Shire Trailing and Scentwork

28/02/2025

A fantastic piece by the K9Sensus Foundation. This really helps to define some of the terms that are thrown around, quite often incorrectly, and how they fit into the sequences if behaviours we look for as handlers.

Thoughtful Thursday: Final response, indication, alert, or change of behavior?

Making sure we are all speaking a common vocabulary is important! It helps foster clear communication between all parties and circumvents confusion. Also, when we use very precise terms, we can have robust and productive conversations around the same thing! Whether we are talking to fellow canine trainers, clients, scientists, or our family, using the same words is always helpful.

In my travels, one of the most confusing terms are those surrounding the dog’s behavior telling us it found target odor. Depending on where you live alert, trained final response, or indication can all mean the same or different thing. In addition, there are the terms of change of behavior(CoB) and interest.

As you read through the definitions, notice the slight differences in the definitions. Alert encompasses the entire sequence of behaviors whereas final response is about one specific behavior. Change of behavior is how the handler interprets that the dog detects the trained odor/scent so being able to differentiate those behaviors from when a dog is working a distractor/diversion.

Why does this matter?

We do serious work with our dogs. We need to have robust and respectful conversations about training, deployments, and capabilities.

When the conversation stakes are high, having a common vocabulary reduces confusion, which is always good!

Tell me about a time where having a training conversation and you realized part way through you were talking about different things?

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You can check out all of the great documents that the ASB Dogs and Sensors committee has been up to. Make sure to look filter for Dogs and Sensors and published standards: https://www.aafs.org/search/standards

24/02/2025

Mantrailing under the Northern Lights. Perfect end to a Monday!

14/02/2025

Ever wonder how dogs know when their humans are meant to be home🤔.

Not only can dogs pick out an individuals own scent but they can also determine the age of it.
This is a crucial skill for the dogs to use when finding people, especially those who have passed through intersections multiple times.

29/01/2025

Will your name be on the 2025 results?

Shire Trailing and Scentwork plan to be actively involved in Detection Dog Trials in 2025 giving you the opportunity to test your teams skills. Keep your eyes open for upcoming trials.

08/01/2025

24/12/2024

🎄🐾 Holiday Update 🐾🎄

Shire Trailing and Scentwork and K9 Insight are officially off on holiday now!

BUT ..before we go ..enjoy this picture from our Christmas Mantrailing club. We would love to see your pictures of your dogs with Christmas Mode engaged!

📢 Emergency Contact Only
We’ll only be responding to emergencies during this time.

💻 Back with Limited Service: 27th December
📅 Fully Back to Normal: 3rd January

✨ Keep an eye on our page for our end-of-year wrap-up—it’s coming soon!
From all of us, we wish you and your wonderful doggo's a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🐕🎁

14/12/2024

Fantastic Christmas themed trailing sessions today. Thank you to all teams that worked hard to find Santa in time for Christmas 🎄🎁.

13/12/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/13ueRgcUiS/

You know what to do!!

04/12/2024

🐾 Scentwork in Pitlochry – What an Incredible 6 Weeks! 🐾

We’ve just wrapped up an amazing Introduction to Scentwork course in Ballinluig, Pitlochry, and what a journey it’s been!

It’s always incredible to witness the transformations that can happen in such a short time. Each team grew stronger week by week—there was plenty of laughter, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of our dogs and their incredible abilities in the world of work. Huge thanks to Roz McMillan for helping make it all possible!

Every team passed with flying colours 🎉, and I can’t wait to see them back for future training sessions and events.

🐶 Looking to get involved?
At Shire Trailing and Scentwork, we deliver workshops and training across the UK. From our highly sought-after courses to tailored training to meet your needs, we’ve got something for everyone!

📩 Drop us a message to find out more and join the fun!

28/11/2024

Very interesting piece!

Did you know what the little slitswere for on your dog's nose??

I post this a few times a year.
Education -
EVER noticed those slits at the sides of a dog’s nose? Why do dogs have them?
Once again, nature( evolution )proves her elegance in the design of our dogs. I started looking more into evolution a while back, after reading a scientific journal, about a black Dog introduced to work in very cold temperatures, which slowly changed to white. White patches slowly formed. I know it had to do with the blood temperatures. I’m still looking for where I filed it away?? I found it amazing! I recently stumbled across something similar change watching a Killer whale documentary.

When we humans inhale and exhale, air comes in the same way it goes out. Any smells that come in through our mouths are forced out as we exhale. Any alternating of this, is affecting the Dogs naturally ability that evolution has improved on over years. It’s very important that when breed dogs, we work with evolution and not against. They should be fully functional and healthy, as there ancestors.

When a dog exhales through his nose, however, the exhaled air is released through those slits and off to the side so that nice, smelly air going into the dog’s nostrils doesn’t get diluted with the outgoing air. Put another way, the slits allow the dog to avoid smelling what he just exhaled.

The slits help the dog hold scent particles in the nostrils even as exhaled air passing out the slits creates a swirling air turbulence allowing interesting odors to be inhaled directly into the centre of each nostril. Since dogs breathe faster when trying to sniff a certain smell, they widen their nostrils to pull in more air which makes it possible for a dog searching for smells to have a steady stream of air coming in for up to 40 seconds, maybe even longer.

