Shire Scentwork & Traiiling

30/11/2025

Today’s scentwork session, reviewed by the dogs themselves.

Spoiler: they were impressed with… themselves.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
“Made it look easy”😎

➡️ Swipe to see each team’s very honest self-assessment - no modesty, full accuracy.

30/11/2025

Grab ‘em before they’re gone!

27/11/2025

We’re kicking off the year with a full line-up!

January & February club sessions are now live, with loads of Mantrailing and Scentwork to look forward to.

New teams are always welcome - if you’ve done trailing or scentwork before and would like to join us, just drop us a message.

Brand new? Keep an eye out… our intro dates will be released very soon! 👀

24/11/2025

⁉️What Can You Work on Between Mantrailing Sessions?

We get this question a lot - and it’s a really good one.

Mantrailing isn’t a solo activity.
It works best with a proper setup and an experienced instructor to oversee it all - that’s where structured sessions really shine.

But the good news is there’s plenty you can work on between sessions that will make a real difference to your dog’s trailing.

1. Line-handling practice
Easy to practise anywhere:
• adjusting line length smoothly
• dropping the line and collecting it up again
• keeping the line clear of obstacles
Good mechanics make a huge difference once you’re on a trail.

2. Take-scent practice
Sharpen up your ‘take scent’ or ‘sniff’ cue:
• present the scent article
• give your take-scent or sniff cue
• reward your dog for engaging with the article
• reset
As your dog gains clarity, introduce different presentations like hard items or transferred scent on a wall or car door handle.
This strengthens the start of every trail.

3. Build resilience to distractions
Work on engagement around:
• other dogs
• dog scent and urine markings
• people
• wildlife
• noises
• food or litter
Being able to stay focused around everyday distractions transfers brilliantly to busy or unpredictable trailing environments.

4. Environmental confidence building
Explore different places together:
• car parks
• industrial estates
• paths between buildings
• woods
• new surfaces
• stairs, slopes, narrow gaps
• busy areas and quiet areas
Start with easy behaviours like sit or hand targets, then slowly increase difficulty.
If the dog is able to focus in a range of different environments it’ll really help them zone in on their trails.

5. Scentwork or find-it games
Simple searches help build:
• problem-solving
• motivation
• mental stamina
• persistence
All of these skills help build confidence when it comes to trailing.

6. Keep a training log and review your videos
If you record your sessions, reviewing them between sessions is incredibly helpful.
Look for:
• changes in body language
• head pops
• when they hit scent
• when they lose it
• how they problem-solved
• your own handling habits
Noticing patterns helps your progression massively and helps shape your training goals.

7. Work on underlying issues away from the trail
If your dog struggles with:
• distractions
• environmental sensitivity
• frustration
• reactivity
• over-arousal
• confidence
• settling in the car
…it’s usually more effective to work on these out of context. Not only will it benefit your trailing, but it’ll also help your dog out longterm too!

Need help?

If there’s something specific you’d like to improve, we’re always happy to recommend ideas tailored to you and your dog.

Not started your mantrailing journey yet? Get in touch - we run intros regularly throughout the year and we would love to meet you!

23/11/2025

The dogs have submitted their own performance reviews for today’s trails:
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
“Crushed it. Again.” 😎

➡️ Swipe to see each team’s very honest self-assessment - no modesty, full accuracy.

23/11/2025

Shire Scentwork & Traiiling are now on Instagram!

Give us a follow for even more sniffing!

7 Followers, 18 Following, 7 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Shire Scentwork & Trailing ()

22/11/2025

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things (or Correct Spelling)

The eagle-eyed of you may have noticed the slight change in our page name…

Typo? Yes.
It should say trailing.
Can we fix it? Not for 60 days.
Buck is the culprit - caught battering the keyboard like he was applying for a job.
We train dogs better than we spell. Promise.

04/07/2025

Summer Trailing in Scotland 🥹🤔

It's safe to say that all our fears of heat stroke and scorching temps this summer have been laid to rest.

All teams were fantastic today and worked in really challenging conditions. I didn't get a lot of pics, due to the fact the rain was doing crazy things to the phone 😬.

24/06/2025

🌟 Thinking About Getting Into Scentwork? Start the Right Way! 🐾👃

Scentwork is growing fast — and with so many new instructors popping up, it’s more important than ever to choose the right trainer for you and your dog.

Before you sign up, ask yourself:

✅ How experienced is the instructor?
✅ Are they committed to ongoing training and development in scentwork?
✅ What happens after the intro course — are there clear next steps?
✅ Will you train in varied, realistic environments?
✅ Is proper emphasis placed on contamination and cross-contamination control? (Spoiler: it should be a lot.)
✅ Do you have options when it comes to target scents?
✅ What’s the goal by the end of the course?

At Shire Trailing and Scentwork, we’re absolute nosework nerds — and proud of it. Our foundation course is built from years of hands-on experience, and it's designed to give both you and your dog the best possible start in scentwork.

Too many are starting off on the wrong foot and only finding out later on down the line.

🐶 Ready to learn what sets us apart?
📩 Message us to find out more about our foundation course and why it might be the perfect fit for you and your dog.