Customer Reviews

Fun Nosework for Dogs, 2nd Ed.

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm surprised I'm the first to review this book. So far, it's a gem. Roy's writing is clear and direct, and the introductory games are creative and enjoyable. For me, the book is the next step after sit-down-stay. It presents the training in a format that is fun for you and your dog.

The first 1/3 of the book provides a series of games that set the groundwork for scenting and scent discrimination. The next 2/3 of the book handle tracking and searching. The book is full of facts and methods, and these methods are all about bonding with your dog. As a bonus to the whole process, your dog will learn a few great parlor tricks.

I am giving the book (4) stars because I don't have any other points of reference. Unleash the power of your dog.

One review claims that the games in this book are for large groups. That reviewer is clearly confusing this book with Roy Hunter's other books, entitled "Fun and Games With Dogs," which do involve group dog games. However, "Fun Nosework for Dogs" does not involve multiple-dog games. This is book is about ways to get you and your dog to have fun while your dog uses its nose to sniff things out. There are no activities designed for multiple dogs.

Many of the activities are a lot of fun, like "Hide the Thimble" in which you teach your dog to find items that you have hidden, using its nose. Many dogs really enjoy looking for hidden items, and this can lead to hours of enjoyable hide-and-seek for you and your dog. However, many of these games depend on prior training of your dog. A lot of them require your dog to know how to retrieve efficiently and on command; many others require your dog to be able to bark on cue. So a lot of preliminary work has to be done before you are ready to tackle many of these games, and this book does not really teach you how to train a retrieve (though it has some suggestions about teaching the bark-on-cue). Some of these games can be taught without any complicated prior training; but unless your dog retrieves and barks on cue, at least half of this book will be beyond your reach.

That said, this is a great book that teaches "nosework" beyond formal tracking or police work: stuff like hide-and-seek, hunt the thimble, finding lost objects, and even a card trick where your dog finds the card last touched by a guest. In that sense, it is a very valuable addition to the literature on working with your dog's smell ability. But a lot of the stuff in here is a challenge, to say the least.

A friend of mine recommended this book to start my pup out on trailing and scent discrimination. Roy Hunter does a fantastic job explaining the process to the novice handler, as well as providing many ideas on how to keep it FUN and entertaining for the dog so that it is motivated to learn how to use it's nose.

He covers basic foundation work, enjoyable learning games that can be played with your dog, and includes a few fun stories from his time as a police officer in Britain.

I would (and do) strongly recommend this book for anyone wanting to start their dog on tracking, trailing or scent discrimination!

This is a great book for beginners. I have a boxer/great dane mix who isn't "the brightest". He likes to use his nose and he is taking to these exercises very well. He has a lot of energy and finding something to really wear him out has been a challenge. This is much better than just plain exercise because he's mentally challenged as well as physically. He's still picking it up and I'm teaching him as I read. But this is a great idea for people trying to connect to their dog. My dog is a year and a few months and he's still picking it up really quickly. Great Book!!

I borrowed this book off a tracking friend and found it so useful and enjoyable that I didn't want to give it back. It has something in it for everyone interested in learning how to, or advancing your dogs use of his nose. Whether you compete in Obedience, Working Trials, are looking to develop a closer working relationship with your dog, to have fun, learn tricks that impress or keep your intelligent K9 thinking and out of trouble ... then this book will be an awesome asset.

It covers; scent discrimination, scent related tricks, searches for articles and people. The tracking sections take you step by step from beginner basics through to advanced tracking such as variable surface and cross tracks. It also includes equipment required, weather and terrain considerations, line handling skills, a training schedule, track laying do's and dont's ... it's just so darn common sense, inspiring and helpful at any level!

Near the back of the book is an Appendix section which could perhaps be read first, particularly by newbie trainers, as it covers many foundation exercises such as play, rewards, tug, retrieving and walking the dog on both sides. Throughout, the book is illustrated by simple but technically accurate cartoon linework to further aid understanding.

Author Roy Hunter has a good 40+ years of experience with dogs; 16 years as a dog handler/trainer/instructor in the UK Police force, a Working Trials Judge, he has also given seminars around the world on all types of dog training. Roy writes in a light hearted, clear, simple and amusing way that immediately makes you want to get out there and have fun using your K9 mates greatest asset ... his nose. Sniff on & enjoy!

This book, by Roy Hunter, is a great resource by for all those interested in tracking--though it isn't necessarily a great book or primer for the beginner tracker, as it assumes skills the beginner (and her dog) might not have.

Other than that, Mr. Hunter's book offers interesting exercises for the advanced tracker and for those trackers seeking to expand their tracking dog's skills.

Overall, an interesting, informative book. I would have liked it better if Mr. Hunter had offered more explanations with some of the lessons, but I did like his behavioristic, canine psychology oriented perspective.

A book full of really fun things to do with your dog, and it's stuff everyone can do everywhere, you don't need a club or a special terrain or suit or flags or a competition-scheme or any hard-to-get material, just everyday-fun-again things that teach your dog al sorts of useful and fun things to do for you. Love it !

This has fun ideas and training tips for your dog. You don't need to be training for search and rescue work to enjoy this book. You and your dog can just have fun.

This is alittle complcated for me and my dog. It is helpful to get ideas on training and you can modify it for your own use. I think it is over priced.

I read this book and found it very interesting in theory, but having because neither of my dogs (basenji's) are big on retrieving very few of the games in the book worked because the games build on the idea of retrieving. I donated the book to the library