Scentwork & Detection
Canine Behaviour Guernsey is the island’s largest Scentwork and Detection training provider. Over the last three years, we have developed our services to be able to instruct the sport at the highest level.
Scentwork is increasingly becoming one of the most popular dog sports world-wide. This is because it can help improve a dog's quality of life through providing them with an outlet to use what is often referred to as their sixth sense - their very powerful nose.
Why is a dog’s sense of smell so good?
Dogs have around 220 million scent receptors in their nose, as opposed to humans who have just five to six million. This can help us put into context just how good a dog's nose really is. It also helps to explain why they are employed into so many service roles world-wide, from police dogs to bomb detection and even medical detection dogs.
They communicate primarily through scent and are capable of sniffing out the tinniest amounts of scent molecules. As dog owners, we often underestimate the power of our dog's noses and just how important it is even for pet dogs to be able to use them.
What are the benefits?
Day-to-day scentwork activities can help provide key enrichment while specific scent detection exercises can really get those brains working and provide some very rewarding training experiences for both dog and owner.
Who teaches our classes?
Our scentwork and detection classes are held by Anna and Sam, who are both qualified WSDA Blue Training Instructors and qualified City & Guilds Scent Detection Dog Handlers.
Anna and Sam are recognised Odour Recognition Test Hosts and Assessors for the National Nosework Association. They are also qualified Judges with the National Nosework Association.
The pair are dedicated to their Scentwork and Detection studies and have an impressive list of credentials. They continue to develop their knowledge in other scentwork disciplines, including Tracking and Trailing, having founded the voluntary organisation Search Dogs Guernsey and qualified as Lost Dog Tracking Handlers.
Your Scentwork and Detection journey:
We have developed a course structure that will take you and your dog through from beginner level to being competition ready. Of course, some people wish to do the classes for fun and not to compete, so while we offer trials at the end of the course structure, we also offer fun themed workshops.
The course structure is as follows:
Puppy Scentwork Class (For puppies under six months)
Beginner Scentwork & Detection
Level Two - Building Foundations
Level Three - Bronze Award
Level Four - Silver Award
Level Five - Gold Award
Level Six - Platinum Award
Level Six Plus Workshops
All courses are group classes and are six-week programmes.
Tracking & Trailing Workshops:
Anna & Sam will be hosting some Mantrailing Workshops in 2024 after a successful visit by Mantrailing Global Instructor Kathryn Jones in February.
For more information about any of our scentwork services please get in touch!