Wow! What's That Smell?

I just got home from a Canine Nosework seminar a few hours ago and am so, so, so excited about this awesome new sport!  My Border Terrier Edgar has always been very interested in following his nose and I've wanted to get him involved in some sort of nose sport but couldn't find something in my area that fit what I wanted.  When I heard about Canine Nosework, it sounded perfect, so I signed up for an introductory course.  It was amazing to watch all of these beginning dogs learn that they were allowed to use their noses!  We weren't teaching them to use their nose, because they all know how... but many had never been encouraged to do so before!  It was breathtaking to watch the dogs using their noses.  I have read about the power of a dog's nose, but actually witnessing their ability to locate an odor was very cool.  It is neat to engage in a team sport in which the dog is the one running the show!  Edgar took to the game very quickly and would go out on the search floor and totally focus on the game, but once he had located his prize, he turned to me so I could play my very important role... paying him for his hard work!  This sport is accessible to any dog- well, I suppose there are some dogs that have lost their sense of smell, but any dog who has a sense of smell can learn this sport, even if you lament your dog's inability to locate a treat right under his nose!  All of the dogs at the seminar did so well, even ones that were reluctant at first and didn't seem to catch on were searching confidently and successfully by the end of the day.  This is a game that people can play with their dogs in their house, and it is inexpensive to participate in.  It is a joy to watch the enthusiasm of dogs following their noses!  For more information about this great sport, check out www.k9nosework.com.