When your dog alerts away from the actual hide location, are they making a mistake or has the scent truly collected elsewhere? In this deep-dive episode, we tackle the phenomenon of "pooling and trapping" - one of the most challenging and misunderstood concepts in scent detection work. Alex and Jill break down exactly what happens when odor molecules migrate from their source and accumulate in quantities significant enough to fool even experienced dogs. They share fascinating observations about ...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Seasoned dog competitors share their most memorable and hair-raising travel stories from years on the road attending trials and competitions. The podcast hosts and guests exchange tales of adventure, mishap, and the unexpected challenges that come with traveling alongside canine athletes. • Ensuring dog safety in unfamiliar environments, including stories of dogs chasing wildlife • Strange and memorable accommodations from the "nun house" to remote wilderness lodgings • Weather emergencies inclu...
Jun 12, 2025•48 min
What if everything you thought you knew about reading your dog in scent work needed a second look? This eye-opening myth-busting episode challenges common misconceptions that might be holding back your detection team. We start by tackling the belief that a trained final response means you can ignore your dog's more subtle communications. The truth? Those changes of behavior as your dog works through the odor puzzle are just as crucial as their final alert. We discuss why depending solely on that...
May 14, 2025•58 min
This month Jill Kovacevich and Aleks Woodroffe, your CO-Hosts, tackle a wide range of myths circulating in scent detection sports ("Nosework"? "Scent Work"? we dive into that too!). Drawing from their experience as trainers, judges, officals and competitors, they systematically dismantle misconceptions that might be limiting your dog's potential OR your perception of your dog's limitations! The conversation dives into three critical areas: myths about dogs, handlers, and the environment. Ever he...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 3 min
PART THREE- Yes, Part Three ! Who knew this topic would be this expansive. In this EPISODE we take on ELITE to SUMMIT trial prep and include AKC Detective in the mix. We are looking at the trial levels of Elite Select, Elite, Elite Premier and Summit and the AKC equivalent and the skill sets needed for THIS trial level with a template for assessing where your canine team IS as of now and how to determine what to train for your next trial SUCCESS. Here is the ASSESS- TRAIN AND MEASURE TEMPLATE to...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 17 min
We share essential tips and insights on preparing for trial season, focusing on gear essentials and communication strategies. Key elements discussed include checklists, hospitality management, and effective team interactions. • Importance of creating thorough checklists for trial preparation • Essential supplies needed for the score room • Strategies for effective communication among team members • Significance of hospitality in enhancing participant experiences • Role of flexibility and problem...
Mar 03, 2025•54 min
Welcome to another enlightening episode where we pull back the curtain on the intricacies of hosting K9 scent trials. From sharing insights on managing waitlists to navigating the challenges of trial day logistics, this episode is packed with wisdom from experienced hosts in the community. We delve into the often-overlooked aspect of vehicle management, tackling how to protect volunteers' cars while ensuring our furry competitors have a safe space to shine. The conversation dives deep into the e...
Feb 27, 2025•56 min
PART TWO- In this PODCAST we are looking at the trial levels of NW3 and AKC equivalent and the skill sets needed for THIS trial level with a template for assessing where your canine team IS as of now and how to determine what to train for your next trial SUCCESS. Here is the ASSESS- TRAIN AND MEASURE TEMPLATE that IS a best practice to apply to your compeition Nosework Team in preparing for TRIAL. STAY TUNED FOR PART THREE- Yes, Part Three ! Who knew this topic would be this expansive. In March ...
Feb 26, 2025•37 min
PART ONE - In this PODCAST we break down the skill sets needed for each trial levels and provide a template for assessing where your canine team IS as of now and how to determine what to train for your next trial at that trial level. SKILL SETS FOR TRIAL PREP- ORT (NW1 CONTAINER -SAME) NW1-NW2 NACSW and NOVICE- ADVANCED AKC ASSESS YOUR TEAM 1- SKILLS TESTED - What is measured or tested for each trial level; 2- DOGS SKILLS - Is the dog's search work effective and efficient for THAT trial level; 3...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 3 min
JANUARY 27 2025 TRAIN TO TRIAL - TRIAL TO TRAIN MENTAL GAME ON TRIAL DAY ! Our 2025 NOSEWORK SEASON is off and "running" ! Lets chat about TRIAL DAY and all the tips and tricks to be the BEST TRIAL TEAM we can be AND the BEST handler to our amazing search canine ! In this PODCAST we discuss taking our TRAINING TO TRIAL and supporting our dogs and ourselves for a FUN and PRODUCTIVE trial day. From once your IN the trial, thinking of travel, lodging, time frame to get to trial morning with the bes...
Jan 28, 2025•51 min
Our 2025 NOSEWORK SEASON is off and "running" ! Lets chat about TRIAL DAY and all the tips and tricks to be the BEST TRIAL TEAM we can be AND the BEST handler to our amazing search canine ! In this PODCAST we discuss taking our TRAINING TO TRIAL and supporting our dogs and ourselves for a FUN and PRODUCTIVE trial day. From once your IN the trial, thinking of travel, lodging, time frame to get to trial morning with the best frame of mind to build a Growth Mindset and Mental Game "ON". Lets cover ...
Jan 28, 2025•51 min
DECEMBER 30 2024 TRAIN TO TRIAL - TRIAL TO TRAIN DECEMBER TO REMEMBER - LOOK BACK- VISUALIZE FORWARD 2024- A NOSEWORK-SEARCHING YEAR TO REMEMBER! Lets CELEBRATE all the WINS - THE TAKEAWAYS AND the JOY of Learning Nosework with our K9s ! 2025- Set new goals and BUILD a SMART plan to succeed ! Mountain Dogs LLC Jill E. Kovacevich, CNWI mtnnosework@gmail.com Send us a text...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 29 min
RECENT TRIAL- Wondering IF you have holes and how those might be filled ??? Ive KNOW Ive got ideas for all the teams I watched-- maybe you know who you are ! Both Alex and myself will do online privates to review your recent trial success or misses with or without trial video and suggest a 2025 New Year training plan ! COMMUNICATION PODCAST SERIES CONTINUED! Objective - Lets brainstorm the parts and pieces of "communication" in scent detection ! Lets explore the semantics, the words and the conc...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 27 min
Your K9 SCENT FIX - Host Support Podcast Team has been working diligently behind the scenes to craft our Podcast Progression and Facebook Support group to bring our scent detection sport dog hosting community closer together to share ideas and inspire each other to Host ! IN our HOST SUPPORT PROGRESSION- We have broken down the Sport Scent Detection Event Hosting TO DO List and added in basic and needed concepts along the way, pertinent for most every host, new or seasoned from Site Acquisition ...
Nov 30, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Your K9 SCENT FIX - Host Support Podcast Team has been working diligently behind the scenes to craft our Podcast Progression and Facebook Support group to bring our scent detection sport dog hosting community closer together to share ideas and inspire each other to Host ! IN our HOST SUPPORT PROGRESSION- We have broken down the Sport Scent Detection Event Hosting TO DO List and added in basic and needed concepts along the way, pertinent for most every host, new or seasoned from Site Acquisition ...
Oct 30, 2024•40 min
Objective - Lets brainstorm the parts and pieces that may be "communication" in scent detection and the semantics - words and concepts to describe those training and trialing ideas for HANDLER communication. In our Train to Trail and Trial to Train Series we are exploring COMMUNICATION. In EPISODE we covered DOG COMMUNICATION and the broad view of the 1001 ways communication is present in our scent detection search to now in our next episode in Communication to talk about HANDLER communication. ...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 30 min
Week Four: Meeting Expectations with Success - In this EPISODE- our final in the September Trial Hosting Series- jumps into getting your trial site approvals with NACSW or HOW TO pull in great AKC Judges with clear plans & photos! With guest Sue Frisch, NACSW Trial Approval Chair and Certifying Official, providing excellent insight into what makes great photos/videos of sites and what is required for NACSW approval! Send us a text...
Oct 01, 2024•40 min
ITS A HYJACK ! We are hijacking todays podcast to talk about our September to Remember and all the great TRAINING and TRIAL experiences with GOALS met and new ones SET. Our Co-Host Aleks Woodroffe with Release Canine is featured to tell us her Summit success from Estes Park CO September 27-28 2024 culminating in a Summit Title and 1st Place overall for Aleks and her wonder pup Tana. Team Tana has faced challenging odds this trial season with a cancer diagnosis that so far has been met with good ...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 26 min
FACILITY USE FEES -Explore facility expectations first, explore calendar BEFORE fees; off-season; low activity schedules; check online fee forms; ask for fee info; have budgets in mind- if goal is to break even- determine revenue potential less costs (get cost estimate from other Hosts in your area or build your own; POTENTIAL FEES- Ask for a written quote; revise to reduce hours for each area; offer to include staff hourly rate; BILLING -INVOICE - Ask how fees are billed; do you need to speak w...
