Little Toast is a Chihuahua who competes in scent work. Specifically, she is trained to sniff out bedbugs. She took top honors in a recent competition, beating out the dog of her training coach, Rob Barlow.
“That is my whole goal, to have my students be better than me,” Rob said.
Scent trial competitions are open to any dog. Detection dogs can be trained to search a variety of odors including essential oils, gun oils, tobacco, human remains, shed antlers, narcotics, and even bedbugs, among others.
Unlike other competitions for dogs, in Detection Dog Trials, the events are not timed. Scores are based on how well a handler clears an area, or in other words, how well the dog finds all the hidden scents in a specified area. Between one and three scents can be hidden on the course. Scores are also based on how well the handler and dog work together. The dog and handler achieving the highest score come out on top — like Little Toast.
Detection Dog Trials were the brainchild of Georgie Armstrong, a trainer out of England who first developed the sport. Rob was able to meet her and get certified to run trials in the Rocky Mountain area. There are also scent trials offered by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC).
According to Rob, “You can train any dog in scent work. I’ve been able to train dogs by finding out what they want to work for. Most of them work for food.”
Rob is not only an instructor in personal scent work, he also works with dogs at Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), certifying police dogs in narcotics, cadavers, and explosives detection, and is a certified judge throughout Utah. He also travels around the country in this capacity.
As with any training for dogs, rewards are the key. Beginning scent work comes down to reinforcing the behavior you want them to continue. For example, a handler can hold a scent tin out for a dog to investigate. If they sniff it, the dog should be immediately rewarded. This is known as positive reinforcement, and continues each time they put their nose on a scent. From there trainers hide scents in a confined area and let the dog search.
Rob not only works in scent training, but as the owner of B-Hyve K-9, he offers classes in obedience from basic to advanced off-leash, fly ball, protection, and service dog training. He also offers overnight boarding, boarding and training, and private lessons. Additionally, he runs two clubs for those interested in competing in Protection Sports Association (PSA) competitions, Salt City Hellhounds, and Running Rampage.
Always interested in animals, dogs in particular, since he was little, Rob started by checking out encyclopedias from the library and reading all the animal sections. He read dog training books and trained his pets. He got involved in Schutzhund before he turned to PSA, finding PSA more fun, and though it is still a sport, it is geared to the same type of training that police dogs experience.
After eight years in the military, Rob has worked as a Police Officer for Salt Lake County, in Texas, and now for the Draper Police Department.
While with Draper, he was a K9 officer with his partner, Judge, working in drugs and apprehension. Rob was in the program from 2016 until 2021 when his rotation was up. As a specialty program, he was only allowed to be in that position one time, and he misses it.
Scent work is just one way to spend more time with your canine companion. There can be a great sense of satisfaction when your dog finds a hidden scent and all that hard work pays off.
Feature Image: Photo by Marek Szturc on Unsplash
