Alert! Scent Work

When you go to a scent work camp or an all-day seminar, how do you get the most out of it? What stops people from fully committing to new ideas? And when you leave with a notebook full of things to try, what do you actually do with all of it?This episode was recorded live on the last day of the Penny Scott-Fox Scent Work Camp at Galway Downs in California. I'm joined by Penny and fellow instructor Jeff McMahon. In addition to how to get the most out of an experience like this, we talk about three of the exercises from camp, what they were designed to teach, and what else people took away from the exercises.What we talk about:What stops people from fully committing to new ideas at camp, and why it's more complicated than just being resistant to changeThe difference between going in with a competition mindset and going in with a learning mindsetProjecting onto your dog, and what it really means when you say you want your dog to have a positive experienceBreaking old habits and building new ones, and what self-awareness has to do with itTrade expectation for appreciationThe breed genetics distance challenge, dogs off leash 70 feet from a hide, and what each breed did with thatThe lesson inside the lesson, what Scot took away that had nothing to do with breed tendenciesThe "What-if Game", where it came from, what it teaches, and some of the scenarios from this campWhy nose work should probably be called nose funThe 80 box challenge, the spiral grid pattern, and what being a teammate has to do with finding the hideWhat to do with a notebook full of ideas when you get homeWhat lights Penny and Jeff up when they see it happenFind Penny:scott-foxdogtraining.comFind Jeff McMahon:https://k9noseworkblog.blogspot.com/Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors: the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.comFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWorkSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

Joanne Soyke had a Border Collie named Flip who finally found a sport that let him use his powers for good rather than evil. From that moment, from competing to training to judging, she's made it her mission to bring the gift of scent work to every dog since.That mission is rooted in something she comes back to throughout this conversation. Dogs let us into their world when they search. They share something with us that we can barely comprehend, and the more we learn to listen, the richer that experience gets for the dog and for us.She also talks about the tools that help you get there. And a mantra she borrowed from Jeff McMahon that she takes to every start line: I'm grateful for whatever the dog wants to share with me today.What we talk about:Joanne's origin story, a border collie named Flip who finally got to use his powers for good instead of evilCARAT, the Suzanne Clothier assessment tool that changed how Joanne sees every dog she works withThe over-aroused Doberman and the start line routine she built around himThe terrified rat terrier who went from scared of a box to knocking them across the roomJudging philosophy, fun and fair, not trying to trick you or your dogHow the environment dictates the difficulty of the hides she setsThe sunshine through the windows she didn't notice and what that moment taught her about judging.What's actually going through her head when she's watching you runThe blind hide exercise that builds your ability to read your dogWhy your one step after finding a hide might be costing you a convergingTrusting your dog and sharing the responsibility of the searchAre you trying to trial today or for the next 10 yearsThe mantra she takes to every start lineSeven questions with Joanne, including who in her pack keeps her humble, the wedding line, and what her dog would say about her in one wordFind Joanne:www.furbetterfurworse.comFacebook: Fur Better Fur Worse Dog TrainingAlert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.comFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWorkSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

Dianna Santos came to scent work through a dog-aggressive Doberman who needed a reason to be a dog. Zeus couldn't go for walks. He couldn't be around other dogs. His world was shrinking, and so was hers. What happened when he started searching changed him. It also changed how she thinks about this activity: who it's for, what it can do, and why she believes every dog with a nose deserves to play it.She went on to build Scent Work University and produce over 140 episodes of the All About Scent Work podcast. When I asked her to distill all of those conversations down to some themes that keep coming up, she landed on odor will humble you and focus on the dog. What she said about the first one felt like she'd been following me around with a notebook. The second is a good paradigm for all of us to remember.We also get into something many competitors wrestle with: how much involvement the handler should have, and what that balance actually looks like in a search.And if you have a reactive or dog-aggressive dog, Dianna has a lot worth hearing that might help you.What we talk about:The two themes Dianna keeps hearing from the best in the sport and what they mean for the rest of usThe universal handler journey, why it looks the same for almost everyone, and why understanding it helps you push through the hard partsWhat focus on the dog really means when something is going wrong in a searchHow much involvement should a handler have, and what finding that equilibrium actually looks likeZeus, a dog-aggressive Doberman, and what scent work gave him that nothing else couldThe choice point, what it means for any dog to choose the work over whatever else is pulling at themWhat scent work surfaces about your dog during training and how to address it outside of a search so it stops costing you in the ringDogs with challenges, reactive, fearful, dog aggressive, and what perspectives and approaches can actually helpHow closed off a handler's life can become around a difficult dog, and what starts to open upScent work as the activity, not just the sport, and why Dianna will go to her grave defending every dog's right to play itSeven questions with Dianna, including what still delights her, the most rewarding thing someone has ever said to her, and the piece of advice that stuckFind Dianna: scentworku.com All About Scent Work podcastAlert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors, the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.comFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWorkSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

