We had a reason to celebrate on Saturday, Dec. 10 – it was graduation day for the first Introduction to Odor class at the new facility! During this session the dogs learned that the novel odors of birch and anise were valuable and worth searching for. We did searches in boxes, out of boxes, outdoors, and on a vehicle. The dogs all did great, and the handlers learned how to read their behavior when the dogs first caught the scent, and when they were at the source of the odor.
Spoiler alert – I had my own dog, JD, in the class, too. He was ready to learn about odor and it was a great experience for him. In addition to the searching, he learned how to be crated in a room with other dogs, and how to ignore the other students in the room while he was working. (For a dog that really loves people, this can be a challenge.)
Special shout out to Mia, a sweet methodical searcher who is no drama and all business. She has come so far in her nose work journey already. She is more confident and seems to really enjoy the challenge!
Congratulations to all our graduates:
