Next clinic is on Saturday, July 19th!

  • Prerequisite: None! No prior experience is required to enroll in Part 1: Containers (where all dogs start). All dogs must take each clinic before advancing to the next, or be pre-approved for enrollment by the instructor.

This series of 3-hour clinics introduces dogs and their handlers to the awesome sport of K9 Nose Work ®, which is modeled after professional detection dog training. You’ll learn how to observe, handle and train your dog during your individual searches, as well as by watching other handlers work their dogs. Exercises will be customized for each individual dog, and you’ll be given homework and fun games to play with your dog after each clinic session.

This easy-to-learn sport taps into a dog’s natural hunting behavior, and will give them a mentally and physically enriching (and exhausting) activity. We’ll begin by teaching and getting your dog excited about the “game” of finding food or toys hidden inside boxes before progressing to searches which include entire rooms, exterior areas, and even vehicles! As your dog grows more confident and you become more skilled, we’ll introduce searching for hidden odors, advanced problem solving and competition skills.

Dogs must be able to stay comfortably and quietly in your car or in a crate in our classroom while other dog/handler teams are searching. Because only one dog will be out and working at a time, this activity is an excellent choice for helping dogs who are shy, fearful, or reactive towards other dogs. Dogs who are aggressive towards humans are not eligible for enrollment. Please call us at 818-832-9906 if you are unsure about enrolling your dog.

If your dog isn’t ready to attend these clinics in person (or if the one you wanted to enroll in is full), limited auditor spots are available for you to watch and learn without your pup. Nose Work is very easy to learn and play at home with your best friend!