Perth Scent Work

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Jarrahdale, WA
Perth Scent Work

Perth Scent Work specialises in K9 Scent Work. If you are wanting your dog to learn scent work for fun or competition then we can help you achieve your goals.

Group classes, workshops and one on one consultations available.

29/09/2026

*** 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 ***

The trial season is nearing its close for the year. Yesterday the SWCWA held their second last trial – a Novice and Masters combo at Kelmscott Senior High School.

First up was Masters Interiors – 3 partial classrooms. The first room had 2 low converging hides, the second room a high hide and the third room which was blank but with distractions – a training vest with food remnants, horse hair and a mouse mimic. Each room had a time limit of 2 minutes. There were 28 competitors with 4 qualifications – one of which was Charlie. Unfortunately like many other competitors Harry missed one of the converging hides.

A quick run back to the carpark with Charlie, then off to judge Master Containers which was held in the gym area. I set a high/low container challenge with 3 distractions concealed in the larger containers – horse hair, fruit loops and kibble. We had 3 hides in this search – all in flat document case containers. With a smaller class of 24, I was able to finish early and have a relaxing lunch break before off to judge 52 competitors in the Novice Exterior search. We used an area just outside of the library which incorporated 2 small ramps but no added props. The area was approx. 25sqm and the timelimit give was 2 minutes to find one hide of Cypress.

Running at the same time was a Novice Interior search which was inside a classroom. The area was approx. 16sqm with a 90 second time limit. It was a slightly smaller class of 36 competitors.

Many thanks to everyone involved with a special thanks to those that volunteered to be stewards.

20/09/2026

Last workshops for the year!!!

Come along to a workshop and get a head start on what you can work on with your dog over the trial break.

If you’re looking to build skills, increase confidence and independence these workshops are a great way to finish the year and start planning for the next one!

19/09/2026

*** 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 ***

Yesterday we had a Trial at Lesmurdie Senior High School. On offer were Advanced Interiors & Exteriors with a NFC Veterans option and Excellent Vehicles and Exteriors.

We left home at 6.30am, the weather was a little unkind with light-ish rain throughout the morning. The Advanced classes were held first up – these were massive classes with Interiors seeing almost 70 competitors. Harry was entered in the NFC Veterans class for a bit of fun – see the video below. I haven’t had the opportunity to trial Harry that much this year so really enjoyed it.

Running concurrently was Advanced Exteriors which also had a large class. The lovely Sons was handling Harry in the NFC Veterans class and passed.

The advanced classes finished just after midday and then the Excellent classes commenced just after 1pm. I competed with Charlie in Excellent Vehicles. We had 4 vehicles to search – 3 cars and a jetski and a timelimit of 4 minutes. After we qualified, it was a quick change over to go and judge dogs in Excellent Exteriors. It was large class of 40 competitors with judging finishing up around 5pm. The timelimit for this search was 4 minutes and the area to be covered was 120sqm. We also had distractions of kibble and a plain baked potato.

It was a super long day, arriving home just on 7pm and all to do it again next week! 😊

Many thanks to the Scent Work Club of WA, stewards and those that volunteered vehicles!

17/09/2026

On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to attend the advanced screening of Heart of the Beast starring Brad Pitt and K9SA Rocky was in attendance to greet everyone!

The movie follows the bond between a former Special Forces soldier and his retired military working dog. Be warned it’s an emotional movie!

Working Paws Australia had officially partnered with Paramount Pictures Australia for this movie release.

Working Paws Australia is a charity that provides retired military working dogs with the resources and care they need as they transition into retirement, right up until their last days. Founded by ex-military working dog handlers Ryan Wilson and Jase Kelly, the charity currently has over 60 registered dogs in their care across Australia.

These dogs have spent their working lives serving alongside their handlers. Retirement should mean they get the opportunity to enjoy the rest of their lives with the care and support they deserve.

To donate now go to:
https://workingpawsaustralia.com/donate/

I give this movie a thumbs up but I did have to go home that night and give Harry and Charlie extra hugs!

Working Paws Australia
Paramount+

16/09/2026

A client asked me this question today - how I can get my dogs to search faster like the dogs in the trial when they take 10 seconds in 2.5min search?

For me, this is actually a pretty big and complex question...but the short answer is motivation.

Some people think it’s drive but it isn't.

You can have a genetically high-drive dog with low motivation and what you end up with is a whole pile of crazy in the search 😂. They fly around the search area, ignoring odour and generally making their own rules.

On the other hand, you can have a genetically lower-drive dog with really high motivation. I love watching these dogs! I call them the plodders. They calmly go from one hide to the next and can put in some seriously impressive times.

There are of course, plenty of other factors involved too — the dog needs to understand odour, how to source it, how to efficiently work through a search area and much more.

But if you want more motivation in your searches, here’s the question I would ask....Look back at your recent training sessions - what have you actually done to train motivation?

Motivation isn’t something we just hope our dogs have. It’s something we can train.

Photo credit: 7 to 1 Photography with Kelly Pilgrim-Byrne

13/09/2026

A little something different from our usual Scent Work posts!

