Detection Training for scent dogs is a long and difficult process. These dogs undergo a lot of prerequisites -- such as socialization, basic obedience trainings and even agility exercises -- before they are trained especially for scent detection.
Puppy prospects for this field of work are exposed first to a foster family -- carefully screened by the training agency -- until they are 12 to 18 months old. The purpose of this is for socialization and also to provide the puppy a loving and caring home.
Each foster family is tasked to socialize the puppy by taking her to parks or walking her around the neighborhood at least 3 times a week to meet other people and other dogs. Every month, personnel from the Canine Detection Training Center visit the foster families and check how the puppies have improved in terms of their social skills. They check this by taking the puppies out for a walk themselves.
What’s interesting to know is that these prospects aren’t trained to obey at an early age yet. According to Steven Sharp, a staff of the Auburn University’s Canine Detection Training Center (CDTC) in Anniston, Alabama, he said, “We try to look at obedience training as an individual thing. Some dogs require a little obedience, but too much obedience can take a lot of a dog’s independence away. We want the dog to be able to get out and away from the handler, guiding the handler to the scent.”
As for their agility training, this is to improve the scent dog’s sense of balance, especially on uneven terrains or high places. In times of rescues, these dogs may have to cross unstable platforms or movable planks to get to whatever or whoever they’re trying to get to.
After accomplishing the prerequisite trainings, these dogs are off to scent training. Trainers approach this training with lots and lots of positive reinforcements. They will use treats, toys, or whatever the dog prefers as a reward. And give praise and compliments to her as a second reward. They take on specific scents in multiple sessions. For short periods, at first, but as the dog gets better, the longer the training sessions become. The trainers see to it that the trainings will always be fun and enjoyable to the dogs, and not burdensome. “Once the training ceases being fun and the dog isn’t enjoying herself, he stops trying. We want the dog to come to the training area to have fun,” Steven exclaims.
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