K9 SCOTCH IS LEARNING HRD!
Scotch started his training as a Human Remains Detection dog in January 2026. He is doing amazing!
Dogs Do Such Cool Things with Their Noses!
I have trained guide dogs for people who are blind since 1999, and that is a really cool career! But in the past couple of years, I have changed direction and become more interested in working with dogs to use their noses for lots of different things.
My border collie Scotch, AKA K9 Scotch, is a Human Remains Detection Dog in training with Sarasota Search and Rescue. He is learning to find all different kinds of human remains -- old bones, fresh tissue, digits, teeth, dirt from where a cadaver was, you name it! When he finds it, he has to put his nose on it and then lay down next to it. Once I mark him, he then gets to play with his tug toy.
My other dog, Australian shepherd Amigo, does nose work. In nose work, he uses his nose to find one of three essential oils, anise, birch, or clove. It could be hidden inside, outside, in a container of some kind, or on a vehicle. We have taken lots of Fenzi classes in nose work, and have our first Odor Recognition Test this weekend in Fort Myers! He should pass unless his old box smashing habit resurfaces, but I don't think it will.
I am the Senior Director of Training at Dogs Inc in Palmetto, Florida, and am also currently learning how to train diabetic alert dogs, which is a whole new way (for me) of working with dogs and their noses!
More About Nose Work!
Every dog can learn nose work! Old, slow, reactive, untrained, fearful... every dog! Take a nose work class and watch your dog learn how to use their instinctual abilities and reignite their zest for life!
Search and Rescue
This is not a hobby; it is more like a part-time job. You can expect to spend 10-15 hours per week training as a member of a SAR team. Lots of driving and equipment purchases too -- but it is so, so cool!
Diabetic Alert Dogs
Diabetic alert dogs will detect a low or high blood sugar quicker than the devices that many people use. With a diabetic alert dog, the handler can be more confident in public and not have to worry about technology failures!
Mom is sometimes slow to figure out things like how to let me know that she wants me to LAY DOWN when I find the source and not eat it, but I will say that she keeps going out there with me twice a week and working with me, so that's something!
Mom is sometimes slow to figure out things like how to let me know that she wants me to LAY DOWN when I find the source and not eat it, but I will say that she keeps going out there with me twice a week and working with me, so that's something!
Amigo can find elevated hides!
Here is Amigo doing a search for an elevated hide!