Course Details
Like many sports, Nosework benefits from having go-to drills that are easy to set up and rewarding to run. Well-designed drills help us maintain existing skills, reveal gaps in training, and highlight when it’s time to increase the challenge for dogs who are ready for more.
Having ready-made drills can also make it easier to get out and train -providing valuable mental stimulation, enrichment, and even a bit of decompression when life feels overwhelming.
In this class, you’ll be given specific, clearly outlined drills—the where, what, and how—so you can train with confidence and purpose. Each search will be reviewed for skill competency and next steps: identifying areas that need nurturing as well as opportunities to advance.
Setups will be straightforward and low-fuss, with thoughtful pre-planning so you can be ready to train at a moment’s notice.
Teaching Approach
Each week 4 drills are rolled out at the start of the week. This class will work best for students who learn by reading text lectures, watching videos and who like having structured lesson plans.
Teaching Approach:
Lectures and Video Demonstrations
Lectures are released the night before each week begins and includes both written and video descriptions of every exercise. The lectures are presented in a clear step-by-step format and are designed to help a student understand the purpose of the exercise and how it might vary by team.
Homework & Practice
Homework assignments are listed at the end of each lecture for easy reference. Each week offers several exercises, tailored to the skill level and needs of both dog and handler. Teams progress at their own pace, working at a level where the dog demonstrates confidence and understanding. Gold students will have 6 minutes of video homework time each week.
Feedback & Support
Gold students receive both general and personalized written feedback, often with timestamps for clarity. You may submit work from current or previous weeks to continue receiving guidance throughout the course. Silver students recieve both genearl feedback and personalized video for their allotted video submission. Each team is supported at the level they are working, with no expectation to progress beyond their dog’s readiness.
A Teacher’s Assistant (TA) will be available to support Bronze students. Directions for participating in the Bronze Student Forum will be provided in the classroom after registration.
Instructor: Julie SymonsJulie Symons (she/her) has been involved in dog sports for over 30 years. Starting with her mix, Dreyfus, in flyball, she went on to train and compete in conformation, agility, obedience, herding and tracking with her first Belgian tervuren, Rival. Rival was the first CH OTCH MACH Belgian...(Click here for full bio and to view Julie's upcoming courses)