I ran under Karen Allen at a detective trial and didn't Q. What stayed with me wasn't the result, it was the feeling walking away. She was rooting for us. That's who she is as a judge, and it's a big part of why I wanted to have this conversation.One of the threads running through this whole conversation is how much we impact our dogs without realizing it. Body chatter. Disappointment going down the leash. Turning away at the wrong moment. Not opening your body to give permission. A lot of us are probably in that same place.We also both got into something we're each actively working through — what happens when your dog stops searching and starts asking you questions.And inaccessibles. What makes them challenging, and she and Scot talk about how their dogs each handle them.What we talk about:Karen's origin story — a cattle dog rescue who was hard to do activities with, and how scent work became the thing that finally workedWhat changed in Aspen after scent workNewton, who is deaf in one ear and very sound sensitive — and Larkin, who can shut down easilyHow Karen plans a search — the Cirrus tool, the yes zone, and videoing search areas before trial daySniff and dismiss — and why patience matters more than most competitors realizeCollection, false alerts, and nerves — why it's more complicated than it looksWhat Karen loves to see in a team when she's judging — and what she admits she's still working on herselfHow much we impact our dogs without realizing it — what Karen sees as a judge and what Scot admitted about MurphyWhat counts as a win when you don't get the QThe boundaries — what newer competitors get wrong about themWhen your dog stops searching and starts asking you questionsInaccessibles — why they're hard to call and why we don't practice them enoughEscential Nosework ABCs — Karen's new business and what it focuses onSeven questions with KarenFind Karen: AKC Judges Directory — search Karen AllenEscential Nosework ABC: noseworkabcs.comAlert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.comFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWorkSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

In scent work, we talk a lot about odor theory, training, and handling technique. But there's something else affecting your performance, your dog's performance, and your experience of the sport that doesn't get nearly enough attention — pressure. Penny Scott-Fox has been watching what it does to competitors, dogs, clubs, and judges, and she wanted to talk about it.Before we get to the main topic, we start with her recent 2 minute and 14 second detective run. I had to ask how that was even possible. What followed was a conversation about how to better train for detective, how to build a dog that drives to odor, and two very different handling philosophies based on the dogs we each have. I think a lot of people will see themselves in this conversation.Then we get into the main topic, pressure in scent work. Through the conversation, we uncovered ideas that will help competitors, trial committees, and judges alike succeed and enjoy the sport more fully.What we talk about:The 2:14 detective run — what made it possible, and what it reveals about foundation training and building a dog that drives to odorWhy dogs that have sailed through the lower levels sometimes hit a wall in detective — and what to do about it in trainingTwo different handling philosophies for detective — Penny's and mine — and why the dog you have shapes everythingPenny's 40th detective Q — and the bronze, silver, and gold detective titles her club awards that AKC doesn't recognizePressure on the dog and how it impacts your partner in scent workPressure on the handler and what both of us do to take the edge off, including Penny's ritual to reduce pressure in obedience (works for scent work too)Why pressure on the handler almost pushed me out of the sport, and the two rules that made it fun againPressure on clubs. What the growth of scent work is doing to trial quality, and how clubs can best serve competitorsPressure on judges, why the push to be the judge that sets sexy hides isn't always good for dogs or competitors, and a conversation about what really makes the sport fun for competitorsFind Penny at scott-foxdogtraining.comAlert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.comFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

One of the first AKC Scent Work judges and an AKC Scent Work Expert Judge, Sandra Tung is also a trainer and high-level competitor who has been in the sport since before AKC even had a scent work program.Much of our conversation revolves around the job of the handler in scent work — which Sandra reinforces with t-shirt-worthy sayings like "be a hot date to your dog," "pay a dog a CEO salary for flipping burgers," and "your dog is the subject matter expert, and you are the manager."If you've ever watched a Sandra Tung student at a trial, you already know these sayings. Her reputation precedes her. We also dig into how to balance honoring your dog's choices with being a good partner, her lazy trainer philosophy for building drive and confidence, and what she actually looks for when she's judging a team — whether they Q or not.What we talk about:Sandra's origin story — from her first Shiba Inu and rally obedience to becoming one of AKC's first scent work judgesWhy the dog is the subject matter expert and the handler is the manager — and what that actually means in a searchBe a hot date — what it means, where it came from, and why it matters more than finding the perfect high-value treat *The difference between a good team and a top team — and why it almost always comes down to the handlerHow to read whether your dog is in a productive area versus an unproductive oneWhy odor doesn't care about boundaries — and what Sandra tells her students about letting their dogs go outside the search areaHer lazy trainer philosophy — training with purpose, keeping sessions short, and why simple hides in new environments will take you further than complicated puzzlesHow running Shiba Inus made her a better handler and trainerTeaching dogs to move on from a hide on their own — and why she didn't realize that was a skill until dog number fiveMemory systems for remembering where you found your hides at higher levelsWhat Sandra looks for when she places hides — and why she loves testing teams on things they don't expectSeven questions with Sandra — her dog's favorite reward, advice for her beginner scent work self, how she bounces back from a tough trial day, and the best compliment she ever received at a trialFind Sandra:AKC Judges Directory — search Sandra Tung to bring her to your trialAlert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here:https://www.AlertScentWork.comFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWorkSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/ #scentwork

