Tell a Tail Dog Training

09/22/2024

Michelle Largent will be teaching another Introductory to NASDA Urban locating workshop at Tell a Tail on Sun, Nov 10. For more details and to sign up:

https://forms.gle/cqF1QYNAEuGHd8Jw9

Come learn about a new engaging and dynamite sport that is fantastic fun for all dogs young and old. This workshop will teach you about the organization, the sport of Urban locating and the dogs will be safely introduced to the stars of the sport, the rats. The safety of our rats is top priority, as they are first and foremost pets. In Urban locating the dogs learn to search out rats in their Quarry cages hidden in man made objects. It doesn’t matter if your dog is a born ratter, this is a sport where all dogs can enjoy using their noses in a slightly different way. It is a wonderful outlet and provides great mental stimulation.
You can find more information about the sport at https://nasda.dog/

If you attended her previous workshop or have prior NASDA experience you are welcome to attend, just be aware the focus will be on the introductory aspects of this sport.

Every dog owner knows that dogs are able to pick up scents that don’t catch the attention of their handlers. One study estimated that dogs can pick up odours up to 100 000 times better than humans can. Historically these abilities were embraced and many breeds of dogs were developed to assist peop...

09/18/2024

Sharing this for my students... (Note: if you haven't had class at TAT yet this week, wait to watch the video until after class)

Most of us have some type of word/phrase we use when our dogs go back to a hide they already found that acknowledges them but lets them know they aren't getting rewarded again. I say "good", other versions I've heard include "you got that one", "find another", "Move on", etc.

Most dogs probably view this phrase as information that they should leave the current scent problem.

Often, people use this when they "think" their dog is going back to a hide. I would suggest that you only should use it when they go back and show expectation of payment.

If there is a converging odor problem, the dog may need to use the information available near or at the hide they already found to solve the problem. Or they may need to "reference" the already found hide to sort out the problem.

This video of Carbon shows a great example of this. It very much looks like he's going back to the chair hide, but he clearly is just using the information.

06/20/2024

I will be teaching some short workshops at power paws in San Jose on July 6th and August 3rd. There are a few spaces left in the more advanced drive building workshops. If you are interested in signing up please contact Nancy gyes at [email protected].

Drive Building for Nose Work
1 PM till 3:30 PM both July 6 and August 3
Cost $85/working space, $50/auditing. You can you sign up for one, the other, or both.

The focus of these workshops will be for dogs already competing in nose work who have toy or food drive. We will work with your dog to explore how to use food or toys for reinforcement in nose work to help build additional drive and enthusiasm. We will also utilize the environment to continue to build the dog’s problem solving skills. This would be a great class to audit if you are just getting started and want to see the next steps to building drive in nosework.

Minimum ORT or Novice title required..
12 working spaces, unlimited auditing
Cost $85/working space, $50/auditing

04/04/2024

I had previously advertised that we are doing an intro to NASDA workshop at tell a tail in Livermore. The workshop will be taught by Michelle largent. We have now had to reschedule a few times due to the 680 road closure. The updated date is Sunday May 5th and I still have a few spaces left in the 10.45am session. Sign up is available at

There are a few spaces remaining in the 10:45 a.m. session.

03/25/2024

Thanks to everyone who came out to play at the NW2/3 interior searches at tell a tail today. So much fun having so many new dogs get new experiences. So fun to see old friends and meet new people

03/02/2024

Thanks to everyone who attended my webinar on toy reward for nose work. Just wanted to share a video from the webinar showing dogs having fun pouncing!
If you have photos or videos of your dog pouncing let's see it!
The webinar recording is still available for purchase at: https://k9nosework.com/product/webinar-toy-reward-101/

02/22/2024

I've had a ton of fun and learned a lot putting together my upcoming webinar talking about toy rewards. So much fun playing with so many dogs. If your dog likes to play with toys and you want to learn how to refine that and potentially use it in nose work, please come join us. The webinar is on March 2nd, but will be available by recording afterwards.

Tapping into a dog's prey drive with toys can help build even more excitement and urgency in a search. And while it may take time to develop the skills, it can often result in faster searches! See Carbon's 3 hide NW3 exterior search done in under 30 seconds using toy reward in this video.

More details and registration available at:
https://k9nosework.com/product/webinar-toy-reward-101/

02/21/2024

Boxes, boxes, boxes - over 75 boxes with lots of fun searches. Working both foundation and advanced skills with open boxes is fun!

02/18/2024

Prepping for classes this week :-) this was only halfway through the box build.

02/17/2024

Michelle Largent will be teaching an Introductory to NASDA Urban locating workshop at Tell a Tail in Livermore, CA on Sun, Mar 17. For more details and to sign up:

https://forms.gle/8sjpLgdWcwCNsC179

Come learn about a new engaging and dynamite sport that is fantastic fun for all dogs young and old. This workshop will teach you about the organization, the sport of Urban locating and the dogs will be safely introduced to the stars of the sport, the rats. The safety of our rats is top priority, as they are first and foremost pets. In Urban locating the dogs learn to search out rats in their Quarry cages hidden in man made objects. It doesn’t matter if your dog is a born ratter, this is a sport where all dogs can enjoy using their noses in a slightly different way. It is a wonderful outlet and provides great mental stimulation.

Come learn about a new engaging and dynamite sport that is fantastic fun for all dogs young and old. This workshop will teach you about the organization, the sport of Urban locating and the dogs will be safely introduced to the stars of the sport, the rats. The safety of our rats is top priority, as...

