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In this clip from our Foundations of Scent Work Training course, Kevin Sheldahl works with a protection-trained dog who has been taught a bark and hold. The dog, previously trained in Schutzhund, initially views Kevin as a helper/decoy and attempts the familiar bark and hold behavior that has been rewarded in protection training.
Watch as Kevin introduces scent work foundations by carefully redirecting the dog's focus. Rather than rewarding the bark and hold directed at Kevin as the "helper," Kevin rewards the dog's attention and engagement with the odor itself. The goal is to establish that the scent source — the "rabbit" — is what earns the reward in this new context, not the handler or a decoy.
This session demonstrates the challenge of introducing new behaviors to dogs with established alert patterns, and highlights the flexibility of Kevin's training approach — adapting methods to fit the dog in front of you, whether they're starting from scratch or bringing prior training into the scent work arena.
Working spots are limited for Kevin's upcoming seminar. Registration ends on May 1st. Dogs of all levels are welcome! Register now before it's too late!
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