To me, everything in life is a video game! So obviously learning Nose Work with your dog is a lot like a video game. You are constantly gaining experience points. Once you and your dog gain enough experience you will Level Up. Luckily like video games, your dog’s character usually never loses the experience points gained. They say once your dog solves a tough odor problem they don’t ever forget that scenario. You just need to figure out a way to keep up with and trust your dog. Unlike your dog you easily forgot the solution to an odor problem. Actually you never knew the solution because odor is invisible. The key to the game is keeping up at your dog’s level by watching his changes of behavior, (C.O.B) while searching and learning what his COBs mean so that you can generalize them thru all searches. This way you do not need to solve the odor problem yourself you just watch your dog’s signs and then have the patience to wait for him to tell you in his own way that he has found the source of the odor.

It is through these incremental level up changes that you gain the experience needed to move up from passing your ORTs (odor recognition tests) to becoming an Elite competitor and higher! It is far easier said than done. Some human dog teams are amazing. They are like super hero odor detectives! Some teams struggle. The struggle can be for any number of reasons. For example the trial environment is very stressful. You may be having a bad day and not concentrating. Your dog may be having trouble with an odor problem they have never seen. Because of all of this we need to understand that the real reward is from the teamwork and communication between you and your dog. Your dog is speaking and you are listening.

To be heard and understood is extremely profound for one’s dog. Anyone can open their mind, watch and listen to their dog. You do not need a canine behavior degree to do this. Your dog will be surprised and grateful for this. Most of our pet’s spend their life in learned helplessness. They have no choice and no control over their life and no real understanding of the rules. We speak gibberish and they do not understand. Leveling up in Nose Work has an immediate positive effect on your dog. They are the hero. They are the leader. For the first time ever in order to succeed the human has to follow their dog’s lead. You will learn more about the human canine relationship than you ever dreamed possible and your dog will thank you for simply paying attention.

Regardless of how amazing you are with your dog partner, you must be constantly leveling up. Whether it be Nose Work or a beloved pet in your home your relationship will more than benefit from listening and leveling-up.