Scent Detection

Scent detection is the practice of training dogs to identify and alert to specific target odors, making use of their extraordinary olfactory capabilities. Dogs have up to 300 million scent receptors compared to humans' 6 million, making them exceptionally effective at this work.

Dogs are trained to recognize particular scent signatures and indicate when they've found them, typically through a specific trained passive or active indication like sitting, lying down, or barking. In training we use positive reinforcement, rewarding the dog when they correctly identify the target scent while ignoring non-target odors.

Scent detection is the perfect mental workout for all breeds of dog and puppies can start as young as 16 weeks old.

Effective scent detection requires consistency, precision in training methodology, proper reward systems, and regular training to keep skills sharp. The handler must also learn to read their dog's subtle behavioral cues indicating detection.