All About Scent Work Podcast

Have you ever questioned why people even bother doing vehicle searches? Are they a search element you simply do not practice or train? In this podcast episode, Dianna will discuss how fun vehicle searches can be, how they can be an excellent learning opportunity for dog and handler alike and why everyone should give them a try! Intrigued? Be certain to check out Michael McManus' Perfect Patterns: Vehicles Course. You may also be inspired by some of the challenges posed in these eBooks: 50 Sniffy Fun Challenges eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenges eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenge 2.0 eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenge 3.0 eBook (to be released on March 31, 2023) Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. Our online courses, seminars, webinars and eBooks are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Are you in

Speaker: Dianna L. Santos Do you DESPISE containers? Are they dumb, boring and your least favorite search element ever? You are not alone apparently! There is rather large contingency within the Scent Work community who are not fans of Container searches. In this episode, Dianna will do her very best to try to make the case FOR Containers, describing how valuable of a learning tool they can be and attempt to inspire listeners to give this search element another chance. ----more---- Intrigued? Be certain to check out these resources to take an even deeper dive into all things Container-related: All About the Box; A Detailed Look at Container Searches Webinar with Dana Zinn All About the Box: Part 2 Webinar with Dana Zinn Leveraging Containers for Life Course with Dianna L. Santos You may also be inspired by some of the challenges posed in these eBooks: 50 Sniffy Fun Challenges eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenges eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenge 2.0 eBook Winter Sniffy Fun Challenge 3.0 eBook (to be released o

When we are training, trialing or making decisions about our sniffing journey, we oftentimes solely focus on the "how". In this podcast episode, discover the importance of understanding the "why". ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Interested in another dog sport? Dog Sport University is sister online dog training platform, give it a peek and see what it has to offer you and your dog. Want to help your dog in the manner department? Maybe you have a new puppy? Check out our newest online dog training platform, Pet Dog U, where we offer online dog training courses, webinars, seminars as well as a regularly updated blog and podcast for all of your dog training needs! #allaboutscentworkpodcast #whythewhy

Your dog is tackling a search and you just don't think they are going about it the right way. They are coming off the containers or vehicles, or perhaps they are attempting to go outside the barrier cones for an exterior search. Silly dog, you think to yourself, as you step in to direct them, illustrating the "right" way to go about searching this space. In this episode, we discuss how our human expectations can inject unnecessary conflict into our Scent Work searches. Basically, how it is oftentimes best to simply trust the dog, as they can actually interact with and experience the odor we've tasked them to find. However, ceding this control and offering this trust can be exceedingly difficult and challenging for handlers, especially when the dog's choices in the space directly counter the handler's human expectations. ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in c

Owning a senior dog means you must make some tough choices. This includes what activities you choose to do together. How to keep their age-related limitations in mind while still maximizing on the time you have together. In this episode, we discuss Scent Work-specific considerations. This is a sensitive and emotional subject. These decisions must be individualized and customized. There are no right or wrong answers. As long handlers are mindful and thoughtful in their decisions, including an honest assessment of how the dog is faring, then all is good. ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Interested in another dog sport? Dog Sport University is sister online dog training platform, give it a peek and se

We've all heard how important it is "rise to the occasion" or to "meet the challenge head-on" or "anything worthwhile requires hard work" and so on. Essentially, if you hope to achieve anything, you must be ready and willing to put in the time and effort required. The same applies to Scent Work. Eyeing the upper levels of competition? Better be ready to toughen up and put that time in! Your dog must toughen up too. Scent Work trials notoriously throw curveballs at teams all the time. Want to succeed? Better train your dog to be ready to deal with whatever life wants to throw at them! These concepts of "toughening up" to face the challenges of life have merit but are incomplete. They assume everyone is at a place right now where they CAN give more. This premise doesn't account for the fact that handlers, and dogs, may simply be incapable of "giving it their all", because they already are. There is simply nothing left in the tank. Even worse, pushing more could spell disaster for them individually and as a team

Have you ever been in the middle of a search with your dog, and it seems as though their brain just...well, exploded? Maybe they started barking at you. Or perhaps they rushed off to grab a toy. Maybe they disengaged all together, seemingly giving up on the search. What you may be witnessing is the dog reaching what Dianna calls their "frustration threshold". In this episode, Dianna explains how she defines this term and what it looked like with her own dog, both inside and outside the context of Scent Work. Dianna is offering a live webinar focusing on this very topic, Dealing with Frustration Threshold Issues in Scent Work Webinar. If you wanted to learn more about the issue of frustration threshold within the context of Scent Work and some exercises and approaches you can try to help you dog overcome it, be sure to check out this webinar. ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those w

