Frequently Asked Questions

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Nose work is a detection-inspired sport where dog and handler teams search for hidden q-tips that have birch, anise, or clove oils on them. Search areas mimic real-world scenarios where they'll search interior spaces (such as a classroom), exterior spaces (such as a grassy area), the exterior of vehicles, and a variety of containers. Dogs must accurately locate and indicate where the q-tip is hidden so the handler can say "Alert", indicating the hide has been found. Accurately finding all hides in the search area, and all hides in a given trial, result in a title.

NACSW stands for National Association of Canine Scent Work. Check out their website at nacsw.net.  

K9 Nose Work was developed in 2006 to bring the concept of detection-dog style training to dog lovers and their companion dogs. An enthusiastic community was soon created and the desire to have fun competitions in this new activity grew. The NACSW was founded to ensure the highest standard of excellence and structure for these competitors in this new sport.

Sanctioned NACSW trials provide you with the opportunity to compete, title, and have fun with your dog. You're challenged with detection-inspired searches where your dog must track down the hidden odor and indicate its location. You'll search interior and exterior spaces, the perimeter of vehicles, and a variety of containers.

NACSW Odor Recognition Tests (ORTs) are a prerequisite to other NACSW trials. You and your dog are presented with twelve cardboard boxes in two rows. One of those boxes contains either Birch, Anise, or Clove. Your dog will show off their sniffing super powers by indicating the box with odor so you can proudly shout "Alert!". You must pass all three odors before you can compete in NW1 level trials.

Sniff and Gos are unsanctioned mock trials where you get to practice searching in new and unfamiliar areas. You're assigned an arrival time where you and your dog will go through all search areas back-to-back. This allows you to experience searching new environments without losing your whole day. Sniff and Gos are great practice for sanctioned trials and whole lot of fun!

Absolutely! A great way to experience a trial without entering one, or to watch your friend run, is to volunteer. 

I remember being incredibly nervous before my first trial because I didn't know what to expect. What's the flow of a trial? How do I know when it's my turn? What do the search areas look like? Where will the judge stand? All these questions, and more, were answered when I decided to volunteer. I got to see how a trial is set up, see examples of search areas, watch dogs run, and get the inside scoop from the judges.

You can volunteer for an upcoming event by filling out our volunteer form here.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering! Trials aren't possible without wonderful volunteers like yourself. You can volunteer for an upcoming event by filling out our volunteer form here.

• Volunteering is a great way to learn. You'll learn a ton by watching other dogs search. You'll see the difference between experienced and newer handlers, and dogs that are searching at the appropriate level vs those that are still learning. You'll get to see how odor moves in different spaces and see the difference in behavior as dogs catch the scent. It's fascinating and a wonderful learning experience. 
• Did you know you can get an additional draw entry for volunteering? NACSW has a frequent volunteer reward program that reward frequent volunteers with an additional draw entry for every 7 full days of volunteer time. With long waitlists to get into trials, this can make all the difference in helping you get a spot in that coveted local trial!
• Volunteering is also a great way to support the sport and the host. Trials aren't possible without volunteers. Volunteers help competitors get to the search area and support them in the search through a variety of roles. If a host can't get enough volunteers to support their trials, they can't host, meaning less trial opportunities for you to play with your dog.
• All day volunteers are given a yummy lunch and snacks throughout the day. Who doesn't like a free meal?

You can volunteer for an upcoming event by filling out our volunteer form here.

Check out our Events page to see an up-to-date listing of scheduled events.

Yes, Sniff Sniff Hooray is fully insured.

No, I'm not a trainer - I'm just a nose work enthusiast looking to provide more opportunities for learning and titling. If you're looking for a nose work trainer, I'm more than happy to recommend one of the amazing trainers in this area.

Yes, Lisa is an experienced volunteer coordinator for nose work trials. If your organization is new to hosting nose work trials, Lisa can help take the pressure off by training, organizing, and managing your volunteers. Use the Contact Us form to learn more about hiring Lisa to be your volunteer coordinator or for references.