Canine Scentwork Academy

Call Directions Website Contact the business

Canine Scentwork Academy My name is Mandy Rigby, and I am the founder of Scent Work Academy and Yes Good Dog Training and Behaviour. Mandy

Nose Magic - Fun Scentwork Games, Start Today £39.99
https://www.scentworkacademy.co.uk/nose-magic-course/

Sniff It Out - Scent Mastery
https://www.scentworkacademy.co.uk/sniff-it-out-discover-scent-training-unlock-the-true-potential-of-your-dogs-nose/ As a proud dog mom to two furry canine companions, I'm passionate about harnessing the power of scentwork for all dogs. Reenie, my Flatcoated Retriever, is my scentwork superstar. Her incredible nose inspired me to delve into scentwork training and become an instructor, empowering countless dog owners to embark on this rewarding journey with their own canine companions. I firmly believe that scentwork offers numerous benefits for both dogs and their human partners. By tapping into a dog's natural instincts, scentwork provides mental and physical stimulation, strengthens the bond between dog and handler, and can even improve on overall behaviour. My other dog, Rusty, a Stabyhoun, will soon join Reenie on this exciting scent work adventure. I eagerly anticipate many years of nose-work fun ahead. Since 2017, Scent Work Academy has fostered a thriving community of dog owners dedicated to training their pets in scent detection. We utilize a variety of target odors, including clove, gun oil, truffle oil, and Kong rubber. I approach scentwork training with a rigorous and structured approach. I'm committed to ongoing professional development and oversee hundreds of search tasks annually, evaluating thousands of searches conducted by dogs. My goal is to empower both dogs and their handlers to excel in scentwork. I strive to create a positive and enjoyable learning experience for everyone involved, fostering a deep sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I'm passionate about introducing this enriching activity to as many dog owners as possible. Scent Work Academy offers a friendly, non-judgmental environment where everyone can learn, grow, and bond with their dogs through the joy of scent detection. Whether you prefer in-person training or online learning, scentwork can be successfully practiced in your own home and surrounding areas. I invite you to explore the world of scentwork and discover how it can transform your relationship with your dog.

14/10/2026

Great video captured of Rusty pushing himself that little bit further to get closer to source at our training session with Ace Tails Scentwork

13/10/2026

🐾 Can your dog ignore the cheese?

In this session, I introduced Rusty to a selection containing the target odour of gun oil alongside several distraction odours:

🧀 Cheese
🍓 Strawberry jam
🦴 Dog-biscuit treat
⚪ A blank plastic scent carrier
🥩 Beef chilli
🔫 Gun oil — the target odour

Why include distractions in scentwork training?

Distraction odours help to:

• Strengthen the dog’s recognition and value of the target odour.
• Teach them that not every interesting smell will earn a reward.
• Prepare them for the many competing odours found in real-world searches.
• Build the discrimination skills required when distractions are deliberately included in competitions.

It was not all plain sailing, the cheese proved particularly challenging for Rusty🧀

So, when he selected the cheese, there was no marker or reward. I calmly removed the cheese pot and gave him three straightforward runs to rebuild clarity and strengthen the value of locating gun oil.

I then reduced the line-up to just two pots, gun oil versus cheese. Again, there was no reward for selecting the cheese, but locating the gun oil earned a good reward.

Once Rusty was making the correct choice, I replaced the other pots. At first, the gun oil was the first pot he reached. The next step was to see whether he could work past the cheese to find his target odour.

And he did 👍Rusty bypassed the cheese and went on to indicate the gun oil. 🐾👏

For me, the learning comes from recognising where our dogs need support and adjusting the exercise to help them understand. Taking a step back and simplifying gave Rusty the clarity he needed before we built the challenge back up.

Want to learn more about scentwork and understanding your dog’s searching? Join us in Nose First Dog Training Club, where we share training experiences, questions and those little discoveries that help us grow together.

Link in comments

Mandy 🧡

01/10/2026

…… to Rusty confidently running up and over skateboard ramps! 🧡

I’ve spent time building his confidence on different surfaces outside of scentwork. These ramps add a new challenge, changes in height, inclines, declines and a different surface under his paws.

Rusty’s ball is his primary reinforcer. The chance to chase and catch it taps into his prey drive and the desire to gain the reward helps him to give it a go, leaving trepidation behind. I still let him choose his pace and build on each successful experience.

This matters for scentwork too. A dog may need to cross an unfamiliar floor or climb onto a surface to follow odour. The more exposure too and trust they build in moving through different environments, the more attention they can give to the search itself.

Next stage : a visible scented article on the ramp, with his ball as the reward. One step at a time, Rusty! 🐾

Mandy
Instructor and Founder
Canine Scentwork Academy

Link in comments to join my new free Nose First Dog Training Club 👌

30/09/2026

Lovely commitment to locate the source of the gun oil. Great job Morris Scentwork Academy Community

30/09/2026

Love this and of course love to see a Flatcoat in the team of six piloting these programme.

Address

Wythall
B47

Telephone

+447745419030

Website

, ,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Canine Scentwork Academy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Canine Scentwork Academy:

Shortcuts

Share

Category