Ok, I need some help re: puppies... - Page 1

I had a lady email me last night regarding my puppies.  She is looking for a "scent dog"...I guess she is extremely allergic to strong scents (perfume/cologne, hair products, ect.), but her job requires her to be out and about in the community.  She's looking for a puppy to train to detect strong scents and alert her (she is working with a trainer here in the area) so she can avoid contact with the person that "smells".

My question is, what is the best way of determining "nose quality" (for lack of a better term).  These pups are 6 weeks old.  Any advise/input is greatly welcomed!

Thanks!

Honestly, I think this plan may be doomed.  If she has a serious medical condtion, she should not buy a puppy and try to train it for this.  She needs a good, young adult, scent dog who is then professionally trained for the few scents to which she is most allergic.  Even then, the training will be partly experimental.

It seems highly unlikely that this woman is simultaneously scent sensitive AND a professional scent trainer.

But that is not your question...

A good way to find out which puppies are most nose driven is to take a small towel, soak it in the drippings from a cooked meat dinner, tie a rope around one end of it, take it outside, and drag it in the yard, on grass, at least 20, preferably 35 or 40 feet.  Take two puppies outside at a time, put them near the start of the trail, and watch what happens.  While you're at it, your should put treats out on the trail, so as to encourage the nose later.  I would not take out more than two at a time.

Thank you so much for your input!  I will try that.  Also, SHE isn't a trainer, she is working with a professional trainer in the area.  Sorry for the confusion.  She just has a job that requires her to be in public.

Thanks again!

Rowdy,

I agree with MVF and Ronnie.  I don't think you should let one of your pups to to this woman.  If she isn't happy with how it turns out, what is she going to do with it.  Encourage her to find an adult dog, already trained. 

I myself am sensitive to strong smells and I don't need a dog to tell me when some one has on too much perfume.  Does her own nose not work?  I'm beginning to think this whole story has a stink of it's own.  Protect your pups, be careful.

Deb

I don't think it takes a particularly talented dog to detect perfumes, just some training to teach it to alert. After all, dogs can detect a little gaseous odor in a river and alert to dead bodies. It's probable that people would be unaware of scents that ANY dog could detect first.

I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want their puppy to go to this kind of home, in which it is ALWAYS with the person, never stuck home alone. My dog alerts to me just beginning to breathe shallowly, and I didn't even teach her--she just GOT it. As a result, she has a great life!

Curiously, is it possible to train a dog (let alone a puppy) to distinguish between faint to strong scent of a kind?  From my limited understanding, a drug, explosive and cadaver dogs should indicate for the faintest odour they were specifically trained.

If the lady is allergic to strong smells such as perfume, shampoo, deodorant etc and is working within the community, I will have doubts whether she is able to do her job as the dog would be alerting her to all four corners (i would imagine).

Unless someone could enlighten me there is training for such dogs to distinguishing faint/ subtle to strong scent of a kind.

Thank you all for your input.  You have given me a lot to think about, and I think I will not be selling one of my puppies to this woman.  I was excited to see someone wanted one of my puppies as a therapy dog, I guess I didn't see the downfalls.

Thanks again, all...I really appreciate it.