pre-scented, so you will have to make them yourself. (which is not hard and I will be teaching you to do that regardless!)

ABOUT YOUR TARGET ODOR:

** Birch is the starter oil for NACSW, AKC, UKC, PSD, C-Wags, K9 ABC Games, and K9SD. Wintergreen is the starter oil for SDDA and CKC (Canada).

**NOTE: Starting in 2020, NACSW will be testing on Birch, Anise AND Clove for NW1. You can earn an ORT (Odor Recognition Test) title when you pass all 3 tests. Prior to 2020, NACSW only tested on Birch at the first level. This class will teach you how to introduce all 3 odors at once but will also give you the option to introduce them individually.

Birch (“Sweet Birch” aka Betula Lenta)

Anise (“Aniseed” aka Pimpinella Anisum variety – NOT Star Anise, Illicium Verum)

Clove (“Clove Bud” aka Eugenia Caryophylatta or Syzgium Aromaticum)

** AKC adds the oil Cypress for Master Level. UKC adds Myrrh for Master and Vetiver for Elite.

** SDDA requries Wintergreen for Started and adds Pine and Red Thyme for Advanced and Excellent, respectively

** CKC uses Wintergreen and Pine, and then later adds Birch, Anise, Clove, and Cypress at various levels

** If you are in Europe or Australia & New Zealand, please check your regional organization. The European organizations can vary country by country. I have taught in person in Norway, Sweden and Denmark and can answer some questions that are organization specific.

In the Canadian organization, SDDA, the odor recognition test is called a Designated Odour Test (DOT). In the Canadian Kennel Club, CKC, the Instinct level is optional.

Essential Oils used in SDDA trials:

Started Level: Wintergreen (Gaultharia procumbens)
Advanced Level: Wintergreen and/or Pine (pinus pinaster or sylvestris)
Excellent Level: Wintergreen and/or Pine and/or Red Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

In the Canadian Kennel Club, CKC, the following odors are used:

Instinct and Novice: Wintergreen (W) (Gaultharia procumbens)
Open: Wintergreen (W) and/or Pine (P) (Pinus sylvestris)
Excellent: Wintergreen (W) and/or Pine (P) and/or Anise (A)(Pimpinella anisum)
Master: Birch (B)(Betula lenta) and/or Anise (A) and/or Clove (CL)(Eugenia caryophyllata) and/or Cypress (CY) (Cupressus sempevirens)

MAKING YOUR OWN Q-TIPS:

Even though your kits come with pre-scented Qtips, you will need to know how to make more later on! It's super easy.

Put a cotton ball in a GLASS jar
Add about 3 drops of oil to the cotton ball
Put about 20 half Q-tips in the jar
Shake well and let sit for 24 hours

When you handle your Q-tips make sure you use tweezers and don’t touch the scented Q-tips with your fingers otherwise you are going to transfer scent to surfaces around you which can confuse your dog

NOTE: AKC is a bit different. For AKC Qtips, you will be applying 2 drops of oil directly to the tip of the swab and then store the Qtips in a glass container for at least 24 hours before use. When using AKC Q-tips, you will only use ONE. When using the Qtips as prepared above, you will use THREE. HOWEVER, no matter your venue, I STRONGLY suggest that you prepare the Qtips in a batch as laid out above instead of using AKC prepared Qtips at least initially, even if you are only going to trial in AKC.

2. Tins or other vessels to put the Qtips into

You will need a tin or other vessel to contain your Qtips when you train. You can buy these from Nosework suppliers or simply get clean lip balm containers from Amazon! You can also use Altoid tins, however make sure you put them through the dishwasher first. We want to make sure there is zero mint odor left in the tin. Keep in mind that this is always a possibility so Altoid tins are the least desirable choice.

(If you buy your tins from a Nosework supplier, they will likely come with Rare Earth Magnets. These are GREAT because then your tin will stick to any metal surface!)

It's recommended to have several of these vessels.

Smalltins 628x293

ALSO HELPFUL... Definitely get some of this stuff!

