“Real World” Scent Work Fun is taught at the Farm. Private lessons with Sam are usually provided in 30 minute blocks at a cost of $30 payable at the time of the lesson.

North American Sport Dog Association (NASDA) provides four “real world” scent games and six urban challenge games to play with our dogs.

There are three sports played in “field conditions”:

Trailing and Locating is where your dog must find a live rat in a quarry box at the end of a dragged trail outside in a pasture or other grassy/brushy/wooded area. The quarry box can be buried, on the ground or hanging up a tree/fence. The trail varies in length and complexity according to the level earned. Dogs can track (nose down following the trail) or air scent (nose up, catching the scent in the air). Handlers lose points for providing too much direction to their dog - the goal is to have the dog work independently. Work at the lower level can be on or off a long line.

Trailing & Locating Brace is for two dogs to work the same hide at the same time independently of each other. The first dog to indicate on the hide gets more points than the other. This game is played off leash at all levels.

Shed Dog is where your dog is searching for an antler shed from a deer in the outdoors - high grass, woods, or brush. The antler is rubbed with “rack wax” which intensifies the natural antler scent. This game can be played on or off long line.

Urban Games are done in an area that has a lot of human scent and consist of:

Lost Item Recovery where your dog must find an article (clothing, glasses, electronics, wallet, keys, or other items) scented/touched by the handler (at the lower levels) and a stranger (at the higher levels). This work is done outside but in an area ripe with human scent. Lower levels are played on leash, upper off leash.

Urban Locating where your dog must find a live rat in a quarry box that is placed (not dragged) in a built up area = barn, garage, shed, or around vehicles such as cars/trucks/tractors/trailers. All work is done on leash and air scenting by the dog is essential.

The six Urban Challenge Games provide for increased handler complexities - calling the find, being silent after giving the hunt command, being at a distance from the dog working, searching for “elusive” rats, and deciding if there is a rat in the area or not.

In all of these games, the handler’s responsibility is to keep the dog within the bounds of the hunt area (as defined by the judge) and to let the dog use it’s amazing nose to find the specific item.

Use the contact page to arrange for a private lesson, check out the events page for NASDA training events and competition information (to include trial premiums/entry forms).