Scent Workshops

It's all about the nose!

Have you ever wanted to have a go at Search & Rescue or tracking with your dog? This is your chance. Mind Your Dog are organising a scent work week-end at an idyllic venue in East Sussex. Come and learn new games and sample various activities making the most of your dog’s amazing sense of smell at our scent work for fun week-end.

But be careful, people get hooked with nose work. We accept no responsibility for any resulting addiction.

Who is it for?

This outdoor workshop is aimed at anybody interested in scent work and wanting to learn new games their dog will really enjoy. It is suitable for all size and breed of dogs, from Chihuahua to Great Danes, and will help you take your relationship with your dog to a whole new level. People who have dogs who always seem to want to do more will get the added benefit of finally finding an activity that will tire their dog out. It is also ideal for trainers who wish to learn about scent work in order to incorporate new activities in their club programme.

We have a limited number of handler places, but you can also come as a spectator without a dog. Note that being a spectator at a Mind Your Dog workshop is still very much a hands-on activity and you will still actively take part in the training. You may be asked to hide, lay tracks, hold dogs, etc. You will not get bored and you can expect to learn a lot.

No prior experience of scentwork is required. Your dog MUST however be sociable around other dogs and people he or she does not know and be over 6 months of age. Handlers and dogs must be reasonably fit to take part.

Predicted programme

Saturday

The day will start at 10.30am with a talk ‘What is scent? How does scent travel?’ It will then go onto a practical session that will take you into the fascinating world of Search & Rescue. Teach your dog to find a person using a technique called ‘air scenting’. At the end of the afternoon, you have the option to go and watch the professionals. One or more handlers from NSARDA CanTech will be there so you can watch them work their dog and ask them any questions you may have about working a Search & Rescue dog. This is subject to team availability as NSARDA Cantech is an operational Search & Rescue team. If they have to attend a live search, this may be cancelled or take place at a different time during the week-end.

Sunday

The second day will start at 9.00am with a practical session where you will learn about tracking. After a break, you will then find out how to teach your dog to find objects. This can be really useful if you often lose your keys or your mobile phone! Before the end of the day, you will have a chance to practise your favourite activity of the week-end again.

What is included?

The course:

This is your chance to sample various scent work activities with your dog and to learn up-to-date techniques that you can then use at home with your dog. The teaching will be done in a relaxed atmosphere by trainers with several years experience of scent work.  

You will receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the week-end.  

Meals and accommodation:

• A hot meal on the Saturday evening
• Optional free camping on site on Saturday night (note that the facilities are very basic) and breakfast on Sunday morning.
• A cold lunch on Sunday.  

Sunday evening option:

Camping on site is available on Sunday night at a small extra cost for people who prefer to travel back on the Monday. This option includes the Sunday evening meal and breakfast on Monday morning.  

Cost  

Handler: £125 for one person with one dog.
Spectator: £60 per person.

A deposit of £25 is required to secure a handler place, £12 for a spectator place. The balance is payable on arrival at the workshop if paying by cheque or cash. If paying by bank transfer or paypal, the balance much reach us one week before the start of the event.  

Sunday evening option: £10 per person  

A portion of the fee received by Mind Your Dog will be donated to the charity NSARDA Cantech.  

What do I need to bring?  

• A pack lunch for the Saturday
• Camping equipment if you are staying on site on Saturday evening Note: if you do not wish to camp on site, you need to arrange your own accommodation and are expected back at 8.45am on the Sunday.
• Your dog’s food and equipment
• Good quality outdoor clothing and footwear – this is an outdoor event and we cannot guarantee the weather

More details will be sent to you on registration.

How to book?

Please fill and return the booking form to: Mind Your Dog, 8 Hartley Road, Westerham, Kent TN16 1EG with your cheque made payable to Caroline Dunn.

If you wish to pay by bank transfer or paypal, you can return the form by email to dogtraining@mindyourdog.co.uk and will we email you the necessary information to send payment.

The Small print

We reserve the right to amend the programme based on group dynamics and weather in order to ensure that everybody makes the most of the workshop.    

Cancellation policy:

• up to 65 days before the event: we will refund your deposit within 15 days of cancellation.
• between 35 and 65 days before the event: we will refund your deposit within 30 days of cancellation if we can sell your place to someone on the waiting list.
• between 35 and 10 days before the event: we will not refund your deposit.
• in the 10 days before the event: unless we can sell your place to someone on the waiting list, you will be invoiced for a third of the course fee.
• no show on the day: you will be invoiced for the full course fee.
• In the unlikely event that Mind Your Dog would have to cancel the event, your deposit will be fully refunded within 30 days.  

If you need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer your place to someone on the waiting list.

Warning:

This is an outdoor event. A reasonable level of fitness is expected and you and your dog must be able to walk on uneven grounds. The workshop will go ahead even if it rains. We would however cancel in the event of severe or extreme weather conditions.