The allure to rush, whether it be while training or trialing, can be so incredibly strong. Yet the fallout is very real. Rushing can cause a huge multitude of issues that will take an immense amount of time and effort to undo and fix. Worst still, the results of rushing can cause frustration, confusion and a slew of other negative emotions to enter into the picture, chipping away at the relationship you have with your dog as you play the sniffing game. In this episode, we discuss why people may rush, the various issues rushing can cause and what your instructor may be going through when you choose to rush against their best of intentions and advice. ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Interested in an

You read that right, your dog is guessing. Guessing what the Scent Work game is really all about. What they are supposed to be hunting for. What they are being rewarded for. What we want them to do! In this episode, we discuss this reality and how we, as handlers and trainers, need to be as clear as possible with our dogs to help them truly understand the sniffing game we want them to play. ----more---- We pull upon this concept in more depth in these four webinars, outlining how being clearer in our training and practice sessions may avoid false alerts. Check them out: Cause and Cure of False Alerts: Container Searches Webinar Cause and Cure of False Alerts: Interior Searches Webinar Cause and Cure of False Alerts: Exterior Searches Webinar Cause and Cure of False Alerts: Vehicle Searches Webinar Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog o

In the latest installment of our ongoing series, where we speak with participants of Cyber Scent Work, Inc., we have privilege of learning more about Tracy Martin's journey into Scent Work, her wonderful dogs as well as how she is helping her clients learn about and thrive while playing the sniffing game.  You may learn more about Tracy and her training business here: http://www.martintrainingbehavior.com/ A HUGE "Thank You" to Tracy for sharing her passion for Scent Work and dog training with us! It is contagious to say the very least. ----more---- Did you want to learn more about Cyber Scent Work, Inc.? Check out the Cyber Scent Work, Inc. website. Look over the Rules. Check out some of the most Commonly Asked Questions.  Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with the

When it comes to dog training, not to mention Scent Work, there is a tendency to lump things together. This can make the whole process rather confusing to our dogs. An excellent approach is to "break it down" or split up a given exercise into smaller pieces or steps to help the dog better understand. However, the benefits of "breaking it down" applies to BOTH ends of the leash! This means we, as handlers, should identify ways we can breakdown the skills we need to work on or perfect to be the best teammate we can be.  This all means instructors should ensure their program are cultivating the approach of "breaking down", for both their canine and human clients, and avoid the allure to lump, assume or rush ahead. We discuss this, and more, in this episode. ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking fo

The second in our ongoing series where we strive to learn more about participants of Cyber Scent Work, Inc., in this episode we have an engaging conversation with Jo Ann Dombeck about her journey into Scent Work, having three awesome little sniffing dogs and her experience with Cyber Scent Work.  A huge "THANK YOU" to Jo Ann for sharing her story with us and also sending an adorable video afterwards of her prancing poodle, it was heartwarming to say the least! Did you want to learn more about Cyber Scent Work, Inc.? Check out the Cyber Scent Work, Inc. website. Look over the Rules. Check out some of the most Commonly Asked Questions.  ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Interested in another dog spor

A common sentiment within the dog-owning community is accepting who your dog is. This is absolutely correct albeit not entirely complete. While we avoid trying to turn our dogs into something they are not, we should be working toward helping them be the best version of themselves. If for no other reason, than to allow our dogs to have the highest quality of life possible. Finding this delicate balance between accepting while still progressing and growing is not easy to do, especially in Scent Work. Do you find yourself capping your dog's abilities by only setting up searches you know they can easily tackle? Or perhaps you have a tendency of throwing them into situations they do not have a prayer of solving?! A better and more ideal solution is a happy medium, where the dog may have to work and strive, but can still reach the solution, simultaneously building their confidence, independence and tenacity in the process. We discuss the importance of finding this balance, and how challenging it can be, in this pod

Cyber Scent Work, Inc. is celebrating it's one year anniversary by announcing some new and exciting changes, including video reviews and earning ribbons for both Element titles and Level titles! In this episode, we hear from the co-founders of Cyber Scent Work, Inc., Dianna L. Santos and Sean McMurray, about these changes and the plans for the future. Did you want to learn more about Cyber Scent Work, Inc.? Check out the Cyber Scent Work, Inc. website. Create a free account here. Look over the Rules. Check out some of the most Commonly Asked Questions.  ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, but also for those dog owners who are simply looking for something fun and engaging to do with their dogs. Check out Scent Work University today! Interested in another dog sport? Dog Sport University is sister online dog training platform, give it a peek and