This is Earthquake Putty or Museum Putty... it's reusable and is helpful for sticking your tins onto non-magnetic surfaces.

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https://www.amazon.com/Quakehold-88111-Museum-Putty-Neutral/dp/B0002VA9NA/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2CY72E5LA4025&keywords=quake+hold+earthquake+putty&qid=1563903449&s=gateway&sprefix=quake+hold%2Caps%2C1128&sr=8-3

3. A "container" that we will use for imprinting

Your Game Containers... Select Option 1 or Option 2. I HIGHLY recommend OPTION 1 because they are heavier and you can avoid "box hockey" with dogs who have a tendency to use their paws. If you can't find Electrical Switch Boxes, you can use Option 2... but you might be better off with something else that your dog can put his nose into.

OPTION 1: A set of Electrical Switch boxes. I would suggest a total of 6 sets. Each set consists of a 4 inch square electrical box and a 4 inch mud ring.

Screen Shot 2019 07 23 at 1.41.53 PM

boxes brackets 8189 64 1000

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RACO-4-in-Raised-Ground-Welded-Square-Electrical-Box-8232/100578083?MERCH=REC-_-SearchPLPHorizontal1_rr-_-NA-_-100578083-_-N

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https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-4-3-cu-in-Pre-Galvanized-Steel-Square-Mud-Ring-5-8-in-Raised-52C3-25R/202590483

These screw together with the round portion pointing down.

metal box 1

OPTION 2: CLEAN and UNUSED metal paint cans

If you can't find switch boxes, CLEAN and UNUSED empty small paint cans can work too!

paint can

Here is Why posing with a paint can so that you can see scale (he is a Mini Aussie and weighs about 25 pounds unless he has been snacking too often):

Paint can with Why

OPTION 3: Game Box (not really suggested but if you can't find anything else, they will work)

Relative to your dog's size and personality with interacting with containers, select appropriate 6-8 plastic containers. Smaller dogs will do fine with sandwhich size plastic containers. Rough/large dogs would do better with more sturdier containers that lock and can't be opened. Put enough holes on the top to vent the container (1/2" diamater holes shown below). If you make the holes too big, you will constantly have food dropping in! You will need venting on the hot box and a few cold boxes (for when putting distractions in it).

Plasticcontainer

NOTE: THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! Mark your Electrical Switch Box or your Plastic Container that is being used for odor. We consider this to be "HOT"... plastic especially absorbs odor... Once Hot Always Hot.... You always want to use the very same container for your tin... once it's been exposed to odor, it can no longer be considered to be "COLD".

4. Cardboard Boxes that will be used towards the end of the class in preparation for an Odor Recognition Test

Optional (but useful): Regulation ORT White cardboard boxes (approximate size used for ORTs and NW1 containers is 11-1/8" x 8-3/4" x 4 but slightly smaller is often used - I usually buy the 3" high ones). These can be purchased on Amazon at:

9 x 6 1/2 x 2 3/4:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D9T2G3M/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?pd_rd_i=B01D9SZNF6&pd_rd_w=ZuymM&pf_rd_p=8a8f3917-7900-4ce8-ad90-adf0d53c0985&pd_rd_wg=Fb9zp&pf_rd_r=DB7J7DWQ8345V4TTMMZV&pd_rd_r=2cf0197e-9a29-11e9-ab2b-6576650e2f66&th=1.

OTHER SUPPLIES:

5. Tasty treats that don’t fall apart. Non-crumbly! Use HIGH VALUE!! We won't have to wean the dog off a reinforcer so the higher value the better. Kibble is not a great option. Bring out the REALLY good stuff!

6. Harness and leash. Gear will be discussed in more detail in week 4. Here are some suggestions:

10' leash (I do NOT suggest a 6 foot line... it's way too short, putting too much body proximity pressure on the dog. I don't personally like longer lines although some people do)

Leash information:

For lighter dogs or dogs who do not pull, Biothane is an excellent choice. You can get any color you would like at www.palominelines.com

For heavy pullers or strong dogs (your dogs WILL kick their drive in gear in this sport!), I usually suggest a Gripper Leash (www.gripleash.com). Redline K9 has similar lines for sale on Amazon

Non-Restrictive Harness (You can use any that your dog likes. Popular choices are Brilliant K9, K9 Julius, ComfortFlex... NO front clip or martingale harnesses.)

