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What is K9 Nose Work?
K9 Nose Work™ is a fun activity for dogs and owners designed around your dog’s natural scenting
ability and desire to hunt. It provides mental enrichment, helps increase confidence, and is just a lot of
fun for dogs! It also gives you the opportunity to learn more about and appreciate your dog’s amazing
“scent-ability”.
What do you teach a dog in these classes?
Dogs are already extremely capable of finding things with their noses, so we don’t actually have to
teach that. In the beginner classes, class instructors and handlers (that’s you) set up many different
situations for dogs to hunt for food rewards with increasing levels of challenge. In the advanced
stages, dogs are taught to search for tiny hints of odor, and are always rewarded at the end of each
hunt. It’s amazing to see how the dogs get excited about hunting even in their first class!
What kind of dog can participate in K9 Nose Work classes?
One great thing about this activity is that it’s suitable for just about any dog and any person, even those
with some physical limitations All breeds and mixes of all ages are welcome, and even dogs who are
reactive to other dogs or people can safely join a class. Most dog activities & sports, such as agility,
flyball, and rally obedience, are not typically suitable for dogs who are reactive to other dogs. Nose
Work can open up a whole new world of enrichment for these dogs!! Dogs work off-leash in class so
only one dog works at a time and all others are crated in a calm area until their turn comes around
again. This is done so the working dog is not distracted by other dogs while in the “sniff zone”. Each
dog will have multiple turns during class so they won’t spend a lot of time in crates.
Great for competitors and non-competitors alike.
There are Nose Work™ competitions on the West Coast as well as a few other parts of the country,
and the East Coast will have its first competitions in 2011. However, you don’t need to compete for
you and your dog to receive the full benefits of this exciting activity. You will quickly learn K9 Nose
Work™ techniques that are easily re-created at home for practice and fun! Dogs don’t care if they win
any competitions, so they enjoy it whether they compete or not.
Added bonus for some dogs with behavior issues.
Since the founders of K9 Nose Work™ (all professional scent detection dog trainers & handlers) started
offering these classes a few years ago, owners who have dogs with separation anxiety, reactivity,
environmental sensitivity, and other stress-related concerns have reported improvement after doing
Nose Work.
How can I find out more information?
For more information, see the official K9 Nose Work™ website: www.k9nosework.com.
Also check out YouTube for videos of some dogs in action! Just search on K9 Nose Work™.
How do I get started?
If you’re interested in registering for a 6-week class (approximately one hour per week), please email
Wendy at: training@myshilohvet.com, or call Shiloh Veterinary Hospital at 717-767-0180.
If you’re not ready to join a class but are curious about K9 Nose Work™, you’re welcome to come and
observe a class. Please contact Wendy to schedule a time.
The Nose Work facilitator, Wendy Hazenstab, is a Certified Veterinary Technician. She also earned
the title of Associate Nose Work Instructor in March, 2011. Wendy attended multiple seminars in
2010 conducted by the original founders of K9 Nose Work™ and will continue to do attend seminars
in 2011.
Behavior
Class Forms
| Registration form for Nose Work Level 1 Class |
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| Registration form for Nose Work Level 2 Class |
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| Nose Work Class Flyer | Download |
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