Scent Detection (An Uncommon Remedy for Reactivity)

We wanted to post a quick update on a particularly challenging case. Buddy has been by far the most reactive dog I have worked with in quite some time. I’ve been working with this client for approximately 5-6 weeks at this point. When we began, he wasn’t able to be within 50-100 feet of another dog/bike/person without violently reacting. He grew up on the street, wasn’t weened properly, and had a slew of odds stacked against him from the start. It’s likely that he would have been put down if not for intervention. As those who follow us or have worked with us know, we have a particular leaning toward working dogs and scent detection. We observed minimal improvement using the traditional techniques to reduce reactivity. I opted to teach him scent detection as a way to tap into his natural instincts to sniff and hunt.

 **Last night during his second session of scent detection we observed a marked delay in his decision making/processing. Meaning, when Buddy was given the option to continue participating in scent detection or to react to a dog that was intentionally placed nearby (approximately 20-25 feet away) he made a deliberate decision to ignore the dog and continue playing the scent game. He then continued to make this decision correctly a number of times in subsequent trials. He reacted mildly at one point but was able to recover and continue sniffing almost immediately. This may seem like a trivial accomplishment, but I assure you that for this particular dog it was a tremendous jump.**

Buddy still has a very long road ahead of him, but his case demonstrates that utilizing calculated critical thinking, and a tailored approach to each individual case can yield results even in the most difficult circumstances.

Be well and happy training,

Scott Canine Training Research Group