Strengthen your bond, burn off excess energy, and build confidence with an online course you can do from anywhere—even your living room!
What is Nose Work?
Nose Work is the most inclusive—not to mention quarantine-friendly—dog sport out there! It takes your dog’s natural ability to find and track odor, and puts that skill to work in a fun and focused way.
Intro to Nose Work is the first step in training you and your dog to work together as a team to track odor to its source. It’s a prerequisite for more advanced nose work classes … not to mention an all-around good time!
Why Nose Work is perfect for you and your dog
Any dog can participate. There are no restrictions around age, breed, physical ability, or experience. Reactive dogs can play, too, since it’s an individual sport without any other dogs on the “field.” Just you, your dog, and lots of fun!
Creates a wonderful bond between you and your dog. Whether you’ve mastered basic obedience or are still training your pup, you and your dog can learn nose work together. Working as a team strengthens your bond and promotes the kind of healthy relationship that’s a great jumping-off point for other types of training, too.
Burns off excess energy and gives your dog a “job.” Even highly active dogs can sometimes lack the mental stimulation that truly tires them out. Whether your dog is an unruly puppy or an active senior, nose work gives them a great mental workout.
Builds confidence in shy or fearful dogs. I’ve seen incredible transformations in dogs that are otherwise too scared to interact with people or their environment. Nose work teaches them that these things aren’t scary—and that in fact, a little bit of courage can have some huge rewards!
Great for older or injured dogs. If your dog is a senior or is injured, nose work is the perfect sport. It puts them to work in a low-impact way that keeps them safe from physical harm, but tuckers them out anyway.
Owners of all abilities are welcome. The inclusivity of nose work doesn’t stop with your dog. Whether you’re a brand-new dog owner looking to train your first furry friend, or an experienced trainer looking to expand your repertoire, you’ll learn something new.
Fun, focused, and positive. My positive, force-free training method that teaches your dog to love learning from Day 1. I use short training sessions structured like games to keep your dog wanting more.
Nose work is a great place to start in the world of dog sports, for any dog and any owner!
This course is right for you if:
- You have a high-energy puppy or adolescent dog who never gets tired, and you need a way to tucker them out
- You have a shy, fearful, or reactive dog who doesn’t do well in play groups, dog parks, or other group activities
- You have a senior or injured dog who can’t be very active but still needs ways to stay busy
- You’re looking for ways to keep you and your dog entertained when you’re stuck at home
- You want a fun and engaging way to strengthen your bond with your dog, whether you just brought them home or have had them for years
- You want to build your confidence as a trainer
- You’re looking for things to do with your dog during COVID quarantine
- You want to participate in local or national nose work competitions, and are looking to lay the groundwork for the sport
- Or … you and your dog just want to have fun!
Dogs LOVE using their noses. It’s like solving a puzzle and playing a game at the same time. And believe it or not, even highly active dogs often don’t get this type of mental stimulation. (That’s why they can play fetch for hours and still come home and eat the couch.)
Here’s how my online Intro to Nose Work course works:
I took my proven 6-week training course—which I’ve been running in person for years—and put it into a 6-week video course. This course still has the benefits of the in-person course, with the added perk that you can do it from your living room!
- I focus on teaching your dogs the way they learn best. We’ll keep your dog motivated and excited to keep learning more at the end of each session.
- Each weekly video provides clear, step-by-step instructions for how to play the game and increase complexity as your dog learns.
- Move through the course at your own pace. If your dog is a fast learner and you want to move on, go for it! If your dog needs more time on a step, no problem.
- Each weekly lesson also comes with a PDF handout, so you have a quick visual reminder of how to train that week’s skills.
- I take the guesswork out of training, with clear instructions and a structured, step-by-step course that gets progressively more challenging as you and your dog are ready.
- If you do have questions, ask the private In Good Paws Intro to Nose Work Facebook group, which you’ll get exclusive access to as a course member. We have a dynamic and friendly group of course graduates who are always happy to help out. And, of course, I’m in there too!
- NEW: I’m also offering monthly Q & As to answer your questions, and to address any issues your dog might be having as they go through the course.
You’ll get all the benefits of the live class, including the ability to ask me questions and get coaching specific to your dog!
Why take my course?
We keep it positive. I use positive, force-free training methods that are sure to engage your dog from Day 1 and strengthen your bond. The focus is on keeping learning fun. The whole point is for you and your dog to learn a new skill—and have a great time doing it.
There’s no special equipment. All you need to get started is a few empty cardboard boxes, some dog treats, and your dog. This builds your dog’s confidence and enthusiasm for nose work and gives you the time and space to learn as a handler, too.
Works with your dog’s natural motivation. The key to making any sport fun for you and your dog is to keep you both happy and excited about playing. Dogs love to use their noses, and even the craziest pup loves to work if they understand the game. My emphasis is on fun, teamwork, and good communication between you and your dog. The benefits go far beyond nose work.
E-learning with a real community. I didn’t just create a course you can take from the comfort of your home. We’ve also got a fantastic community of students in our private Facebook group. We all support each other, celebrate wins, and answer questions. (And who doesn’t love a good dog pic on their Facebook feed?!) Plus, the monthly Q & As give you a place to ask questions specific to your dog, and get the kind of 1-on-1 coaching you might be missing from an in-person class.
What your dog will learn
By the end of this course, your dog will:
- Be able to find a food treat hidden in any interior environment
- Know a game they can do almost anywhere, with very little equipment
- Understand the foundation for the game of nose work. They’ll be able to “graduate” to Intro to Odor, where they’ll start to learn to smell for birch
This online course will help any dog learn the basics of Nose Work, a fun and rewarding dog sport that burns off excess energy and promotes a strong bond between you and your dog.
Get lifetime access for only $140.
