Following the nose.
Learn to play your dog’s kind of game
You’ve got lots of fun games you play with your dog. You might wrestle or let him fight you for the chew-toy or play fetch.
But until now, you’ve never played a game that lets your dog show off the one talent he enjoys using the most.
Nose training’s popularity has skyrocketed since its introduction, and for good reason. To date, we’ve yet to meet a dog owner who didn’t find nose work training to be some of the most enjoyable time spent with their dog.
Dogs love it too; they’re encouraged to burn up tons of energy by enthusiastically hunting down a solution using their natural abilities of smell. They wear themselves out, they’re praised for their skill, and they have a blast.
Our nose work training classes in Jersey City, NJ are full of doggy smiles – and owner smiles to match.
Sounds good. But what IS nose work?
Nose work training looks deceptively easy. One of the first games we play, for example, is hiding a treat in one box among many, and letting the dog sniff out their prize.
As the games get more sophisticated, dogs learn to hunt for other items, solve more complicated puzzles, and even differentiate distinct odors from one another to win the game.
The best part about nose work training is that the dogs are truly allowed to play.
A good way to explain the parallel would be to consider what kind of behavior we expect from children. Kids aren’t supposed to run or jump or yell loudly in their homes – but when they’re playing sports, those things aren’t just permitted – they’re encouraged.
Similarly, dogs need a way to let loose and simply have fun. They need games that let them burn off excess energy and enjoy excelling without worrying about whether they’re displaying polite behavior.
Many dogs that are otherwise shy, have trust issues, or rebel against training enjoy nose work so much that it becomes an excellent prelude to more disciplined training. By making it fun to master challenges in nose work, your dog learns that excelling at anything can be enjoyable.
Your dog is naturally curious, loves to hunt with her nose, and delights in toys and food. Nose work brings all her favorite things together in a game she can excel at – and there’s nothing dogs (or people, for that matter) enjoy more.
Check out some of our nose work training videos to see how much fun it can be.
The Logistics
Nose work training is for dogs of all ages, breeds, sizes, and physical conditions. Even dogs who have displayed aggressive behavior can participate – since nose work training is just between one dog and handler, your dog won’t have to interact with others and can benefit from the training because it helps build focus and confidence.
The initial six-week course introduces you and your dog to nose work, beginning with searching for food in boxes and progressing to searching in and around buildings and vehicles for distinct odors like birch, anise and clove. You’ll learn how to keep challenging your dog even after the course is finished, too.
Our nose work classes in Jersey City, NJ are held at:
K9dergarten
173 Newark Avenue.
Jersey City, NJ
Our Jersey City nose work training sessions meet once a week for 6 weeks. Each session is one hour long. Our next course opens on February 28th at 7:30 pm.
Our Guarantee
Nose training classes are difficult to guarantee, since it requires an almost equal degree of participation from you, your dog, and the trainer (that’s me). Since I can only control my own devotion to the training process, I can’t guarantee that your dog’s behavior problems will be completely eliminated.
Here’s what I can – and do – guarantee:
I consider your satisfaction to be my measure of progress. If you’re happy, we made great progress. If you’re not satisfied, then even if I brought all my skills, my dedication, and my commitment to the process, we still haven’t made the progress I hoped for.
If that happens, then I will either take new steps to fix the problem to your satisfaction, or offer you a full refund.
Come Join the Fun!
Nose training isn’t really training. It’s a game – one your dog naturally excels at. You’ll have a blast teaching him how to hone his natural skills, and your dog will adore you for letting him burn energy doing some of the things he loves best.
Dogs and owners who come to Jersey City nose training class go home exhausted, exhilarated, and – most importantly – completely happy. Come bond with your dog in our next class series.
