About This Course

Developing Independent Area Searching Open Search introduces dogs and handlers to the challenges of searching larger areas through exercises based on search and rescue-style work. Rather than following a predefined trail or searching for a specific hidden target in a small area, the dog learns to work through an environment, gather information and develop effective search behaviour. The Enigma Canine Open Search course explores how to build these skills progressively, with an emphasis on independence, systematic coverage and the relationship between the dog, handler and environment. Throughout this course, you will explore: * Developing independent search behaviour. * Building systematic area coverage. * Understanding how environmental conditions influence searching. * Developing confidence and motivation within search exercises. * Recognising behavioural changes and analysing search performance. * Designing practical exercises that progressively increase in complexity. The course provides instructors with the knowledge and practical training ideas to introduce clients to search and rescue-style activities in a recreational setting. The emphasis is on developing the dog’s searching abilities while giving handlers a greater understanding of how their dogs work and respond to information within the environment.

Meet Your Instructor

I’m Alexandra Butler, founder of Enigma Canine, with over 17 years of experience in canine scent work, including operational and recreational training. My background in policing and extensive experience across Mantrailing, Tracking and Scent Detection have shaped the way I approach training and education. I believe effective scent work training begins with understanding the dog and the chemical information available to them. Rather than simply teaching a collection of exercises, my focus is on helping instructors understand why we train in particular ways, how dogs learn and how to analyse the information each training session provides. Through Enigma Canine, I have developed a comprehensive range of instructor courses designed to bring together scientific understanding and practical application. My aim is to give instructors the knowledge and skills to make informed training decisions, develop their own understanding and deliver effective scent work training to their clients.

What You'll Learn

13 Chapters · 81 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What is Open Search?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      What odour will we be using?

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Who is this aimed at?

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What is Human Scent?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How human scent moves

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      What effects scent

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      Time scales

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      How the dog will use the scent

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      Trail scent and fresh scent

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Coning

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      Air scent

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      Contamination

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      Body language

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      Introduction

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      How the Dogs Nose is Structured

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      Sniffing

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      Jacobson Organ

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      Olfactory Epithelium

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      Olfactory Cells

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      Cilia

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      Ethmoid Bone

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      Bowmans Gland

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      Comparison to Humans

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      Alternating

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      Odour issues

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      Chemicals

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      Adaptive Behaviour

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      Locations

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      Class sizes

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      Opening your classes

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      Opening your workshops, mini immersion.

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      Equipment

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome

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      Structuring your class

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      Coaching your clients

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      What, Why, How

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      Ex1. Straight leg

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      Ex1 Practical example

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      Ex1 Practical example longer length

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      Ex2. Straight leg turning the dog

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      Ex2 practical example

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      Ex3. Straight leg person laying

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      Ex3 practical example

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      Ex4. Straight leg no trail

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      Ex4 practical example

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      Ex4 practical example

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      Ex5. Search area 1

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      Ex6. Search area 2

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      Ex6 practical example

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      Ex7. Search area 3

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      Ex7 practical example

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      Ex8. Search area, 4

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      Ex8 Practical example

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      Ex9. Search area, 5

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      Ex9 practical example

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      Ex10 Search area. 6

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      Ex11 Larger search area

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      Ex10 Practical example

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      The indication

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      Ex12. The Bark Indication. Teaching the Bark

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      Ex13. The Bark Indication. Straight leg Bark

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      Ex14. The Bark Indication. Straight leg Bark mp down

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      Ex15. The Bark Indication. Search area Bark mp down

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      Ex16. The Bark Indication. Search area Bark mp down duration

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      Ex17. The Shuttle Indication. Straight leg rewards

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      Ex18. The Shuttle Indication. Straight rewards every othermp

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      Ex19. The Shuttle Indication. Straight rewards every other

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      Ex20. The Shuttle Indication. Straight rewards duration

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      Ex21 The Shuttle Indication. Straight rewards duration down

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      Ex22 The Shuttle Indication. Repeat in square

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      Ex.23 Four search areas mp in 2nd

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      Ex.24 Four search areas mp in 3rd

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      Ex.25 Four search areas mp in 4th

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      Ex26 Directional searching, searching for longer

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      Ex.27 Bring in indication

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      Ex28. Two strips mp in half way

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      Ex29. Two strips mp further along

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      Ex30 Bring in indication

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      Ex31 Bringing everything together

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      The Assessement

Ready to Explore Open Search?

Expand your scent work training with search and rescue-style area searching. Develop your knowledge of independent searching, environmental influences and practical exercises that you can introduce to your clients. Enrol today and begin exploring the possibilities of Open Search with Enigma Canine.

£500.00

Enroll in this course