Sample Lecture

In this lecture we will get started with our odor imprinting!

We can do this in two steps. If your dog is very naturally operant, you can skip to Step 2. If you have trouble though with Step 2, go back to Step 1!

Step 1:

All we are going to do in this step is start to associate odor with food.

You will want to find something like a cookie tin lid or metal pie plate. If you purchased your supplies from a Nosework vendor, you'll find that most of the tins come with magnets. These come in quite handy because they stick to the middle of the cookie tin lid! (Some people use metal strainers for this purpose. I tried a strainer with Powder, however it created some foot targeting behavior. For her, the cookie tin lid was much more effective!)

To get your dog's interest in the lid, you can pre-load it with a couple of tasty cookies. Place it on the ground. Your dog will investigate and eat the cookies. At that point, mark with a "Yes" and then add cookies to the plate. This will also help build duration later on!

Once your dog has eaten all of the cookie, pause... your dog will put his nose back towards the lid to investigate. Mark with a "Yes" and then reward on the plate. This is the start of your indication. You'll see in this video how I wait for Powder to lower her head to the tin BEFORE I reward. That's essential. It establishes a cause and effect relationship. At this point, your dog is already learning that odor pays off!

Step 2A:

In this step we are going to switch to our metal switch boxes. These switch boxes come in handy if you ever need to fix a box smashing behavior later on. I use the metal boxes in part over plastic tupperware because it prevents scattering. Some dogs are reinforced by the scattering behavior which can increase destructive container behavior down the road. It's super important to use heavy type, unbreakable, Game Boxes, especially with your larger or more physical dog.

We are going to start by shaping the dog placing his nose in the hole.

This is going to be relatively easy if you did Step 1, because we are going to place our odor in the box before we work. It's super important to not try to shape a nose in the hole behavior without odor, because we don't want to reinforce the dog for indicating where there is no odor.

Before we discuss how to do this, let's talk a little bit about how we need to reward our dogs.

It's incredibly important to "REWARD AT SOURCE" . This means that you will reward as close to the box as possible without actually putting food in the box. It can be easiest to feed out of a cupped hand in order to avoid dropping food in the box. If you drop food in your box, your dog will focus on eating out of the box (which is tough!) and you will have a hard time developing a alert behavior. Plus, your box will smell like food which your dog may focus on rather than the odor itself.

palm treats

Feeding away from source moves the dog towards the handler when they are uncertain. So the dog ends up orienting to the handler… which can result in a couple of things down the road:

The alert may be so brief that the dog comes back to the handler, but the handler doesn’t know where the alert actually occurred.
Lessening of duration at source
The dog may increase focus on the handler when confused which can easily be misunderstood as an alert. Handler may call Alert and get a No.
You will start to see a decrease in the precision over time.

Place your odor tin into the switch box (or use your chosen Game Box). You will probably want to mark which box you use for odor. I put a small "H" on my hot box.

It can be helpful to do this step while sitting on a stool. If you sit on the floor with your dog, you'll find that the dog starts to orient more towards you and your treats which can affect the nose in the hole behavior.

Hold the switch box in one hand and offer your dog the box. You dog will sniff it out of curiosity. Mark with a "Yes" and feed with a cupped hand over the hole being careful not to drop treats (it can be helpful to use non-crumbly treats for this!). Repeat a few times. Your dog will start to offer more and more of a nose in the hole behavior. Mark and reward, shaping your dog to stick his nose in the hole of the box. (Remember that the raised circular part of the ring needs to point DOWN, otherwise it may be aversive to your dog.)

If your dog offers a paw, simply lift the box out of reach and re-present it so that he learns that the behavior needs to be nose-only.

Step 2B:

Now let's move the box to the floor! You'll find this step easier after having done it while holding it in your hand. Again, mark and reward for nose in the hole behavior.

