K9 Scent Training and Proofing

18/05/2025

One of my favorite places to introduce and train detection dogs is in seating areas—especially movie theater or stadium-style rows.

When done right, it looks like a dance. The dog and handler move through the rows in rhythm and harmony. But when it’s done poorly, it can fall apart—leashes get caught on seats, handlers lose flow, and dogs sprint through like they’re in an agility tunnel.

I often get asked if I run dogs off-leash in this setup. While I’m not against off-leash work, it’s critical to move through the proper stages: teach, train, and proof.

Start with blank reps—no training aids. The goal is to let the dog acclimate to the environment and understand how to move through rows. It’s also the perfect time for the handler to refine leash handling and manipulation skills.

Here’s a Cliff Notes version of how I introduce seating searches after environmental work is complete:

➡️ Bottom of the rows: Place an aid on the first seat. Run several reps here to teach the dog that the start of the row is meaningful and not something to blast past.

➡️ Middle of the row: Place an aid halfway up. This teaches the dog that the middle of the row matters and should be searched with intention—not treated like a tunnel.

➡️ Top of the row: Place an aid near the end of the row. This helps reinforce that the dog shouldn’t exit the seating area prematurely or miss the last part of the search zone.

Once your dog is more experienced, reduce the number of aids and increase spacing. (The photo used here is not to scale—proper distance is key for meaningful placement and learning.)

💡 Pay attention to the dog’s body language. Depending on airflow, some may pick up odor several rows back, so handlers need to stay sharp and observe any early changes of behavior.

Goals of environmental training:
✅ Build confidence in tight, cluttered spaces
✅ Improve the handler’s leash handling and movement

Goals of aid placement:
✅ The first seat teaches the dog not to blow past the start
✅ The middle seat helps prevent tunneling behavior
✅ The last seat ensures the dog doesn’t exit the area too soon

When taught properly, it’s a beautiful thing to watch. The dog naturally “hooks” from one row into the next, creating a seamless flow.

That’s why I call it a dance.

16/05/2025

As a young trainer, Teach, Train, and Proof were drilled into me by my mentors — and for good reason. 🔁🐾

Swipe through the image for a quick “CliffsNotes” version of these stages. 👇

One of the biggest mistakes I see in scent training? Skipping stages. A dog gets imprinted on tubes or boxes, and suddenly the handler expects it to search vehicles, luggage, or open areas… without any real transition. 🚫📦➡️🚗

Another one? Gear changes. The dog learns on a 6ft lead, then out of nowhere, the handler switches to a retractable or 15ft long line. That completely shifts the dog’s sight picture and throws things off. 🎯❌

And this one’s big: thinking dogs are robots.
“He was imprinted on that odor.”
“When?”
“A year ago.”
Yeah… that’s why he’s missing it now. 🧠⏳

Training isn’t a one-time event. We have to move through each stage — Teach ➡️ Train ➡️ Proof — if we want real, reliable performance.

15/05/2025

21/02/2025

In my early years as a trainer, I frequently encountered the “alpha” concept, where dogs received positive punishment for tasks they did not clearly understand, all to show who the alpha is.

This post is by a very talented dog trainer and friend.

https://www.facebook.com/share/15mp4Nriy8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

18/02/2025

The Power of Markers

Important note: This is not my video, but it illustrates the power of markers.

People have different training styles, but I favor markers due to their ability to clearly communicate and teach tasks quickly and more effectively. I often hear opposition, suggesting that it’s not suitable for every dog, but I truly believe it can be. Did the trainers in this video just get lucky and hit the genetic jackpot, acquiring the most intelligent chickens in the world? Or what about SeaWorld and their ability to get marine animals to execute different tasks? Did those trainers just get lucky too? Markers may not suit every dog, but I hope they at least spark your interest.

Bob Bailey / Parvene Farhoody Operant Conditioning workshops 2014Training by Jade Fountain of Animal Behaviour Matterswww.animalbehaviourmatters.com.auwww.fa...

12/02/2025

Many might be familiar with B.F. Skinner, an American psychologist and behaviorist who developed the concept of the ABCs of learning, which stands for antecedent, behavior, and consequences.

A – Antecedent
An antecedent is any stimulus or event that occurs before a behavior. When a behavior is maintained by the presence of antecedent stimuli, it is referred to as stimulus control. These stimuli maintain behavior because their presence signals an opportunity for reinforcement.

Trainers are said to use antecedent control to manipulate a subject’s motivational state.

B – Behavior
This refers to the way in which a person, organism, or group responds to a certain set of conditions.

C – Consequence
This is the relationship between an action and its result (cause and effect). A negative consequence, or outcome, can be described as an unpleasant or difficult result of a previous action (responsibledognet).

This conceptual framework is important in any dog training task, and I hope to provide some insight into how it applies to scent detection.

The final response or indication is often muddled by trainers or handlers who misapply the ABCs. For example, the simple equation:

Odor + Response/Indication = Reward

Sounds straightforward, but it is here that response issues arise, such as false responses or hesitation in offering a final response.

The equation gets confusing to the dog when additional factors are inadvertently added.

Odor + Leash Tension + Handler Position + Other Potential Handler Actions + Response = Reward

Thus is why I often say the stars have to align for some dogs to offer a responsese to odor
Understanding and managing these variables is crucial for successful scent detection training.