This weekend, Charlie and I stepped outside Scent Work and passed our UPr1 – the obedience phase of IGP1 hosted by West Australian German Shepherd Dog Sports - WAGS

Obedience requires a very different type of teamwork — precision, control and focus. Charlie brought his A-game and we finished with the highest obedience score of the day – 93.

It’s always great to challenge ourselves with something a little different. The skills may change, but the goal remains the same — developing a dog who is focused, confident and genuinely loves working as a team.

Very proud of this boy. 💙

11/09/2026

Not every search is about finding odour. Charlie's first time meeting his sister Jupiter, since they were puppies. 🥰

31/08/2026

Day 16 &17

Up again early to be at the trial venue just before 7am. Set up my search for the day then raced off to run Charlie in Masters Vehicles and Exteriors where we managed a pass before the main briefing began.

I finished judging Excellent Containers search just after midday and then the trial began to wind down. Presentations were made around the 4pm mark so then pack up and saying goodbye to new friends with the promise to come back next year. 😁

Headed home and then the real issues began...how to fit everything in the suitcase! Between trial merch and judges gifts this was a real issue.

This morning we were up at 4.30am to hit the road just after 5am. We had heard some horror stories about the traffic so I was paranoid about the dogs missing their flight. Turns out we needed a little bit of extra time (but not the 3 hours I allowed for! 🤣). After dropping the dogs off and giving away the wire crate and dog beds to random people we found in the carpark, we went to the international airport not the domestic, dropped the hire car off in the wrong place, then had to take a transfer bus with all our luggage to the right place where I checked in our baggage and I got hit with an excess baggage charge.

We have watched the dogs being loaded on the flight and are currently waiting to board.

A massive thankyou must go to Sarah Masi! Without you I wouldnt of been able to do what I did, thankyou for looking after Charlie while I was judging and getting him ready at a moments notice for when I needed to compete. Thankyou for doing the driving after I backed into another car and smashed our tail light. Thankyou for being very tolerant of Charlie's house behaviours and crazy eyes!
Thank you to Miss Mia for being a lovely travel companion and friend for Charlie and I'm really sorry he peed on your head 5 times - yes we were keeping a tally. 🤣

Thankyou to the State Trial organisers at both NSW and QLD. The scale of these trials is something we don't yet see in WA.

Thankyou to Kim Dawson and to all the lovely judges and competitors we met along the way and made us feel so welcome. We might see you next year!

A big thankyou also goes to Prosperity Pet that supplied us with products to keep the dogs in tip top condition. Check out their range of supplements at www.prosperitypet.com

29/08/2026

Day 15
The day started off with a bang - literally. Reversing out of the driveway this morning, I reverse the hire car straight into a ute parked on the road. There was lots of swearing and we got out to survey the damage - which was a smashed tail light. We decided to swap drivers so Sarah drove us to the trial.

On arrival, I went and set my Advanced Vehicle search for the day. Once set, I raced off to compete with Charlie in our Master Interior search in which we completed in a time of 1min 37 sec to come in 1st place!

Then trial briefing was held and then I began judging my Advanced Vehicle which had 107 entries! I had a break after several hours and jumped in the car with Sarah who drove us down the road to compete in our last Ultimate for the trip! Another awesome venue and pleased to say we qualified and came in 5th! Then back in the car and back to judging for another couple of hours.

After Sarah had also completed her searches, we loaded the dogs up and back to the airbnb so they could chill out in the yard while I stayed at the trial.

Starting to wind down now with 1 day of trialling left so it was a microwave dinner and a hot milo before bed.

Fuelled by Prosperity Pet

Thanks to the following sponsors for the prize pack!
Royal Canin
Antinol Plus
Loyalty Pet Treats
Kurgo ANZ
Plush Puppy Australia

28/08/2026

Day 13 and 14

A relaxing morning was had. I wasn't competing until the second session of Ultimate which was in the afternoon.
Sarah was able to relax at our airbnb for the whole day!
I was in Ultimate A at the Caboolture Historical village and we were given a search time of 7mins and 30 seconds. It was an awesome search with lots of nooks and crannys and we passed!

After this I did a quick recon for Fridays Novice Interiors search that I was judging and then back home for an early night.

This morning was up at 5.30am to leave by 6am as judging was an 8.30am start.

A busy day today with Masters Containers a pass for us, Ultimate was a great search within a huge shed with rows and rows of tables and boxes. This search had 2 passes from over 40 dogs and we were close with missing 1 hide. Today I also judged 30odd Novice Interior competitors.

Throughout the day, there were team challenges and part of this were teams show their appreciation to the judges so throughout the day random people came up and gave me gifts. It was soooo lovely! And I'm the proud owner of a beautiful blue handmade beenie!

The highlight of today was one of our new Qld friends (who also gained her Champion title today - massive congratulations!) 'respectfully' mistook Sarah and I as mother and daughter! Sarah looks either really young or I look really old!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Left the trial grounds around 6pm to come home where my 'daughter' made me pasta and I drank w**e out of a coffee mug!

Bring on tomorrow!

Fulled by Prosperity Pet!

Address

Jarrahdale, WA
6124

Website

http://www.perthscentwork.com.au/

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