Scent Work is a sport which allows your dog to harness their innate sense of smell to detect odors. Using the same approach as detection dogs who learn to discern odors such as narcotics or explosives, Scent Work teaches your dog how to identify a variety of essential oils, such as birch, anise and clove.
Dogs use their natural ability to smell to find the odors, and are taught to indicate to their handler when they have found one. Once your dog has been imprinted on the target odors and you get into the habit of practising regularly, you’ll be amazed at its skill in locating the hides.
Although it is solely the dog’s job to locate the odor, Scent Work is a team sport. As a handler, your role is important too. You’ll be the one who helps to build a reliable indication and reward when your dog has found the odor.