Hunter’s Heart
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Top Dog Toys of 2018 – Help Your Dog Relax, Chew and Be Quiet
We recently packed up 7 dogs for a 4000 km road trip, and brought and 7 StarMark Everlasting Fun Balls to help the dogs relax. All of the balls made it home, unlike several [...]
How to Build Drive Chasing a Ball on a Rope
One great way to build toy drive is chasing a ball on a rope. Softer toys with squeakers grab attention from most of our students. Even if they haven’t been interested [...]
Scent Detection Rats Making a Difference
Giant Rats are saving lives by sniffing out TNT in unexploded landmines as featured in National Geographic’s video of detector rats on the job in Cambodia(6). While [...]
Early Neutering May Affect Cognitive Function, Cancers and Joint Disorders
Puppy owners deciding when to neuter may find it interesting to learn more about the long-term health effects. One study compared Golden and Labrador Retrievers with spay [...]
Protected: Scent Dog Foundation STUDENTS ONLY
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NEW Scent Dog Foundation Online Course Starts Aug. 1, 2018
NEW Scent Dog Foundation Course – Class begins Aug. 1, 2018. From bed bugs to birds, from narcotics to nosework, Hunter’s Heart motivational scent training [...]
Jager Selected for CBSA Narcotics/Firearm Detection Training
Our Brittany Jager has been selected by Canadian Border Services Agency for its narcotics and firearms detection training program. Hunters Heart Jager Cimex, our 9-month old [...]
Building the Brains of Scent Detection Puppies with Early Scent Introduction
Starting at 3 days of age, we introduce scents of our litters of puppies, and follow the Biosensor (Early Neurological Stimulation) program (1) daily and introduce a new [...]
NEW Engagement Games Classes
What makes your scent dog happy? Is he more interested in checking out distractions than working with you? In our new ENGAGEMENT FOR DOGSPORTS classes, we use games to [...]
How to Remove Ticks to Lessen Blood Meals with Associated Disease Transmission
Ticks are one pest you and your dog can pickup during outdoor activities, which carries a risk of disease transmission. This fascinating macro video of ticks attaching to [...]
Nosework Makes Us Smile – Join the Fun at our Calgary Classes
Nosework Makes Us Smile – Join the Fun at our Calgary Classes starting May 30 at Kayenna Kennels, Calgary. Level 1 – Motivate your dog to love searching for scent. [...]
Sourcing, Residual Odor and Preventing False Alerts FAQ – Part 2
In Part 1, I explained why your dog should be working to source in every search i.e. getting his nose as close as physically possible to the highest concentration of odor. [...]
Sourcing, Residual Odor and Preventing False Alerts FAQ – Part 1
Question: Carla, can you suggest training exercises to help work through dogs (false) alerting on trace or residual odour? I assume that for the most part it’s team [...]
Chasing the Flirt Pole and High Intensity Interval Training for Dogs
Are you the time crunched owner of a dog with energy to burn? The flirt pole can harness a dog’s natural instinctive drive to chase prey. This fun, efficient, high [...]
Treasure Hunt at Saturday Match (Calgary)
Thanks Calgary Disc Club for a fun nosework match this weekend! The updated Treasure Map is attached FYI. You’re welcome to sniff out the hidden jewels until May 6 [...]
Blocking and Advanced Proofing with Barriers
A student recently described how her dog found most of the hides in SDDA Excellent competition, but had a fringe alert. Did she call alert too soon or block her dog’s [...]
Scent Detection Training Devices and DIY Setups
Stuck in a rut with your scent detection training? Hiding Food Many trainers hide food inside Kongs and stuffable food balls, in snuffle mats (like a deep shaggy rug), and [...]
Only a few spots left! INTRODUCTION TO NOSEWORK class starts Wed. April 18 (Calgary)
Using the same techniques we use for bed bug and narcotics detection dogs, we’ll motivate your pet dog to love searching for target odor. This video features Jager, a [...]
How to Train Your Dog to Sit at Scent – Part 2 Scent Puppy Foundation
This video captures Jager’s first session training a sit indication for high hides at a hot indication box. Jager’s 6-month-old Brittany Spaniel and bed bug [...]
How to Train Your Dog to Sit At Scent – Part 1 “Up-Sit” for Scent Detection
Question: My dog’s indication on hides over 3 feet is good, but not as intense as his indication on low hides. He finds them easily, but he sits looking at me instead of [...]
