# Nosework ideas



## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

What do you all use to hide your odors? I have a metal tin with hoels in it, some empty lipstick containers, and then just the q-tips in the cardboard box. I was just curious what everybody else used.


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## 3doglady (Jul 31, 2011)

I use Altoid tins and the emply tins from staple refills (from the office). After the tins are washed I drill holes in them.


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## juliemule (Dec 10, 2011)

Glass salt and pepper shakers, and the larger ones (like parmesan cheese is in), Tupperware containers in all sizes, plastic baggies, PVC pipe with holes drilled in, even leave some out of containers.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

I hope it's okay to revive this thread with a nosework question!
I've been using a pepper shaker (with black pepper) for nosework games and Soro LOVES it. Albiet a bit less structured than the norm I think! I'll post a video later when it uploads. But I've noticed when I hide the item in the same place it has been before, during the same training session, he will smell it and ignore it. Am I right in assuming he thinks it's residual smells from the previous hide?
To clarify, if I hide the shaker in place A, B, C, D, E, and then A again.... He won't find it in A the second time around. Normal?

Also, during this incident after a while I decided to just end that round and re-hide it. It was very difficult to get him to stop 'working.' Even when I told him to sit, he would still be turning his head as far as he can, sniffing frantically. Also normal?


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Okay, here's the vid from tonight. He's a little slower because this was after around 6 hides already. And he found them in harder places, like behind doors (but I put them at the crack) under cushions, etc. But because of the above problem, where he will not find them if I repeat the area, I was stuck with a very obvious location like on top of the table.
Also, even though I asked about nosework months ago, we started this game three days ago so he still doesn't have the hang of Sitting as the indication he has found something. He tries to bring me the pepper shaker. I have been asking for the Sit before he manages to grab it, but if the shaker is behind a door I let him offer it himself. I imagine his pause and reluctant sit in his video is because he knows he isn't allowed to get things off tabletops 

EDIT: And I usually do a 30+ second jackpot with kibble after I say "You found it!"


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Very nice Canyx!

I was told that they will frequently pass up the object in the same spot, because they're supposed to be sniffing for the greatest smell of their scent in the room. So Recon will pass hides by a few times when they're in locations he's found before, and as long as he's not getting discourage (which he never does, he'd work forever) I let him keep looking. It's GOOD that he's being thorough and not assuming that is the most concentrated smell in the room. Then sometimes he will eventually come back to it and sometimes I have to help him depending on the position of the hide and move near it so that he can pick up on my body langauge to alert to it, again. His alert is pawing, though.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks DJ!

Also I was wondering (sorry to hijack your thread Laurelin), do you guys have any ideas for 'useful' odors to train a dog on? I don't know if there are truffles around here like what GottaLuvMutts does but surely there must be something I can have him find in 'the wild'? I don't think we'll find loose pepper shakers on the trail 

And for fun, here's a video from last night. I swear I do hide it in other places besides near that messy table! He's getting much better and this is the sort of pick-me-up game I use on slow nights. Ignore the commentary; I made it to show my non-dog friends.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Canyx said:


> Thanks DJ!
> 
> Also I was wondering (sorry to hijack your thread Laurelin), do you guys have any ideas for 'useful' odors to train a dog on? I don't know if there are truffles around here like what GottaLuvMutts does but surely there must be something I can have him find in 'the wild'? I don't think we'll find loose pepper shakers on the trail
> 
> And for fun, here's a video from last night. I swear I do hide it in other places besides near that messy table! He's getting much better and this is the sort of pick-me-up game I use on slow nights. Ignore the commentary; I made it to show my non-dog friends.


I heard of a service dog that could find a bathroom in any store because of the smell. Urine? lol I don't really know otherwise. 

My boyfriend has his medical marijuana card so I've taught Frag on Marijuana after he learned birch and he's pretty successful with that... I've thought about teaming up with a business in a nearby town that searches private businesses/schools/residents for paraphernalia/narcotics to work with Frag. I guess that would be useful? Or you could find hidden grows in the woods! *shrugs* You can get odor pads online that have the smell on them that are legal to own, as well.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Canyx said:


> Also I was wondering (sorry to hijack your thread Laurelin), do you guys have any ideas for 'useful' odors to train a dog on? I don't know if there are truffles around here like what GottaLuvMutts does but surely there must be something I can have him find in 'the wild'? I don't think we'll find loose pepper shakers on the trail


I've been wondering this exact same thing. My training facility may start offering nosework classes and I think it's something Watson would really enjoy. I was trying to think of something useful he could hunt for in the woods, other than the tracks of other dogs (his current favorite activity), but I couldn't come up with anything.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

You could just do what I do and throw lipstick tubes of odor around the park. The only bad thing is trying to remember where you threw them...

Summer graduated her intro class. She is hilarious to watch work. When we start back up after our break (depends on how many people sign up this time for classes) then I will get a video. Summer is the weirdest little nosework dog you've ever seen. 

Did I ever post Mia's videos here?


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Laurelin said:


> You could just do what I do and throw lipstick tubes of odor around the park. The only bad thing is trying to remember where you threw them..


I have enough land that I could just throw them around my property and it wouldn't matter if I forgot them (which I'm sure I would). It would be better than him hunting down every deer or rabbit that has gone through in the last hour.

And I've never seen Mia's videos, so I vote that you post them.


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## AkCrimson (Oct 12, 2011)

Laurelin said:


> Did I ever post Mia's videos here?


NO and I've never seen a Pap doing nosework so I wanna seeeee! POST THEM =)


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