The Thrill of the Hunt

The latest trend in canine sport comes from the tradition of search dogs. But although it began in law enforcement circles, canine nose work has spread far beyond drug- and bomb-sniffing hounds. It’s wildly popular in competition circles—So far, this year has seen 11 competitive nose work trials. (Compare that with 2008, the sport’s inaugural year, when it saw just two trials.)

More and more, nose work games are finding their way to regular dog owners, too, especially city-dwellers who want to grant their companions the thrill of the hunt in closer quarters.

WABE’s Kate Sweeney went to a nose work training class taught by the instructors who brought the sport to Atlanta, to learn more.