Service Description

The Lost Item Recovery Challenge Games class permits handlers and their dogs continue honing their scentwork skills. In this class dogs will learn to identify and find items commonly lost (such as keys, wallets, glasses) through identifying body odor. Canine/handler teams will build skills based upon the North American Sports Dog Association’s Lost Item Recovery Challenge Games including:  Teaching the dog to pick up and match a distinct body odor profile;  Teaching the dog to work independently at a distance;  Teaching the dog to find inaccessible hides;  Teaching handlers to recognize when a dog is approaching odor and has identified the odor source. This is an advanced course focusing on odor discrimination, odor obedience and providing the handler with confidence to make the call for appropriate Lost Item Challenge Games. Class requirements: All participants must use a fixed length leash, preferably 15 to 20 feet long for Lost Item Recovery Challenge Game 1 (Distance). It is highly recommended that dogs wear a harness with a back clip. Choke chains, prong collars and electronic shock collars are explicitly prohibited. Handlers should bring 2 to four personal items to the class. Each item should only be scented only by the handler and brought in a Ziploc bag or container. Pre-requisites: FunNosework, Lost Item Recovery, Tracking or other nosework courses. Course length: Six weeks. A Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Vicki Huebner, has been working with dogs since the early 1990s. She teaches obedience and sports classes. In addition to the CPDT-KA certification, she is a professional member of the APDT, and an AKC CGC Certified Examiner. She currently competes with her current dog, Jewel in the odor detection sports including nose work, trailing and locating, antler shed and lost item recovery. She employs only the most modern, dog-friendly (and people-friendly) training methods, adhering to the CCPDT Code of Ethics.