August 2026 News
What a month August turned out to be!
There has been a lot happening here at Canberra Nosework Training — new teams discovering the searching game, continuing teams building more advanced skills, a fabulous weekend of learning with the amazing Peta Clarke, new classes getting underway and plenty happening behind the scenes as we prepare for an equally busy September.
One of the things we love most about Nose Work is that there is always something more to learn. Sometimes that means developing a new search skill, but often it means slowing down, watching our dogs more carefully and becoming a little better at understanding what they are telling us.
August Highlight: You know what you’re teaching… but do you know what they’re learning?
On 15–16 August we welcomed Peta Clarke to Canberra for two days devoted to exactly that question.
And what a weekend.
Dogs and handlers generously allowed us to watch their learning unfold in real time, giving everyone in the room the opportunity to think more deeply about what the dog was actually experiencing — rather than simply whether an exercise had gone the way we expected, or not.
So much beautiful learning happening for us and our doggos.
Peta was also in Canberra for one-on-one sessions on the Friday before the workshop, and the Monday following, so a number of teams had an opportunity for some more individualised learning. Thank you to everyone who attended, worked dogs, audited, asked questions and helped set up and pack away.
These weekends happen only because the whole community gets behind them.
In the Classroom
August saw lots of learning happening in our regular classes too. Our Introduction to K9 Nose Work® teams have been busy learning that searching is a game worth playing, progressing from early box searches to increasingly interesting search problems.
Meanwhile, our Scent Work Elements teams have worked through containers, vehicles, interior and exterior search skills. One of the themes throughout has been learning how to set searches that allow dogs to be successful, while giving handlers the opportunity to better understand how odour behaves in different environments.
Right at the end of the month, our new Scent Work Skills Builder course began on 29 August. This class gives more experienced teams the chance to pull apart individual skills, experiment, problem-solve and develop both dog and handler understanding. Week one included work around handler movement and the move on cue.
We also managed to squeeze in a Casual Scent Work Class on 22 August, giving our more experienced teams another chance to get out, search and have some fun together.
Why all the boxes?
If you’ve recently joined one of our introductory classes, you may have found yourself wondering why your house has suddenly filled with cardboard boxes. There is method to the madness!
Boxes are one of the foundational tools of K9 Nose Work®. Initially, they give your dog a focal point in the environment.
They help establish context: Oh! I know this picture. We're playing the searching game.
They also allow us to contain your dog's reward while still making it accessible enough for your dog to find and self-reward.
As your dog becomes more experienced, we can change the arrangement, number, shape and type of boxes and begin using the surrounding environment as part of the search problem.
Eventually, the reward will move outside of the boxes altogether.
But boxes don't simply disappear once you're no longer a beginner. They remain useful throughout a dog's Nose Work career — including when we introduce target odor or want to return to foundation work and rebuild motivation.
So when you walk into your first class and see what appears to be the aftermath of someone's house move, we promise - there is a plan.
From Amy: Train the dog in front of you
Sometimes I’m asked why I might do X for one dog and Y for another, even when the situation looks almost identical. The answer is pretty simple: because the dogs aren’t identical.
Good training isn’t about having one prescribed response for every situation. It means observing the individual dog, thinking quickly and adapting what we do based on what that dog needs in that moment.
How does what we do right now, in this moment, impact this dog into the future?
Training choices build histories. The little decisions we make today can have enormous influence on confidence, independence, resilience and enthusiasm tomorrow. So when you’re out training this month, don’t worry too much about what you think the search should look like.
Watch the dog in front of you. They’ll tell you all you need to know, and what to do next.
Coming Up in September
This course will be held on Thursday mornings at 11:00am, commencing 17 September 2026 and is held at the ACT Companion Dog Club.
Week 1 - Thursday 17 September
Week 2 - Thursday 24 September
Week 3 - Thursday 1 October
Week 4 - Thursday 15 October
Week 5 - Thursday 22 October
Week 6 - Thursday 29 October
Note: There is no class on Thursday 8 October
Sunday 13 September | 9am–4pm | Chifley Community Room
John and Amy will take a deep dive into ideas from Sue Sternberg and Dana Zinn’s The Dog-Driven Search, exploring how handler movement and body language can either support the searching dog — or accidentally get in the way. The focus is on putting the dog’s natural hunting ability back at the centre of the search and developing handling that supports greater independence, enthusiasm and joy.
John is also hitting the road, presenting a Dog-Driven Handling Workshop for the Albury & Border Kennel Club on 19–20 September. Enquires to: lindyeyles@hotmail.com
ACSW NW2 Trial
Saturday 26 September | Jerrabomberra
Good luck to everyone preparing to enter — and thank you in advance to everyone putting their hand up to volunteer.
Until next time, happy sniffing!
Amy & John
Canberra Nosework Training
