Mastering Scentwork: Handler Discrimination & Lost Item Recovery (In-Person) - Starting 10/02/25 at 7:15 PM

All sessions of this six-week series will be held in-person at HSSV. This class is for dogs that are able to work in close proximity to other dogs and people (while still maintaining social distance). Not suitable for dog-aggressive or people-aggressive dogs, including leash reactivity. Please note that only two handlers per dog are allowed. This class is held outdoors, in the dog training yard. In case of inclement weather, including rain or excessive heat, class may be postponed. Any skipped class dates will be added to the end of the course, on the same day and time as the regular class time.

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Unlock your dog's natural scenting abilities with our specialized training class in competitive scentwork! This program is designed to prepare handlers and their dogs for success in the AKC's Handler Discrimination program and the North American Sports Dog Association's (NASDA) Lost Item Recovery events.

Beyond competition, these scentwork skills have real-world applications—imagine your dog finding your lost keys, glasses, or phone by tracking your unique body odor! Through structured training, your dog will learn to accurately identify and locate personal scent, making them both a competitive athlete and a valuable everyday helper.

Through structured training, your dog will learn to identify and locate human body odor, refining their skills for competitive and practical applications. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or new to scentwork, this class will enhance your dog's accuracy, confidence, and drive.

Join us and take the next step toward excelling in the exciting world of scent detection sports!

Class Requirements: 

1. Handlers are required to bring a crate or exercise pen for their dog as well as one or more sheets (or other coverings) for the crate or pen. This is to block your dog from seeing the course while it's being set-up.    

2. All participants must use a fixed length leash, preferably 10 to 12 feet long. 

3. It is highly recommended that dogs wear a harness with a back clip. NO CHOKE, PRONG, OR OTHER CORRECTION COLLARS.   

4. Handlers will need to bring a total of four items to the class.  Each item should be scented only by the handler and brought in individual Ziploc bags or containers.  A list of items required by NASDA will be sent to registrants prior to the first class session. 

Things to know before registering:

1. Your dog must be up-to-date on his vaccinations by the first day of class

2. Class will run for 6 weekly sessions, meeting on the same day and time of the week. This class starts on Thursday, October 2nd from 7:15 - 8:05 pm.

3. The last day of this class series will be on November 6th. 

Please note: Adopters and HSSV Volunteers receive discounts on training. If you qualify for one of our discounts, please reach out to dogtraining@hssv.org to get your code.