Scent-related sports are natural for dogs (they love sniffing!), but the way in which we perform these sports means that your dog's physical condition can have a big impact on their success. Scent sports have multiple components that place specific physical demands on your dog:

• Endurance: The amount of time that dogs are actively working can range from minutes, up to hours, which requires endurance fitness.

• Mobility: Nose work often involves dogs moving rapidly, changing pace and direction frequently. This requires a strong core, good mobility, and strong shoulders. 

• Sustained low head position: Many scent-related sports require the dog to have their head forward or down from their natural balanced position for long periods of time, increasing the load on the muscles of the neck, front limbs, and thoracic spine. 

• Different types of respiration: While your dog is actively scenting, the dog's chest muscles (like the intercostal muscles) are working more intensely than in their everyday life. 

• Elevated hides: Dogs may need to elevate their front end to work elevated hides.

• Challenging surfaces: Slippery surfaces and different heights and textures under foot require core stability and confidence in movement.

• Indication position: Dogs may need more strength and stability to hold their indication position frequently in a search.

This course focuses on building strength in your nose work dog. You will learn a balanced range of fitness exercises to meet the needs described above. 

What is included with your registration?

• 4 modules, one per week, each with at least four lessons containing written lectures and video instruction

• Access to all course materials on both mobile devices and your computer

• Downloadable content for off-line access when you're out training

• Ability to ask questions, participate in discussions, and watch all posted videos

• Keep what you buy—No expiring content; after the course ends, you won't be able to ask questions, but the content is still available to you

What additional items are included with a Premier registration?

• Ability to post videos of the same dog working (You can submit a total of 6 minutes of video per week; videos should be a minimum 30 seconds in length.)

• Instructor feedback on video assignments

Note: This class is intended for one dog/handler team. If you also wish to post videos of a different dog, you must purchase another registration for the other dog(s).

Prerequisites

Dogs should be sound and healthy, with clearance from your veterinarian for fitness training. Dogs may start these exercises as early as 8 months of age, but be aware that modifications and limitations will be placed on younger dogs in terms of which exercises, and how much they do during the course. 

Dogs should have an understanding of targeting items with their front and back feet. Handlers should be comfortable reinforcing with food and understand that many of these exercises will be easier with a few different food markers. 

Equipment and space needed

This course will require basic fitness equipment such as: 

• A stable platform that is long enough for your dog to stand on

• 2 shorter stable platforms that your dog can fit two feet on

• 2 large cones

• A range of different inflatable or unstable equipment such as balance discs, Duo Discs, Balance Pads, FitBones, etc. (There are a ton of everyday items we can also use from around the house, like couch cushions! Just ask for ideas.)

• Advanced dogs may use their harnesses and resistance bands

Most exercises can be done in a 10' x 10' space, although cavaletti poles may need more space (like a hallway). 

How do I access my Learning Center purchase?

After you complete your purchase using your credit card or PayPal, you will receive 2 email confirmations: the first is a receipt acknowledging that your order has been received and the second email contains the link for your Clean Run Learning Center program. Just click on the link in the email to complete enrollment. If you already have a Learning Center account, then you will go directly to your educational program. If you do not, then you will enter your email address and a password to use for this Learning Center program and any future ones your purchase. Please be aware that this is a separate account you are establishing on https://cleanrunonline.com/home and it is not the same as your Clean Run website account (although you can use the same email and password for both accounts). 

If you have a Clean Run website account, then you can also access your program at anytime by signing in at cleanrun.com and selecting Classes/Webinars from the My Account menu. 

How do I access my Learning Center purchase?

After you complete your purchase using your credit card or PayPal, you will receive 2 email confirmations: the first is a receipt acknowledging that your order has been received and the second email contains the link for your Clean Run Learning Center program. Click on the link in the email to complete enrollment. If you already have a Learning Center account, then you will go directly to your educational program. If you do not, then you will enter your email address and a password to use for this Learning Center program and any future ones your purchase. Please be aware that this is a separate account you are establishing on https://cleanrunonline.com/home and it is not the same as your Clean Run website account (although you can use the same email and password for both accounts). 

If you have a Clean Run website account, then you can also access your program at anytime by signing in at cleanrun.com and selecting Classes/Webinars from the My Account menu. 

Refund Policy

We offer a 90% refund for the class if you request a cancellation at least 5 days before the class begins. There are no refunds once the course has started.

We suggest that you read the information provided carefully before making your purchase. If you have any questions about whether the content is right for you, please email us.