The slits also allow dogs to wiggle each nostril independently which gives them the ability to know which nostril a smell entered. This is how a dog can pinpoint where a smell is coming from, and why a dog searching for smells on the ground will weave back and forth as he follows a trail.

We all know the superb smelling abilities of dogs, but let’s use an analogy between scent and sight to really put it into perspective: What we as humans can see at a third of a mile, our dog can see more than 3,000 miles away and still see as well.
Vetscene

02/11/2024

💷Work Hard, P(l)AY Hard: How to Motivate Your Scentwork Dog 💷

When it comes to scentwork, it’s easy to focus on the thrill of your dog making a successful find. But what does “success” mean to your dog?

Imagine this: your dog finds the scent, you’re thrilled, and eager for feedback from your instructor. You offer a quick “good boy,” a pat on the head, maybe even a bit of dusty kibble from your pocket, before shifting your attention back. Meanwhile, your dog might be left thinking, “Is that it?”

Just like us, dogs expect fair reward for their work. If we want them to stay motivated, we need to give them a reason to keep working hard.

💷What's in it for Them?💷

Dogs, like people, need a reason to give their best effort. Sure, scentwork can be enjoyable, but if we want them to search for a scent that doesn’t naturally draw them in, there needs to be something in it for them. This is where reinforcement comes in: the reward for finding the target scent should be something truly enticing. If the reward doesn’t match the effort, your dog might just decide it isn’t worth it.

💷A Human Perspective💷

Think of it this way: if your boss asked you to work late with no extra pay, would you be motivated? Probably not. But if they offered you double time, suddenly staying late doesn’t seem so bad. So, when your dog makes a successful find, rather than a quick pat or bit of kibble, go for something they really value – a high-value treat or favourite toy, for example.

💷Finding the Right Reward💷

Every dog is motivated differently. Some are highly food-driven and would work all day for cheese, while others might ignore food but get excited for a squeaky toy or game of tug. The key is to know what really motivates the dog in front of you. If it’s food, choose something special: squeezy cheese, hot dogs, or cat food, for example. If your dog loves play, then a quick tug session might be perfect. Even affection can be a reward, but only if your dog genuinely enjoys that type of attention.

💷The Bottom Line?💷

When your dog makes a find, it’s party time! They’ve done what you asked, so celebrate with them in a way they’ll truly enjoy. Understanding what makes your dog tick will help you give them the reward they want, keeping their motivation high. It’s the difference between a dog thinking, “Why bother?” and one that’s eager to go every time you start scentwork.

So, next time you’re working with your dog, ask yourself: if I were in their paws, would I be happy with the pay? If not, it’s time to offer a bit more!

29/10/2024

🕵️‍♀️Buck and the Case of the Lost Phone🕵️‍♀️

Buck has definitely earned Employee of the Month!

This weekend, one of our clients lost her iPhone somewhere between her car and the training field. Despite her search, she couldn’t locate it as it was set to silent. With a few helpers joining in, Alex had a light-bulb moment while scanning the long grass—why not let Buck have a go?

Buck was given his cue to let him know he was searching for an object rather than a person. Alex reinforced this by letting him take a good sniff of the phone’s owner. Off Buck went, retracing her route step-by-step. He soon gave a clear signal in an empty spot, suggesting that the phone might have already been moved. The client decided to give her phone a ring just in case, and, sure enough, a man on the other side of the field waved at us. When asked where he’d found it, he replied, "Right where your dog’s standing."

Buck is officially the best boy around and is now available for lost property searches—for a bone or two!

30/09/2024

Last week Alex and Sam attended a workshop being delivered by the British Mantrailing Academy Expert Instructor Andy Tippins.
This was a fantastic opportunity to be around like-minded professionals, share ideas and knowledge, while challenging our own thinking. This definitely won't be the last time we meet up.

30/08/2024

**Limited Spaces Available**
Starting Sunday 15th Sept.

Our Introduction to Scentwork course is crafted to build a strong foundation for you and your dog. Whether your dog is new to formal training or needs a refresher, this course is ideal for all levels of experience.

Our classes offer a supportive and encouraging environment, ensuring both you and your dog are set up for success. We are dedicated to helping you uncover and develop your dog's full potential.

For more information or to reserve your spot, please contact us.

05/08/2024

**Locations - Locations - Locations**

We need your help! As we continue our mission to train top-notch pet sniffer dogs, having access to a variety of new environments and locations is crucial.

We are looking for both indoor and outdoor spaces of all shapes and sizes. Examples include:

-Warehouses/Barns
-Schools
-Football/Rugby Clubs
-Shops
-Office Spaces
-Builder Merchants/Yards

If you have access to a space and would be willing to discuss, please get in touch. Dogs are worked one at a time and are always kept under control. Training sessions typically last between 1.5 and 2 hours.

Thank you for your support!

31/07/2024

NEW - Introduction to Mantrailing

Are you looking to try something new with your dog? If so, mantrailing might be just what you need. This activity is suitable for all dogs, including those that are reactive or anxious.

Mantrailing harnesses your dog's natural sniffing abilities to seek and find people. It's a highly rewarding activity for both dogs and their owners, promoting a calmer state within your dog.

To learn more or book your spot, drop us a message.