08/02/2025

How can we build commitment to odor? Do we give an obedience command like stay and reinforce it with a reward? If so, we face a dilemma—is the dog truly committed to the odor, or just following the handler’s command?

I prefer not to rely on obedience commands for this but instead to develop commitment in the foundational stages using opposition reflex and leash tension.

Opposition reflex is a natural response in dogs, causing them to push against pressure or resistance they feel—whether from a lead, collar, or any other force acting on them (Simply Dog Articles). In simple terms, if I pull in one direction, the dog’s natural reaction is to pull against it.

So why is this important in dog training? As handlers, we can sometimes develop tunnel vision during searches, thinking we know best or trying to direct the dog to areas we believe are productive. In doing so, we might overlook the fact that the dog is already in odor and attempting to bracket. If we rely on an obedience-based stay, the dog will feel the leash tension and easily break to follow the handler to a different area.

However, a dog trained with opposition reflex will react differently. When bracketing in odor, instead of being pulled off, the dog will push forward against the leash tension, driving toward the source of the odor.

In this video, you’ll see me acting as a third party, touching and petting the dog both in and out of odor to get him used to physical contact. Markers allow for precision, helping capture the exact moment the dog is sniffing at the source—eliminating anticipation behaviors and keeping the dog calm, making shaping easier. This session wasn’t my best by my standards, but you can see how I applied leash tension, and the dog drove back to the source. You’ll also notice the leash tension being applied and marked.

06/02/2025

Once you see the light, there’s no going back.

I came up in the detection world using the old-school method of rewarding at the source—tossing or lobbing the reward directly where the odor is. I was told things like, “The dog thinks the reward comes from the odor, not the handler.” And to be fair, you can train a dog this way. I’ve also seen setups with third-party rewarding, where someone else delivers the reward at the source.

But here’s the problem: it creates anticipation behaviors.

The first dog in this video shows it clearly—waiting, looking around, even bobbing their head like Stevie Wonder because they’re expecting that reward to come flying in. Some handlers go full “Nolan Ryan,” hurling the toy the second the dog responds. But that can cause the reward to bounce off the odor source, reinforcing the wrong behavior and confusing the dog.

That’s where a bridge marker changes the game.

A bridge marker (like a click or “yes”) tells the dog exactly when they did the right thing. No guessing. No anticipation. No need to rush the reward or throw it across the room. Just clear communication.

In this video, the first dog was trained with the traditional reward-at-source method. The second dog started the same way but was transitioned to using markers. You’ll notice the difference—cleaner, more confident responses.

I like to explain it like a flipbook. Markers let you highlight a single frame in time. Without them, the pages blur together—and the dog doesn’t know what exact behavior earned the reward.

Train smarter. Communicate better. Your dog will thank you.

01/02/2025

There’s a big difference between teaching a dog to do something and forcing it to. While both approaches might produce the same result on the surface, you have to ask—at what cost?

The goal of dog training should be to guide a dog through a task without limiting its potential. The best sessions happen when the dog is an active participant, not just a passive follower.

My training method sets the tone early, signaling to the dog that it’s about to enter a session where rewards are possible—allowing the dog to actively engage during the session.

In this older video with Benji, you can see that spark in his energy and drive. He’s ready, willing, and engaged.

22/01/2025

(Working on revising and refining this post—stay tuned for updates!)

Once a dog has been imprinted and proofed on target odor, I move on to the next foundational step: open area searches. This stage builds on the independence introduced during imprinting, but in a larger, less controlled environment.

To manage variables during this phase, I prefer training on a football or baseball field. Even though the dog is familiar with the odor, they haven’t yet learned how to effectively search in an open space. This is where structure and intentional patterning become critical.

I use a mix of on- and off-leash work, but I always start by teaching a clear search pattern—specifically, the line-quartering pattern. Begin without any odor aids to help the dog learn the movement and rhythm of the pattern. Once they’re comfortable, plant a training aid around midfield.

How to teach the line-quartering pattern:
Walk horizontally across the field on-leash until you reach one end. Then take 5–10 paces forward and work your way back horizontally in the opposite direction. When the dog encounters odor and shows a head throw or change in behavior, encourage them and allow them to bracket toward source.

In the video below, you’ll see my dog Benji, along with another working dog I helped train, both successfully bracketing to the aid.

A note on off-leash work:
Letting a dog run wild across a field isn’t independence—it’s chaos. I often see handlers turn their dogs loose, and it looks more like a “search and destroy” mission. The dog runs the same areas repeatedly, with no clear direction, hoping to stumble onto odor. That’s not independence—that’s guessing.

True independence is built through structure and repetition. Think of any profession—we wouldn’t expect someone to show up on their first day and just figure it all out. Training, guidance, and mentoring come first. Then you build independence.

Marker training is a key part of this process. It allows you to mark the exact moment your dog hits source or gives their trained final response, reinforcing the precise behavior you want.

I hope this breakdown—and the video—offer some helpful insight into the process. I’m also working on creating clearer visuals to better illustrate the line-quartering pattern. Stay tuned!

I’ve found that building a strong foundation through open area searches makes it easier to transition to other environments. It also helps address fringe or false response issues through remedial training.