02/15/2024

Update: The classes are now full with a short wait list. I will keep the registration up for a few more for the wait list

I will be offering NW2/NW3 Interior classes on Sunday, March 24 at Tell a Tail in Livermore that will focus on providing NW2/NW3 trial like interior searches for teams NOT currently training at Tell a Tail on an ongoing basis. They will be run like a class, not a sniff and go. All attendees will run a search, we will discuss and then go on to another search. You will have the option to run blind, not blind, or with coaching. We will do 3-4 different interior searches. You do not need to be trialing at the NW2/NW3 level, but should be comfortable as a team with the skills necessary for these levels. Please ask your instructor if you are not sure if this is appropriate for you.

Sign up and more details available at:

The classes will be held on Sunday, March 24 at Tell a Tail in Livermore. These classes will focus on providing NW2/NW3 trial like interior searches for teams NOT currently training at Tell a Tail on an ongoing basis. They will be run like a class, not a sniff and go. All attendees will run a search...

01/18/2024

I'll be doing a webinar on March 2nd
Toy Reward 101 – From Fundamentals to Implementation in Nose Work.

I've had so much fun putting this webinar together. Thanks to all of my students who embraced the "play with your dog" lesson plan for a week instead of nose work. My dogs have also been thrilled at all the extra play they've been getting to help create videos for the webinar.

This webinar is open to the general public and will be available via recording after the event.

Sign up is available at:

COST: $40 for General Public ** ** includes Lapsed NACSW Instructors and those who have registered for an instructor course but have not yet attended Segment 1 $30 for NACSW Instructors (CNWI/ANWI/PNWI) in active status INSTRUCTOR: Wendy Krehbiel CNWI DATE/TIME: March 2, 2024 / 9:00-11:00am Pacific....

12/15/2023

We have a new Intro to K9 Nose Work class on the calendar starting in January - there are still 2 open spaces

K9 Nose Work Classes Pay for Ongoing Classes I would like to join an ongoing class or to be notified when another new Intro class is added to the schedule ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Beginning Classes Intro to K9 No...

09/28/2023

Tell a Tail has openings in some of our ongoing classes in Livermore - both evening and day time options! Classes are available for dogs from ORT to Summit level. Please contact me at [email protected] for information. Please include information on if you are looking for evening or daytime classes.

09/25/2023

Inaccessible hides - Coal is the master at making the inaccessible accessible! Both searches have 2 "inaccessible" hides.

07/28/2023

Next week's distractor themes are sea and farm. Here's a sampling of the sea distractors.

07/13/2023

Lots of fun with close together hides at Tell a Tail this week!
Carbon the border collie finds two hides on the same chair, Myka the corgi shows how to rock 3 threshold hides at the age of 16! and Ripley the Wheaton makes quick work of 5 hides at middle height in proximty.

04/21/2023

Fun with a tree hide earlier this week.

04/05/2023

At class this week we talked about how sometimes dogs have dramatic behavior changes when there is not source nearby. HVAC systems and pooling odor is one situation that can cause this. Here is a video of Carbon in the interior at an NW3 in Riverside where I became convinced there was an elevated hide (there was not). In hindsight the odor from the piano bench was falling down from the ceiling in the area he was going up. A lot more obvious to me after the fact :)

There is just one hide (on the piano bench) in this space.

We can all strive to be better at recognizing the difference between pooling/drifting odor and a hard problem, but I think it's something we all have to accept that we may never be perfect at it since scent can be humbling.

03/27/2023

Container madness this week at tell a tail.

09/19/2022

There are still spaces remaining this weekend in Escalon. Great opportunity to practice searching in a new environment even if you aren't interested in the online titling. See below for details

NACSW is now offering an online titling option called the Skills Achievement Challenge. You can find out more about the challenge at: https://nacsw.net/challenges. The 2nd skills challenge is now available!
I will be offering setups/video for the 2nd skills challenge (vehicle, inaccessible, blank and high/low) for those who wish to participate on Saturday, Sept 24 in Escalon, CA
It's a great opportunity to practice in a new location even if you don't plan on submitting for a title.
Details and sign up available at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084FACAF2CA3FB6-skills1
Payment can be made after you sign up at: https://tell-a-tail-dog-training.square.site/
Questions can be sent to me at [email protected]

The handler will stand in a designated location at a specific minimum distance (by level) from the hide location. The dog will start the search from the handler’s designated location.  Handler will remain in the designated location until the dog locates the hide.   Handler may exit the designat...

09/05/2022

NACSW is now offering an online titling option called the Skills Achievement Challenge. You can find out more about the challenge at: https://nacsw.net/challenges. The 2nd skills challenge is now available!

I will be offering setups/video for the 2nd skills challenge (vehicle, inaccessible, blank and high/low) for those who wish to participate on Saturday, Sept 24 in Escalon, CA

It's a great opportunity to practice in a new location even if you don't plan on submitting for a title.

Details and sign up available at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084FACAF2CA3FB6-skills1
Payment can be made after you sign up at: https://tell-a-tail-dog-training.square.site/

Questions can be sent to me at [email protected]

This will take place in Escalon, CA Open to current Tell a Tail students only through September 2nd. I will be offering setups for each level for each of the 4 skills for the second Skills Achievement Challenge (Blank, Vehicles, inaccessible and High/Low). You will have to select which level you wis...

08/26/2022

Coal had fun working the elevated hide at Tell a Tail this week! The hide is on the chair on top of the table. Really cool to see him showing how the odor is dropping onto all the surfaces around the room.

08/08/2022

Carbon and I had fun doing the 2nd NACSW Skills Challenge and he earned his 2nd NSAM title!

07/27/2022

Coal had a really fun time solving the access problems at Tell a Tail this week!