Utility Dog

26/03/2025

Zeebles cooked after doing some work at the Jas seminar this weekend.

21/02/2025

I've been saying this for years!

"Compared to dogs trained with the reward only, dogs trained with the marker as a signal for reward completed the training phase in fewer trials, performed the alert response more accurately in the odor recognition test, indicated the location of the odor source more precisely in the operational searches, and exhibited greater resistance to extinction when the primary reward for a correct response was withheld."

Taken from this new research paper:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1538452/full

If you want to include markers in your nosework training, hit me up and I'll show you how we like to do it.

www.utilitydog.com.au

Training detection dogs to alert to an odor requires precision in the timing and delivery of stimulus presentations in order to condition a strong association between odor and reward and to train a desired alert behavior that communicates the presence and location of the odor source. Marker training...

20/02/2025

If you'd like to learn 'how to do the nosework'
Get in touch at www.utilitydog.com.au/contact
Or send a DM and we'll send through some more info.

18/02/2025

After a long break, Gary is more focussed than ever and preparing for his return into sniffy sports.

He's here to eat sardines and crush odour... and he is all out of 'dinnies.

New sport detection classes starting soon! Come join Gary and get some... ribbons!

Send a message to learn more

16/02/2025

We were asked to teach at TAFE last week! Usually we teach on animal enrichment/ biological fulfilment but this time I got to put a new learning theory and body language course together.

The boys had a blast! Hope the students did too!

Looking forward to the next visit.

12/02/2025

Retrieve from over a fence.

That noise at the end is exactly what it sounds like... a dog running face first into a fence.

But rather than freak out about and turn it into a big deal, I checked him over and we just kept going.

11/02/2025

The saga continues.

08/02/2025

Someone asked me the other day why I called my business Utilitydog.

This pretty much sums it up. Teaching dogs to do useful things that help us both out on the daily. Not everything has to be fancy.

Dog parks are a silly place. You never know who is coming through that gate so give your dog a plan B or even better... just don't go there!

Utilitydogs are the coolest, safest dogs on the coast.

04/02/2025

The Utilitydog shirt is back on.

It's a bit tighter than I remember!

2024 was a bit of a gap year for UDK9 while I explored other things, got to see some amazing dog trainers in action and learned a whole bunch of new stuff.

Time to get back to training dogs again.

If you're been thinking about doing some cool stuff with your dog in 2025, be it the basics, obedience, reacticity issues, detection sports and/ or protection sports then give us a shout at

www.utilitydog.com.au/contact

13/08/2024

Have you ever been recommended nosework? Often we hear things like this:

Nosework:
Encourages independence.
Builds environmental resilience.
You can have fun with your dog.
Gives your dog an appropriate outlet.
Is biologically fulfilling.
Helps with problem behaviours.
You can be part of a great community of like minded people all enjoying their dogs.
Etc, etc.

The truth is...

Yep, it can 100% do provide all of these things.

You should do it.

16/07/2024

A few graphics we have made recently for clubs and businesses.
If you want a hand drawn thing... get in touch.

19/05/2024

This is Dumpy, she's the newest member to our crew.
High in the pecking order already.

17/05/2024

It's that time again!

New detection sports classes starting soon.

All the cool guy sniffer stuff but with lots of fun. Your dog will love it.

Send us a PM for more information. Oh also the date at the end is not correct. It's an old video.