Learn Something New Together.

When our dogs are searching, our job is to support that search, not control it.

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In this full-day workshop, John Sam will take a deep dive into Dog-Driven Handling — an approach that puts your dog's natural hunting ability at the heart of the scent work search.

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Drawing on the concepts developed by Sue Sternberg and Dana Zinn in The Dog-Driven Search, John will explore how our body language, movement and positioning influence our dogs while they work. Even the smallest shift in where we stand, how we move or where we look can communicate information to our dogs — sometimes without us even realising it.

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You'll learn to become more aware of what you're communicating during a search and how to adjust your handling to give your dog the space and freedom to work things out for themselves.

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The goal?

More independence. More confidence. More joy. And a dog who is genuinely driving the search.

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Taking Dog-Driven Handling Further

For teams already confidently applying the Dog-Driven concepts, we’ll take these skills into more challenging search environments.

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John will explore how our handling can support our dogs through:

Large search areas

Tight and confined spaces

Container searches

Cluttered environments

Changing search conditions

And much more

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We'll look at when to move, when to stay still, when to follow and — perhaps most importantly — when to get out of the way and let the dog hunt.

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Whether you're new to Dog-Driven Handling or already working with these concepts, this workshop will deepen your understanding of your role in the search and give you practical skills you can take straight back into your scent work training.

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Come ready to watch, learn, experiment and, most importantly, let your dog show you what they can do.