For some, scent work is more than a sport and ribbons. It's a shared process that can change both dog and handler in ways you never saw coming.Lisa Quibell is a competitor, trainer, and judge with CWAGS and UKC. She shares how scent work challenged her not just as a handler and trainer, but as a human — and how working with very different dogs has shaped the way she competes and judges.We talk about scent work as a confidence builder for dogs who struggle in the world and for handlers who are still finding their footing. Lisa explores what it really means to let the dog lead, how to recognize when not to interrupt, and why giving dogs real decision-making power changes the search for both dog and handler.We also dig into something most competitors wrestle with — how to celebrate and reward after a search that didn't go your way. And Lisa said something I'm still thinking about: the marker tells them when they did the right thing. The reward is about the relationship.What we talk about:Lisa's origin story — how a friend named Toni kept bugging her about scent work, and why Luna changed everything once she finally said yesI train because of Luna, but I train the way I do because of Stark — what a difficult cattle dog taught Lisa about confidence, calm conversations, and choiceWhy confidence and scent work are more similar than people realize — and why the people who need one often resist the otherWhat overconfidence actually is — and why it's not confidence at allScent work as a safe space — why dogs who struggle in the world often thrive at a trial, and what that does for them over timeThe delicate dance of letting your dog lead — when to follow, when to step in, and how different dogs need completely different things from the same handlerHow having four very different dogs has shaped the way Lisa judges — and why judges who've only run one breed can develop blind spotsLuna's master title — what that ribbon on the wall means, why Lisa has never watched the video, and why she wishes she hadn't been so focused on the goalWhat it means that scent work is a gift to us as handlers — not just to our dogsThe reward sequence after a search that didn't go your way — and why the reward is about the relationship, not the resultWhy the best parties Lisa has ever seen as a judge were for dogs that didn't qualifySeven questions with Lisa — including the advice she'd give her beginner self, what her dogs would say about her as a handler, and why her business is called Quibbles and BitsFind Lisa: quibblesandbits.com Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.coFollow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

AKC scent work judge and competitor Patrice Dodd talks about why scent work is one of the few places in life where she can be fully present, and why handler attention may be the most important skill in the sport. She also reflects on the challenges and pressure she feels as a judge, balancing fairness, difficulty, and the desire for competitors to succeed.Patrice shares why giving your dog just a few extra seconds can change an entire search, how handlers often interrupt problem-solving without realizing it, and what she notices from the judge’s side when teams succeed. We also explore her dog’s tendency to blast through thresholds, and how learning to work with that reality led to better strategy and less frustration.

At AKC Master National, Penny Scott-Fox brought every part of her scent work experience with her.She talks about the AKC Master National through three lenses: what it was like to compete, how she viewed the hide sets and scoring system as a judge, and what she thinks could be improved for future events from an organizer’s perspective.Penny also talks about the strategy that kept her from getting caught up in the leaderboard, how she approached the event as a marathon rather than a sprint, and how the new scoring system completely changed her handling plan.It’s a thoughtful look at the first-ever Master National from someone who’s helped shape the sport since its beginning.

Lena went to the first AKC Scent Work Master Nationals mostly to support the event, but she also had a couple of goals. She wanted to make it into the top 100 and have the highest-placing Australian Shepherd. A few years earlier, a trainer told her Neo didn’t have the drive to be competitive, so you can imagine how good it felt when he finished sixth overall.She talks about what the weekend was really like, the nerves, the searches, the challenges, and her advice if you're thinking about going next year. You’ll hear how she trained, what surprised her once she got there, and the mindset that helped her actually enjoy it.

The first time I ran under Penny Scott Fox, she gave me a piece of feedback I still think about every time I step into a search area. We unpack what she meant by that comment — and how handlers can feel more confident calling finish when the run is actually done.A founding instructor with NACSW and one of the judges at the very first AKC scent work trial, Penny digs into why most handlers wait too long to make the call and what she believes “trust your dog” really means. We also get into how she builds drive and what makes a search fun. She shares her take on the first-ever AKC Master National, and how she’s preparing for it.

Excused from the crate area and rattled through her novice searches, Jennifer's first scent work trial was anything but smooth. Instead of quitting, that moment lit the fire.Jennifer talks about the overlooked skill that becomes critical in higher-level searches — especially buried; the hidden power of reward rituals that go beyond food; and how “my dog lies to me” usually means the dog is giving feedback, if we’re willing to listen. She also explains the smartest way to approach a judge if you want meaningful feedback after a trial.But ultimately, it always comes back to joy, connection, and celebrating the dog, and that perspective just might change how you see your own searches.

Scent work wasn’t part of the plan. It started with Sam, anxious in agility but able to find his place in nose work. Then Rosie, her flat coat, lit up the moment she started searching, and her joy made the game contagious. Finally, Tana, the dog who was supposed to do agility but didn’t love it, found her stride in scent work and pulled Aleks all the way in.That was the start of an obsession with scent work. Competing, learning everything she could, teaching, and judging all followed.Aleks shares what she believes is the single most important skill for scent work teams and why it changes everything. She talks about the difference between waiting for confirmation and watching for the odor picture, and how she sets searches with intention. From her “chair at every level” example to the master searches she plans in detail, nothing is just slapping hides out there.