Portia's Piece
AKC Scent Work: Putting Our Noses in the Thick of It
Hi Everyone! This issue, I wanted to let you know about Scent Work, the newest doggy sport title available from the American Kennel Club. Open to both mixed breed and pure bred dogs, Scent Work uses the natural talents of every dog in searching for one of five odors (birch, anise, clove, cyprus, and the owner's scent) in one of four settings--containers, interiors, exteriors, and buried under earth. Competitions are done on sequential levels of difficulty, beginning with Novice. Scent Work is NOT just for dogs and handlers who want to compete, though! Scent Work is both FUN (for dogs AND handlers) and really great at building self-confidence in dogs who are 'worriers' about new places, things, and events. If you would like to see what Scent Work is all about, we would love to have you (humans only, please!) visit a NoseWork/Scent Work class and see the fun! Just email Betsy (betsy@redferncanines.com) and we will find a time for you to visit! Hope to see you watching me sniffing soon! Love, Portia |