Note: Odour preparation is different for the CDSA and SDDA.
Make sure you get the exact odours as listed on the websites.
Instructions for CDSA and NACSW:
Keep your scented cotton swabs in a glass jar with a screw top – as air tight as possible. Fill the jar about 3/4s full with q-tips cut in half; put several drops of oil over the tops of the q-tips, then put the lid on and shake it up. This will most likely last six months or so before you need to add more oil.
Handle with care:
You want to avoid getting the oil on your skin – either use tweezers to remove the swabs from the jar, or use rubber gloves. Also avoid letting the oil (q-tips, or anything with the oil on it) touch things in the environment. This causes residual odor in the environment and dogs may alert on it, possibly causing extinction of odour interest over time especially if you don't know it is there.
Containers: When hiding scented swabs, it is best to contain them in something so that the they do not touch anything in the environment and contaminate anything with residual odour. The container should allow for odor to escape, so you may need to poke holes in what you are using. Some things you can use:
- Small Metal tins: You can place a magnet (rare earth magnets available at Lee Valley) inside the tin to secure it to metal surfaces. You can also use museum putty or tape to secure the tin when you are hiding it. Try to use different things, i.e., don’t always use museum putty or the dog will learn to search for birch + museum putty odour.
- Flower picks from florists and lip balm tubes work well, too.
It is good to use a variety of containers as well as a varying the number of swabs in the container.
Storage of Odour
Store your odour in a place where you don’t do searches. Store in a container that is as air tight as possible. Containers that have rubber seals are good. Don’t store odour in a place where the dog can smell it all the time.
Safety:
Consider the size of your hide container. Although smaller containers are easier to hide, especially when we are doing “blind” hides, depending on your dog’s size and his search style, you might want to start out using a larger container. While it won’t hurt your dog to swallow a half swab, you don’t want him to swallow or inhale a small tin. So start with a larger container until you’re sure your dog is not likely to ingest the hide.
Disposal of swabs:
You can use the swabs over and over, unless they get very soiled or contaminated with other things. I keep a separate jar of “soiled” swabs and use these when I am going to hide a naked q-tip in a dirty place. When you do throw one away, please be careful how you do it. We don’t want swabs with odour randomly in the environment because they flew off a trash truck or are in the bottom of a public trash receptacle. Either flush them down the toilet, if safe for your community, or contain them in another article of trash (a milk carton) for example, before putting them in your own garbage cans. I keep my old ones in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer and run them out on garbage day just before the trucks arrive.
SDDA oil preparation:
SDDA generally puts one drop on a swab or cotton ball. Be very careful of spillage. I recommend preparing swabs at home so that you don't spill oil in a training place. All other information regarding storage and disposal is the same as above.
Where to purchase:
For all oils and Nose Work equipment contact Deb of:
K9 Sport Lines
·
Make sure you get the exact odours as listed on the websites.
Instructions for CDSA and NACSW:
Keep your scented cotton swabs in a glass jar with a screw top – as air tight as possible. Fill the jar about 3/4s full with q-tips cut in half; put several drops of oil over the tops of the q-tips, then put the lid on and shake it up. This will most likely last six months or so before you need to add more oil.
Handle with care:
You want to avoid getting the oil on your skin – either use tweezers to remove the swabs from the jar, or use rubber gloves. Also avoid letting the oil (q-tips, or anything with the oil on it) touch things in the environment. This causes residual odor in the environment and dogs may alert on it, possibly causing extinction of odour interest over time especially if you don't know it is there.
Containers: When hiding scented swabs, it is best to contain them in something so that the they do not touch anything in the environment and contaminate anything with residual odour. The container should allow for odor to escape, so you may need to poke holes in what you are using. Some things you can use:
- Small Metal tins: You can place a magnet (rare earth magnets available at Lee Valley) inside the tin to secure it to metal surfaces. You can also use museum putty or tape to secure the tin when you are hiding it. Try to use different things, i.e., don’t always use museum putty or the dog will learn to search for birch + museum putty odour.
- Flower picks from florists and lip balm tubes work well, too.
It is good to use a variety of containers as well as a varying the number of swabs in the container.
Storage of Odour
Store your odour in a place where you don’t do searches. Store in a container that is as air tight as possible. Containers that have rubber seals are good. Don’t store odour in a place where the dog can smell it all the time.
Safety:
Consider the size of your hide container. Although smaller containers are easier to hide, especially when we are doing “blind” hides, depending on your dog’s size and his search style, you might want to start out using a larger container. While it won’t hurt your dog to swallow a half swab, you don’t want him to swallow or inhale a small tin. So start with a larger container until you’re sure your dog is not likely to ingest the hide.
Disposal of swabs:
You can use the swabs over and over, unless they get very soiled or contaminated with other things. I keep a separate jar of “soiled” swabs and use these when I am going to hide a naked q-tip in a dirty place. When you do throw one away, please be careful how you do it. We don’t want swabs with odour randomly in the environment because they flew off a trash truck or are in the bottom of a public trash receptacle. Either flush them down the toilet, if safe for your community, or contain them in another article of trash (a milk carton) for example, before putting them in your own garbage cans. I keep my old ones in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer and run them out on garbage day just before the trucks arrive.
SDDA oil preparation:
SDDA generally puts one drop on a swab or cotton ball. Be very careful of spillage. I recommend preparing swabs at home so that you don't spill oil in a training place. All other information regarding storage and disposal is the same as above.
Where to purchase:
For all oils and Nose Work equipment contact Deb of:
K9 Sport Lines
·