You’ll Fall Many Times, But Who’s Counting
Even Olympic medallists eventually take a fall. Some are more catastrophic than others, but how they recover from failure helps determine future results. There’s a [...]
Playing Catch to Become the Cookie – How to Be More Rewarding
Sometimes it’s harder to be more interesting than the dirt, with its tantalizing tapestry of scents. Playing catch is one type of food play that can come in handy when you [...]
Finding Looted Syrian Artifacts in Air and Sea Cargo – New Frontier of K9 Scent Detection Research
In the race to save Syria’s archaeological treasures, researchers at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (PVWDC) are looking into the efficacy of detection dogs trained to [...]
Converging Odors and Single Odor Hides vs. Cocktail FAQ
Lori’s question: Is there ever an advantage to using single odor hides? For example, one hide is wintergreen, another hide is birch with anise, etc.. (We started [...]
How Many Indications or Searches Should We Do In Practice? FAQ
W’s question: I’ve been focusing a lot on indication lately and noticed she’s getting lackluster and starting to wander off. At this stage is it ok to mix it [...]
What Should You Do About False Alerts? Mass Spectometry Would Help
Do you ever wish you had a machine to tell you what scents your dog false alerted on? It would be nice to get a definitive answer, especially when you don’t understand [...]
Listen Up! When Your Dog Stops Sniffing
Did you notice that many scent detection dogs stop breathing when they reach source? One of the best ways to read your sniffer dog is by listening to changes in his [...]
Table Distraction Game for Sniffer Dogs
Reliable scent dogs must ignore food, toy, and environmental distractions to find target odor. This video shows the Table Distraction Game we play with our scent dogs away [...]
How Long Should Hides be Aged? – Scent Work Competition FAQ
Pat’s question: How long do you age a hide prior to the start of a nosework trial? Is it the same for all the elements? Answer: Aging is the amount of time between [...]
Entering Your First Nosework Competition FAQ’s on UKC Nosework
It’s an exciting time when you enter your first nosework competition. Having said that, you probably feel uncertain about what to expect. Below are FAQ’s for [...]
Welcome to Hunter’s Heart Scent Detection Training
Welcome students! We’re looking forward to meeting you and your scent dog. We’ve inspired hundreds of students internationally, including dogs of all ages, [...]
Upcoming Scent Dog Training with Hunter’s Heart
Classes at Kayenna Kennels, Calgary Learn nosework at Kayenna Kennels (near Southland and Macleod, Calgary) with a 6-week class. Level 1 – We’ve inspired hundreds of [...]
Positive is Not Permissive – When to Say No
While pondering what to write about for American Brittany Magazine this month, inspiration struck! Several times. In fact, imprinting scent with three 12-week-old pups [...]
Scent Dog Training Classes Start Wed.
While it’s cold outside, come join us for some fun nosework! Classes start this Wednesday evening Dec. 13, 2017. at Kayenna Kennels (near Southland and Macleod, Calgary). [...]
How to Get Your Dog to Play Tug
With just a few tweaks, you can dramatically improve your dog’s play drive. You may even be surprised to convert a reluctant chow hound to an avid tugger. Read on to learn [...]
Top Scent Dog Training Books and Websites 2017
Shopping for the holiday season? You can never have too many scent dog training books, right? Here’s a list of our favorite canine books and websites you might enjoy: [...]
Nosework Seminar this Sunday (Calgary)
We have some openings for our nosework seminar this Sunday. If it’s challenging for you to attend weekly classes, this is a great opportunity to try nosework, or work [...]
Brittany Puppies Find the Milk | Hunter’s Heart BB x Boo litter Week 1
This Brittany puppy uses scent to find his dam’s milk at 1 week of age. At birth, healthy puppies are blind and cannot hear, for at least 10 days. A dam simply cannot [...]
What Do Sperm and Puppies Have in Common?
They both rely on scent. Sperm use olfaction to navigate to eggs, and newborn puppies use olfaction to navigate to the milk in their dam’s breasts. For animals like fish, [...]
How to Train a Freeze Indication Using Leash Pressure
Many people ask how we train a freeze indication with focused attention. Once a dog is confidently and proficiently finding source, we use gentle leash pressure to teach the [...]
Amp Up the Fun! Hunter’s Heart Fall Nosework Seminars
Interested in trying nosework? Join us for the most fun you’ve ever had with your dog. We’ll motivate your dog to love searching for odor at our hugely popular [...]
