Dr. Carla Simon

A fringe alert occurs when the dog indicates close to the target odor, in the odor plume, but not at source. For example, the dog indicates by lying down on the driver side of a vehicle when the hide is actually on the front bumper and wind is blowing scent to the dog’s location. This

In the scent detection lab, these are the steps the trainer will take to reward your dog: Say “Yes” or click the instant dog’s nose touches the food bowl (or hole in the box containing target odor) Reward at source (touching her hand to source to deliver the food) Repeat this sequence for 1-3 rewards,

At first, your dog will learn to search for food in a food bowl. The cues to searching are the lab setup and the handler bangs the bowl on the floor. Your trainer will: Start the session with a taste test to find the treats your dog wants most today Tease your dog on the

In the nosework lab, the dog’s job is to search the area and find the food bowl and/or target odor. He should: Put his nose as close to the food bowl and/or target odor as possible. Be “obedient to odor”, rather than focussing on the handler to follow obedience commands Return to the food bowl

When you take lessons in the scent detection lab, you are the handler and the instructor is the trainer. This blog focusses on the role of the handler. Once your dog is comfortable in the new environment, he will appear more focussed and we’ll begin your searches. The instructor will begin by offering your dog

There are some rules we follow in our scent work events, classes and competitions, so searches run smoothly, and all participants have the greatest chance of succeeding and having fun. No dog-dog interaction is ever allowed. We love to have fun, and dog fights, bites or scares are NOT fun. It’s your responsibility to control