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Tamara Champagne

008 - Training Audit: Scent Skills for Trial Success


In this Training Audit, Kathleen and I dig into the skills (dog and handler) that teams should start incorporating in their training as they move up the scent detection trial levels.


Kathleen discusses her experience in scent detection training with her dogs and shares how she discovered her Mini Poodle, Banner, had a strong scent orientation and decided to focus on scent detection with him. Fast forward to today, they've had a ton of fun and success and Kathleen wants to find success at the Excellent and Masters levels which if you've trialed at this level before, you know it can be a whole different kettle of fish compared to Novice and Open searches.

In this episode we discuss:

00:00 Introduction

01:07 Kathleen's Background and Introduction to Scent Detection

03:05 Building Confidence and Achieving Success in Scent Detection

05:02 Benefits of Scent Detection for Dogs with Low Confidence

07:26 Goals for Higher Levels of Scent Detection Trials

09:05 Strategies for Training at Higher Levels

10:37 Understanding the Complexity of Scent Puzzles in Higher Levels

13:19 Identifying and Training Essential Skills for Higher Levels

15:02 Strategic Training Approach and Variable Practice

18:03 Developing Handler Skills

20:18 Challenges with Repetition and Odor Hygiene

22:22 Giving Dogs the Benefit of the Doubt and Individual Preferences

23:39 Advocating for the Dog

25:04 Using Nose vs Memory

27:08 Trust and Odor Obedience

29:21 Balancing Dog-Led and Handler-Led Searches

31:40 Search Strategies

36:01 Incorporating Blank Areas


Click here to listen on Apple and Spotify


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scent detection, dog training, positive reinforcement, goals, higher levels, challenges, odor hygiene, handler skills, scent detection, training, skills mindset, scent puzzles, journaling, search areas, dog-led searches, handler-led searches, search strategy, blank areas

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