Since I got Clark, my new Cardigan Welsh Corgi puppy, I have noticed the powers of nose work. So far, he is still searching for food. I have not transitioned him to any specific scents yet. The other day I had some packaging paper left over and I thought I’d let the dogs have some fun with it.
Clark started nosework when he was still at his breeder’s home – 3.5 weeks old! He has demonstrated to me multiple times that he’s got an amazing nose that can and will find anything yummy in his reach.
Loker has very limited experience “officially” using his nose to find things, but I see him using it very often in everyday life.
Use Nose Work with Your Reactive Dog
Asking your dog to find treats is a great way to get their mind off of any environmental stressors. If you’ve practiced at home and put a cue to searching for food like “find it”, then you can ask your dog to focus on that instead of anything that may be causing arousal while out on a walk. I have used “find it” with my dog, Loker, and I love that it will immediately redirect his attention when he get’s over stimulate outside.
Give your dog a challenge! Have your dog search for his meal around the room! You may have to show him/her a few peices to get started, but they should catch on fairly quickly. Here’s an article to get you started: http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/getting-started-nose-work
Here is another fun video of someone else doing nose work with their German shepherd: