K9 Nose Work® unleashes your dog’s natural ability as a hunter by providing them a safe, fun and exciting opportunity to use their amazing sense of smell to find specifically trained odours in lots of different environments. It is the very best way to build confidence and trust where they are lacking all the while building an even greater bond, understanding and trust between you and your dog.

Is it the same as Scent Work?
It sure is! However, there are many different ways to train scent work and K9 Nose Work® is instructed by a qualified instructor that has trained using the K9 Nose Work® methodology. Here are K9 Nose Time every instructor is training using the K9 Nose Work® Methodology. When it comes to sport or Trialling though it is the same and teams can trial in all competitions no matter how they have learnt their skills.

The sport involves training your dog to search & alert, just like the detection dogs you’ve seen working in the army, at airports and in the police force. It was actually the benefits seen in dogs working as professional detection dogs which inspired the K9 Nose Work® founders to develop an activity which could allow pet dogs to access these benefits as well.

What are some of the benefits?
Self control, confidence, trust, focus, calmness, reduction in reactivity to other dogs and acceptance of new environments. Seriously, the benefits are endless! In Australia, at ACSW competition level, it is a timed trial, where dogs are judged on their speed and accuracy in finding three different odours in four different scenarios. These scenarios are called “elements” in the K9 Nose Work® world. Dogs learn to work in rooms of all types & sizes, outside in any context such as lumber yards, school yards, or parks. They learn to work all sorts of containers – boxes, bins, handbags, shoes and even all sorts of vehicles including boats, cars, bikes and aeroplanes!

And the very best part is K9 Nose Work® can be enjoyed by any dog. Old, young, shy, timid, dogs in wheelchairs. All can participate and benefit. Reactive dogs especially love K9 Nose Work® as everything is done without pressure or force. One dog at a time is worked, allowing the focus to be totally on that dog and handler team. K9 Nose Work® gives each dog exactly what they need to succeed and shine.

– Lesia