Fall 2018  Saber Tails 9    

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

Photo Contest Category:

Cowboys & Cowgirls

“Ruby & Jester”  By Kevin McDonald

“Lillie”
By Sarah Dye

“Strudel”

By Carol Quaranta

“Mulligan”

By Carol Quaranta

“Ben”  By Paul Urban

Scent Work

By Megan Esherick

In 2019, a scent work trial will be offered at the PBGVCA National Specialty for the first time.  This is exciting news, as PB-

GVs are very well suited for this sport.  Scent work trials simulate the work of professional detection dogs, such as those 

trained for narcotics or explosive detection.  Instead of potentially dangerous (or illegal) substances, dogs are taught 

to locate cotton swabs containing small amounts of specific essential oils that have been hidden in containers or the 

environment.  There is also an element in AKC Scent Work where the dog’s task is to locate a sock, glove, or cotton ball 

that has been scented by the dog’s handler.  As scent hounds, PBGVs are well suited to this sport.

Now is the perfect time to begin training your PBGV for scent work, be-

cause with regular practice he could easily be ready to compete at the 

specialty in April.  There are several methods frequently used to introduce 

dogs to this sport.  The technique described below is my preferred training 

plan and is based on the methods that I used in my career as a service dog 

trainer to teach dogs to alert to low blood sugar and other medical con-

ditions.   In this process, the dogs are introduced to the target odor right 

away and then taught to search for the odor in increasingly difficult setups.  

Another common method for teaching scent work is to first have the dog 

search for hidden food in the environment, then pair the odor with food, 

and then eventually have the dog just search for odor.  In my experience, 

this method tends to take significantly longer and can cause difficulty in the higher levels of competition when food 

distractions may be present in the search area.  

Before getting started you will need to have some items on hand:

• An AKC odor kit.  You can put one together 

yourself, but purchasing a commercially 

available kit ensures that you have the cor-

rect oil and an airtight storage container.  

You will only need to train birch to com-

pete in novice, which will be the focus of 

this article.

• Some vessels for hiding the odor, like small 

magnetic tins or centrifuge tubes.

• Tape or Quake-hold for securing hides.

• 6 small plastic food storage containers with 

holes punched in the lid.  Mark one of the 

containers and lids as hot.

• At least 10 identical cardboard boxes.  AKC 

doesn’t require that a specific brand be 

used, but white literature mailing boxes are 

commonly used at trials.

• If you plan to train for handler scent  you will 

need a few extra boxes and a cotton glove or sock.

• Treats that your dog really likes, preferably something that doesn’t crumble and can be eaten quickly.

• Dogs can wear a flat collar or non-restrictive harness and any length leash for Scent Work.  I recommend a harness