K9 Nose Work - Bitterroot Valley - The Right Steps

08/29/2026

Although this is a Dog Freestyle Routine, my The Right Steps Dog Page Training Tip #22 applies to K9 Nose Work as well! 😀

If you do not take the time to build a solid foundation in K9 Nose Work, you cannot expect your Dog & you to be successful as a Team in a K9 Nose Work Trial, when you've already let them (& yourself) down to fail!

It's much better going into a Trial confident both you and your dog know the job, and can do it happily as a team. 💞💞😍😍 From there take the learning away, and go back home and work on your holes in your training. NEVER blame the Dog for those holes, that's on us! 🙏

Remember our Relationship with our Companionship Dogs (these are NOT Professional Detection Dogs - no life or death) are much more important than any Ribbons or Trials will ever be. 🙏🙏❤️❤️

Daiquiri and I competed in our very first freestyle competition at ...

08/28/2026

I'm in recovery now, the doctor was thrilled as was his assistant with how well the surgery went! Turns out I had really good bone, so they did a press fit, and I got the best in the latest fancy technology, and they did a side approach so minimal invasive.

That said because it is a press fit I have to behave myself for 6 weeks while the bone grafts to the implant versus the cement one.

He did say surprisingly what the MRI and the X-ray didn't show & they were surprised, was that I was really badly bone on bone way worse than they thought, no cartilage left, so I guess everything happens for a reason 🙏

Now I wait for the process to be able to get out of here.

08/28/2026

08/26/2026

Remember to keep your Senior K9 Nose Work Dogs in great physical shape! 🙏🍀

Morgan's 1st Water Treadmill Session! 💞💞 She was a champ!

I am very happy she is used to our Dog Pacer Treadmill & as a Trained Agility Dog LOVES to learn new things - She'll be 14 in October! 🙏🍀

I cannot say enough good things about Bethany & Montana Pet Rehab! 😍

08/23/2026

08/15/2026

COME OUT & MEET ME AT PETFEST UNDER THE PAVILLON!

08/14/2026

Kodiak having fun searching - Interiors - Odor/Paired with External Rewards. Good boy! 💞

Searches last back to first.

08/14/2026

Kodiak at almost 10 months old having fun doing K9 Nose Work Interior Room Searches in my Intro to K9 Nose Work Class (with the exception of the 2 Suspended Hides, I had my Students pick where his hides would be - Odor/Paired with External Rewards for the 1st time).

Their last pick was a hard one, on the stair rail, as it was going up the stairs that he didn't have access to at around the corner that he didn't have access to.

Searches were loaded last back to first.

Good boy! 💞

08/14/2026

Some of Kodiak's 1st Exteriors Odor/Paired with External Rewards (a couple Searches accidentally got missed at the end) in a distracting environment.

Searches loaded from last back to first.

GOOD Boy! My 10 Months - Belgian Malinois Puppy 💞