Odor Hygiene at Nosework Competitions
Odor hygiene refers to properly handling target odor, so you know with certainty where odor is located, and where it is not located. Good odor hygiene enables more teams to [...]
Fear, Fender Benders and Following Your Fearless Dog
My Brittany Spaniel, Boo, and I spent our summer competing in nosework on a cross country road trip: from Calgary to California, Seattle to Wisconsin. The experience was [...]
Back to School Survey for Hunter’s Heart Nosework Classes (Starting Sept. 20, at Kayenna Kennels, Calgary)
Nosework classes resume this week and we’re going to have some fun motivating your dog to search for odor! If you’re registered, please complete this survey in [...]
Join Us for Summer Nosework Fun Events, Calgary
Hi everyone, I hope you’re staying cool, and you can join us for some summer nosework events. NOSEWORK DROP-IN NIGHTS AT KAYENNA KENNELS, CALGARY Test your skills in [...]
Please vote for Nosework!
Your support counts! Please take 30 seconds to answer the Canadian Kennel Club’s 1 question nosework poll at http://www.ckc.ca/en. Virtually every dog can enjoy scent [...]
SDS Distance Game Demonstrations
Can your scent dog search independently at a distance? Watch demonstrations with coaching as our students test their skills with the fun SDS Distance Handling Game Version 1, [...]
Canada’s First Sniffing Dog Sports Nosework Competition, Oct. 7-8, Calgary
Join Sniff Alberta for Canada’s first Sniffing Dog Sports Nosework Competition, Calgary, Oct. 7&8, 2017 You’ll love SDS: Save $. Only 1 pass required to title at [...]
Back by Popular Demand: Nosework Crash Course Weekend, July 15/16, Hunter’s Heart (Calgary)
Take your nosework to the next level Juno’s video demonstrates strong commitment to odor in scent work. Sometimes blind searches are confusing for the handler. Juno [...]
Top 5 Scent Work Tips on Training Your Down Indication
Here’s our Top 5 Tips on proofing your down indication for K9 Nosework. Tip #1) Always mark or reward finding source. Then you can give extra rewards for the down [...]
Delayed Rewards Are Missed Opportunities in Scent Dog Training
From the dog’s point of view, rewards are the most important component of dog training. Sadly, many handlers are lousy rewarders and dogs are left confused and rewardless. [...]
Calgary Nosework Classes – Video of Keata (Border Collie) Learning to Indicate Scent
Only 6 days left! Register now for Nosework classes starting April 5, Calgary Info: https://www.kayennakennels.ca/nosework-classes This video features Keata at our Level 2 [...]
Scent Maze Video: Can Your Dog Find His Way to Source?
This fun scent maze challenged our advanced nosework students to navigate around gates impeding access to the box containing odor to get to source. Teams were allowed perform [...]
Break Down Scent Work for Success from Day One
Hunter’s Heart trains nosework by breaking it down into small achievable steps, setting teams up for success from day 1. Rewarding is crucial to motivating the dog to [...]
Work for the Whites of His Eyes
Scent work is a game, and some rewards are better than others. You know you’re on the right track when your dog is so excited you can see the whites of his eyes. What did [...]
Scent Work – How to Train Distractions with Fun Nosework Games
Scent work is a game, with its roots in hunting and finding prey. In nosework, dogs must learn to ignore distractions to search and find the target odor. We use games to [...]
Nosework Lesson #1 is Motivation! Register now for Feb. 22 Classes
Watch our students enjoying their motivational introduction to scent at their first nosework class. Our approach is to make target odor so rewarding it would be crazy to [...]
Welcome to Scent Detection Classes at Kayenna Kennels, Calgary
Welcome students! Hunter’s Heart is excited to offer scent detection classes, seminars and events at Kayenna Kennels, Calgary. Register [...]
How to have the most fun with your dog? Nosework/Scent Dog Training Compilation 2016
Nosework can be the most fun you ever had with your dog! We’ve received many requests to help nosework students explain why they love nosework to people who [...]
Making Single Odor Hides
Here are the steps to make single odor hides... [...]
Nosework Training in the Lab
Hunter’s Heart scent detection training is inspired by Andrew Ramsey (renowned law enforcement canine detection trainer, who helped advise the United Kennel Club while [...]