HANDLERS AGE 16+; DOGS AGE 4+ MONTHS (OR ALL VACCINATIONS COMPLETED)

Keep your dog busy, tired and happy with K9 nosework! This fast-growing dog sport teaches how to encourage and develop your dog’s amazing natural scenting ability by using its desire to hunt, and its love of food, toys, and exercise. This exciting detection style activity is appropriate for dogs of any age, breed, or physical ability and handlers of all ages and abilities. No dog-training experience is necessary, and each dog works separately, one at a time, so this class works for dogs unsuited for a group class setting. The ability to conduct indoor searches make the sport ideal mental and physical exercise for our raining climate. Ongoing sessions are offered regularly.

Bring: Cloth face coverings (for indoors) and physical distancing will be required at class. Bring hand sanitizer and use it upon arrival and departure. Sanitizing wipes recommended.

Pre-Requisite: Complete COVID-19 vaccination, including booster.

Location: The Community Park ‘Dog House’ at 5495 Maxwelton Road, Langley ; classes meet in classrooms and outdoors. Nosework 2 & 3 classes may have field tripps off-site. Check your email the night before class for updates.

Map to The Doghouse

Instructors:

• Georgia Edwards, CNWI, AKC/USCSS/NACSW scentwork judge. Georgia is a nationally-Certified K9 Nose Work® Instructor. A retired cancer physician, she first became interested in canine scent discrimination 25 years ago when her hospital therapy dog was able to identify patients with metastatic breast cancer. Georgia is an AKC scent work judge, NACSW ORT judge and certifying official, and USCSS judge and trial search designer, and the national scent work chair for the American Bouvier des Flandres Club. k9nosework@whidbey.net
• Kristy Faure (Nosework 1 & 2) AKC certified Farm Dog judge, will be assisting Georgia. She has been handling working dogs and farm animals her whole life and has coached triathletes and college swim teams.  She has been training in nosework with Georgia for eight years and trials with both a Nosework 3 Elite K-9 and Nosework 1 K-9.

Nosework Class Descriptions

• Nosework 1 (Beginning Nosework): In this class, we will hone your dog’s hunting skills, using food as the primary target odor, and your ability to help your dog search and recognize your dog’s change of behavior when he “gets into odor”. You will learn to search all elements – containters, interiors, exteriors, and vehicles.
• Nosework 2 (Intro to Odor): Continue to expand the talents of your dog’s nose, further hone his hunting abilities, and sharpen your handling skills. We will introduce and work with target essential oil odors: birch, then anise, clove and cypress. We will also start working in new environments and introduce blind hides to test the handler’s knowledge and ability to read their dog. This course it the next step after Nosework 1 and is also an ideal refresher for dogs who have been away from the sport for a while and need a refresher class, or for older dogs. Prerequisite: Nosework 1.
• Nosework 3 (Advanced): This class is for dogs who have been introduced to all 4 odors and are searching all 4 elements: interior, exteriors, containers including buried and water hides and vehicles. It is an ongoing class in which we’ll focus on a variety of different skill sets: better communication with your dog, working thresholds, high hides, search grids, approach to corners, sticking on odor, distractors, and others – a big challenge for dog and handler! Preparation for the Odor Recognition Test and competetive trails will also be covered. Prerequisite: Nosework 2.

Schedule:  

• Nosework 1: Beginning Nosework
  
  • First class only: Saturday, April 8, 4:00-5:30pm, then subsequent Sundays, April 16-May 14, 2023, 4:00-5:30pm or
  • Wednesdays, April 12-May 24, 2023, 4:00-5:30pm
• Nosework 2: Intro to Odor (Continued)*
  • Tuesdays, April 11-May 16, 2023, 4:00-5:30pm
• Nosework 3: Advanced Nosework*
  • Sundays, April 9-May 14, 2023, 10:00-11:30am, 12:00-1:30pm, or 2:00-3:30pm
  • Tuesdays, April 11-May 16, 2023, 10:00-11:30am, 12:00-1:30pm, or 2:00-3:30pm

Fee:  $175 per dog

Class Size:

• Maximum Class size: NW 1 & 2: 3 dogs; NW 3: 2 dogs
• Maximum Class size: 6 dogs

Note: Make-ups for missed classes may be arranged with instructor, based on availability.

REGISTER HERE

COVID-19 Safety and Health Screening:

Pre-Requisite: Complete COVID-19 vaccination, including booster.

*       Stay home if you or anyone in your household have experienced any cold or flu-like symptoms (not attributable to another condition such as seasonal allergies) in the 14 days prior to the program such as: a fever of 100.4 or higher; cough; sore throat; chills; loss of taste or smell; muscle or body aches; respiratory illness or difficulty breathing; or headache. If you fall ill, please let us know. If you reply to one of our health screening questions in a way that needs more clarification, we’ll have you step to the side while we get the rest of the folks checked in, then chat with you.

*       Stay home if you or anyone in your household been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

*       Keep your distance and maintain at least 6′ distance from others.

*       Wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer upon arrival and departure. Refrain from touching your face.

*       Cloth Face Coverings required when indoors, but not when outdoors.

*       Privacy Upon arrival we may ask you some basic health questions about symptoms and exposure. If you would like to discuss anything in a more private way, please call us or email before the program starts. If we are made aware that a participant, volunteer or staff person tested positive for COVID-19, fellow participants and staff who have been exposed will be notified, while maintaining privacy.