Some dogs may get a little "footsy" with the box. See if the behavior will self correct by not rewarding it. If the foot continue instead of being very rare, go back to Step 2A. It's SO important that your dog learns that alerting should not occur with the feet. A long time ago at the beginning of Nosework, pawing was actually encouraged! Things have changed over the last decade and there is a huge sensitivity to destructive alerts. Remember that one day you will be searching a vehicle! You certainly don't want to worry about scratching someone's car... In competition, destructive type behavior that includes excessive pawing can easily earn you a Fault. You can still title, but it will put you at the bottom of placements. Learning how to properly indicate on odor at the BEGINNING is the best way to avoid having to use my Box Smashing Anonymous Self Study course later!

So go ahead and try these games and let's see how you do!!

Testimonials & Reviews

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A sampling of what prior students have said about this course ...

This course was recommended to us as part of a rehab program for my dog who had surgery and needed a lot of crate rest and quiet time. Best thing we could have done ! We found a new sport that we love and will continue to take other nosework classes here. Outstanding individual attention from the instructor and an incredibly dynamic group of students, with lots of positive energy. Great way to strengthen your relationship with your dog and tap into their natural skills ! Loved it ! Ana C.

This was my first gold at Fenzi and I haven't regretted a second. :) We (me and my dog) had so much fun on the course and we got so much helpful feedback and positive encouragement from the instructor. Super course.

I had hesitated to try Nosework because it didn't seem as exciting as other sports, but as a novice handler with an independent, reactive dog, I wanted to find an activity that might come more naturally to us as a team...we are hooked! It is a special kind of thrill to see my dog starting to understand and search for odor, all in just 6 weeks.

One of the best online courses I have taken. The material provided was helpful, but best of all was looked after by the teacher. She provided feedback really fast and comprehensive. Thanks a lot, looking forward to the next course, you got me and my dog hooked on Nosework!

My dogs have developed good, independent hunting skills as well as value to stay at source. They are confidently completing container and interior searches. Now we are working on transitioning to ORT boxes. I look forward to the next level of nosework classes!

The progression was logical and systematic, but with the flexibility to tailor to the strengths and preferences of each dog. Feedback was timely and very supportive. It was educational to see the variety of breeds of dogs in the class mature in their skills during the course. As someone who has a non-traditional work schedule, finding a quality on-line class is the perfect fit! Thanks FDSA! Kyla S

This was a great course. The written material was excellent as were the videos. Shortly after the course began, I found myself unable to continue due to illness in the family. However, knowing that the material would be available after the course finished, allowed me to relax & focus on the crisis at hand, without stressing about missing out on the course. During this time, I read the lectures & viewed the videos & am confident that I will be able to pick up where I left off, as the lectures & videos were so well done. Having access to the lecture material for a full year, strongly influenced me to sign up for the course when I did, as I knew this would give me time to work through it with my 3 dogs. I also knew that even if I was unable to give a constant 6 weeks to it, I would be able to do it as time was available. I look forward to finishing this course & progressing onto the next level with my dogs. If your other courses are as well done as this one, I will be taking many more. Thanks, for making it possible for us to have top-notch instruction online. Karen H.

This has been a great class. The lectures were easy to follow, and even though I was only at the bronze level, I still have great confidence that with a little more proofing in distracting environments, my dog will have no problems completing an odor recognition test. All of the exercises were straightforward, nicely demoed, and something I could easily do. The feedback given to the gold students was invaluable, even to me who wasn't one of those students! I really enjoyed this class, and cannot wait to take the next level! Brittany L.

Registration

Next session starts: August 1, 2023
Registration starts: July 22, 2023
Registration ends: August 15, 2023

Registration opens at 12:00noon Pacific Time.

N101S Subscriptions

	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Tuition	$ 260.00	$ 130.00	$ 65.00
Enrollment Limits	12	40	Unlimited
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Submit written assignments	✔	✖	✖
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N101S: NW101 - Introduction to Nosework

N101S: NW101 - Introduction to Nosework

Course Details

Teaching Approach

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