Home Bound?
Can't, or don't want to, leave home?
Worried about having to limit your dog's exercise due to illness, reactivity, anxiety?
Anxious about your dog becoming stressed?
Keen to avoid your dog becoming bored?
Bored dogs chews more, bark more, get under your feet more!
Scentwork to the rescue!
Scentwork provides positive mental stimulation.
In other words it gives your dog something fun to think about and pleasurable to do. To have a happily tired and relaxed dog makes for a happier home life.
The great news is that you can achieve this without having to leave your home. Scentwork can be done everywhere. You don't need acres of land, fancy training facilities or special access to unusual venues. All you need is your home. The smallest of homes can provide so much more scope for challenging and fun searches than you could ever imagine.
What's in the course?
I originally designed this course to help scentworkers get through the pandemic. Having something positive to look forward to every week was such a help in those dark days. Thankfully that time is behind us. But the idea of having something new to look forward to is still exciting. I have days when the weather is so bad I just don't want to leave the house, or when I'm so busy I can't fit in another dog walk, or when my dog is on restricted exercise due to an injury or illness but when her mind is just as alert as ever. In fact, this course is perfect for everybody who has taught their dog to search for a specific scent and just wants to do some searches at home.
Apart from the scented articles (remember, you can teach your dog to search for any safe scent), you don't need any special equipment. I will only be using things that can be found in the home or garden.
Every week for six weeks I bring you a lesson that focuses on one room in the home. I take you through risk assessment (safety checks), showing how to reduce and avoid risk to keep both your dog and your home safe. I also show you at least two searches in each location to demonstrate various levels of challenge that you can use in your own searches. So whether your search team is foundation or expert level you'll find something to inspire and spark your scentwork creativity.
I give you lots of options for where to hide your target scent, how to deal with contamination, how to prevent boring repetition, how to plan searches to make the most of the available space (small space searches can be wonderfully and unexpectedly challenging) and even tips on how not to give away the hide when placing your own finds if you have to work alone.
Every week I show you searches with my own dogs to demonstrate different skill levels and different requirements according to the needs of each dog. Ettie is my 7 month old terrier mix who is very novice, Ella is my Jack Russell Terrier who is intermediate and Cherry my Labrador is the seasoned professional.
The course includes:
- novice, intermediate and advanced non-box searches
- single finds
- multiple finds
- blank searches
- known searches
- how to strengthen an indication
- how to teach line-ups
- how to use a variety of rewards
- handling skills
- dual scent dogs
- frame searches
- vertical hides
- inaccessible finds
- pace
- outdoor searches
- how to place finds
Each week is a new room with new challenges. The final week sets searches where all that you have achieved can be brought together into a series of challenges and in one final epic search. Each section has a video lecture plus written notes that you can download. The videos and notes compliment each other but each includes information not found in the other. I've packed as much information in as I can which means that by the end of the course you will have expanded and/or improved your range of skills and knowledge, both enjoyable and fulfilling for you and your pup.
And the best part? You'll bond like never before as you both discover a fun, enriching activity you can do right from the comfort of your home.
Sneak peak - get a flavour of what's coming up
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How it works
This course is delivered on a weekly basis. Each week for 6 weeks you will be given access to a new set of searches focusing on a new area.
This gives you time to concentrate on specific searches and skills before moving on to the next challenge the following week.
At the end of this 6 week course you will have full access to all the materials and lessons.
Curriculum
Rooms
Use whatever rooms you have.
Run single searches in specific rooms.
Then link the room searches together to increase duration and challenge.
Resources
Learn how to use whatever you have available. Be it a wine rack, a wardrobe or a washing basket. You don't need 'specialist' equipment, you have all you need at home.
Inside and Out
Outside spaces can be used too. Whether you've a private garden or some shared space, you can search walls, fences, stairwells, yards, garages and sheds.
What are people saying about this course?
"I have really enjoyed the content of the course especially as we are confined to our house. Even though we have done some practical courses you never stop learning and there are so many useful tips to learn to make sure the searches are challenging yet fun for the dogs. It builds such a bond with you and your dog. Thank you."
- Helen
"Have loved doing the scentwork courses. This one was excellent as you see Pam doing the searches with her own dogs. It gives you a great insight to handling skills and gave me lots of creative ideas."
- Sarah
"I just wanted to say thanks for the course. We have enjoyed it immensely. My boxers Lois and Mac love the searches. "
- Di
"Great idea to have a scentwork course to do at our own pace and at home. I have already recommended you to other dog owners!"
- Pam
"Fantastic course, if you like working with your dog and getting them to do searching this is the best course by far"
- Sarah