This is the first entry in our brand-new series where we speak with participants of Cyber Scent Work, Inc. to hear their stories, what their Scent Work training journey has been like and to learn more about their partnership with their dogs as well as their experience with Cyber Scent Work, Inc. For our inaugural episode, we are delighted to speak with Lisa Bartel about her journey with her wonderfully adorable boy, Rickon, how they got started in Scent Work as well as how Lisa has successfully leveraged sniffing to help Rickon build more confidence. Additionally, we hear from Lisa regarding her experience in going through Cyber Scent Work, Inc., the training feedback she received as well as her future sniffy plans for Rickon, who has proudly and bravely earned his Cyber Sniffer Beginner Paired Odor Track Level Title! We are thrilled that Lisa agreed to speak with us about her experience with Cyber Scent Work, Inc. and we look forward to hearing from more Cyber Scent Work participants to hear about their take

Many people are under the impression that canine fitness and Scent Work are unrelated and have nothing to do with one another. Nothing could be further from the truth! To be successful in Scent Work, particularly when competing in the upper levels, your dog MUST have a level of fitness to meet the demands, otherwise they have no hope of succeeding. In this episode, we speak with Donna Morgan Murray, PhD, CPCFT regarding the importance of canine fitness, how fitness impacts dogs who are doing Scent Work and other scent sports as well as the various life stages where a fitness program can be successfully utilized. We are also incredibly fortunate that Donna has put together several webinars focusing on canine fitness. Be sure to check them all out: Fitness for the Life of Your Dog Webinar Keeping Your Senior Dog Fit to Work and Play Webinar Fitness Exercises for You Puppy Webinar ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webina

The human experience with odor is far and away what our dogs are experiencing when they encounter odor. For one, they can actually "see" odor by using their incredible sense of smell. We cannot. Yet, time and time again, handlers will discount what the dog does, communicates or tries to do within a given search. In this podcast episode, we discuss this vastly different experience on either end of the leash and how we as handlers need to own our own shortcomings. How we must improve our own skills, both in understanding odor and in reading and supporting our dogs, to best allow our dog to be successful. Here are some resources available through Scent Work University that may help with bridging this gap regarding expectations and more properly supporting our dogs when doing searches with them: Hide Placement and Odor Movement Seminar with Laurel Scarioni All About the Box; A Detailed Look at Container Searches with Dana Zinn Tools to Help Design Your Scent Work Searches Webinar with Dianna L. Santos Wait, Quit

In this spotlight episode, we speak with Melissa Stagnaro regarding the titling organization in the United States, American Rettungshunde Sport Association (ARSA), where teams may work a variety of classes based upon the rules set by the international Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and the International Rescue Dog Organisation (IRO). This is excellent conversation discussing the details of ARSA and also how handlers may volunteer for local SAR-groups, to learn the ropes and see if they and their dogs may up for the task to join a team and deployed. Be sure to check out the following links to learn more about ARSA: https://www.searchandrescuesport.org ARSA - FB Page ARSA - YouTube   Melissa also mentions a great book that listeners may want to look into: Family Disaster Dogs by Amber Higgins   ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are interested in competition, bu

In this roundtable discussion headed by Michelle Doram, we hear from the three varied experiences on how to manage expectations when competing in Nose Work. An excellent conversation between Jessica Koester, a CNWI and NACSW Judge, Monica Flores, a 10-year veteran Nose Work competitor and Jill Marie O'Brien, the co-founder of NACSW. The insights and stories shared in this conversation will help all dog and handler teams who are in any part of their competition journey, regardless of the venue.  We are incredibly fortunate that Michelle Doram is also offering a live webinar taking a deeper dive into the topic, outlining how handlers may better manage their expectations when it comes to trialing. Be sure to check to out Michelle's Great Expectations: Creating your Scent Work Trial Experience Webinar on April 20th at 4PM PST/7PM EST.  ----more---- Scent Work University is an online dog training platform focused on all things Scent Work. SWU courses, seminars, webinars and eBook are not only for those who are int

In Scent Work, we must be able to read our dog. What the dog's tells are as they are working a space, detecting, chasing and sourcing odor or investigating dog odor or crittering. However, missing from the conversation is having a more general understanding of how our dogs communicate with their bodies and how WE communicate to THEM with our bodies, movements, actions and inactions. Having this knowledge and understanding is crucially important for everyone to understand, whether they are handlers, trainers, instructors, class assistants, trial officials or trial volunteers. For instance, what a dog does to communicate they are being threatened or are putting out a threat or warning. Why does this matter within the context of Scent Work? Remember in this activity we are asking our dogs, predators, to hunt. If we are not careful with how we conduct ourselves, we could illicit a dog to try to bite. In this episode, we discuss the importance for everyone, but particularly trainers, instructors and trial official