Nose Work

Purebred and mixed breeds are welcome!

We offer classes for dogs age 6 months and older. Classes meet 50 minutes each week and each session runs for 7 weeks. Class sizes are limited; pre-registration is required.

Class Description:

Nose Work was developed to provide all dogs with an outlet to use their natural hunting and scenting abilities and is modeled after working detector dogs. All dogs can take part in a nose work class; young, healthy, old, timid, or reactive. The purpose of nose work is to engage the dog in the game, teach the handler how to read their dog, and build a team relationship all while having fun. The sport and instructors of K9 Nose Work® are overseen by the National Association of Canine Scent Work.

Before you say “yes” or “no” to taking a Nose Work class, there is one hard and fast rule that we must insist on — all dogs must be crated or in your car when they are not searching. There are two reasons for this:

1. Nose work is instinctual for dogs. Any dog near the search area could be perceived as competition and could change a dog’s behavior. Safety first!
2. So much can be learned by observing another dog’s work and you really can’t do that if you are focusing on your own dog.

Please note: All teams new to nose work have a wait list and limited spaces are available to experienced teams. Contact the Director of Nose Work () to be added to the wait list.

More Information:

If you would like information about nose work or information about classes at NOCI, please contact Jim Doescher directly at .

For more information on Nose Work in general, you can go to www.NACSW.net.

General Session Fees:

• Non-members: $150
• Member: $85
• Members with 2 Service Credits: $60