Timber has now been odor imprinting with smokeless gun powder for the past 2 months. Her detection training has been rapidly improving with time as she makes the final push to become proofed on this odor. Within the next couple weeks, we increase the distraction odors such as hot dogs and dog food while she continues her imprinting on that specific odor. Once she has completed these stages, we will then introduce her to a new type of explosive odor for imprinting. For Timber to become an explosive certified canine, we need to imprint her on a total of six different odors. These odors include PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate), RDX (Research Department Explosive), TNT, Potassium CHLORATE and Potassium NITRATE and Smokeless Gunpowder. If you recall, two weeks ago during our interview with Chad Sapp, we were talking about scent tubes and how all these will tie into detection. Like he stated, eventually the tubes will go away, and we will be throwing objects out into a field with specific odors that she had imprinted on making her rely on her nose to find those objects. Even with that there are multiple stages of the scent detection in the field, first we will start her on watching the object being thrown and then release before it hits the ground. This way she has a good indication of where to start her search. After that we wait until the object hits the ground before releasing making it to where she is using her nose more than sight. The final stage will be throwing the object, spin her around and then send her out to search. Now these are not the only way to conduct scent detection and odor imprinting, but this is the way that Chad and I have laid out Timbers odor imprinting and scent detection training program.

Here is a link that talks about the methods behind odor imprinting and scent detection training. https://www.k-9bsd.com/downloads/OdorImprintinginHuntDrive.pdf It talks about the methods behind training for odor imprinting and scent detection training.