Sep 18, 2024•34 min
HOW TO START THE CONVERSATION with Guests Stacy Saravo and Sue Frisch ... SCHOOLS -GET Insider Information; Get to know a School Staffer; Pros and Cons; relationship with staff; challenges; how to create buy in; create progress to getting to yes; written proposal; School support groups- sports, coaches, PTA/PTO; Theater, Band, 4 H; TAs; Keep engaged- Front office; P/VP;Secretary; Accounting staff MUSEUMS/ FAIRGROUNDS - Use the online event request forms- fill it out generally- too much detail ma...
Sep 11, 2024•31 min
Site Suitability – what can you offer? Lets discuss how you can identify potential trial sites and what are the needs for a trail site ! Here's our laundry list - Types of locations: Whats important - Logistics- Parking, Dog Potty Areas Rest Rooms, Score Room, Hospitality for Volunteers; Search areas for levels the site supports; Is the site Event Manageable - Line of sight; sound; enter/exit; reactive dogs; ADA-TBD; Location proximity- lodging; food; travel distances; are events allowed; dogs a...
Sep 04, 2024•48 min
PART TWO- In our Train to Trial and Trial to Train Communication Series we started with DOG to HANDLER communciaton ! DO YOU SPEAK DOG ? In Part One we explored our thoughts and ideas of how our dogs' communicate various odor attributes and presence or absence of odor in the search. In PART TWO we continue this fun discussion and explore a bit more about hide placement and how training may build dog commuicaiton CLARITY for DOG and HANDLER for imporved Handler observation and understanding. LETS...
Aug 29, 2024•23 min
We are excited to start our Host Support Weekly Tid Bits with a focused monthly topic to build a Host- Handler community and support our great sport of scent detection with training and trial events. Join Us starting Wednesday September 11 2024 on K9 Scent Fix posted to your favorite PODCAST app or at k9scentfix.buzzsprout.com Send us a text
Aug 29, 2024•2 min
If you BUILD it they will come ! Who knew ! Over 3,000 downloads ! We are all hungry to learn, in the dog sport world of scent detection and one more podcast to choose from didnt seem possible but became probable and here we are ONE YEAR later with our upcoming September K9 Scent Fix Podcast Episode ! Thanks from Aleks with Release Canine and myself Jill with Mountain Dogs to all our listeners and supporters and folks who engage in this great sport and become life time learners with our dogs. It...
Aug 29, 2024•2 min
DO YOU SPEAK DOG ? "Hey- the hide is HERE !!!" Learning to read our dog working ODOR is no easy task. Our next PODCAST will jump into the deep end and explore Canine Communication ! Everything from our dog's communication of odor, to environment, to distraction and more from search start or release to search finish and search reward. In our TRAIN TO TRIAL & TRIAL TO TRAIN series we have explored the concepts of source and sourcing, odor pathways, handler observation and Tools to Trial by. Ou...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Welcome to our NEW podcast to focus on Event Hosting for Sport Dog Scentwork and Nosework ! Im Jill Kovacevich with Mountain Dogs together with my co-hosts Aleks Woodroffe at Release Canine and Jen Fleming with Georgia Nosework. We seek to offer this podcast and our NEW K9 Scent Fix Hosting Support Facebook page as a resource and guidance with insight to anyone interested in hosting K9 scent events from ORTs to workshops to trials. Our intent is to be inclusive and offer information, as best we ...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 22 min
In our TRAIN TO TRIAL & TRIAL TO TRAIN series we have explored the concepts of source and sourcing, odor pathways, handler observation and Tools to Trial by. Now its time to TALK COMMUNICATION. Everything we DO, everything we SAY and even what we THINK, FEEL and SEE is part of the communication process from start line to finish between ourselves and our dog as a nose work team when we train and trial. To say communication is KEY is an understatement. Lets explore this fun topic and unlock ou...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 12 min
In our TRAIN TO TRIAL & TRIAL TO TRAIN series we have explored the concepts of source and sourcing odor pathways with keen handler observation and the needed goals and resources for training competent skill sets to thrive in training AND in trial. Along this training and trial journey we (handlers and trainers) use numerous tools to build skill sets and clarity for both the dog and the handler. TWO IMPORTANT tools often used that directly relate to SOURCE, are pairing (food or toy at source)...
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 7 min
TO REWARD OR NOT REWARD- THAT IS THE QUESTION - GOT THAT ONE ! How do we train MOVING ON v REWARD AT SOURCE in training ? Does this change for trial day ? Does our dog have clarity of a prior found hide or prior found odor ? Is this a handler construct to fit our scent detection sport for effective and efficient trial performance searching ? All these questions and more- in this insightful discussion inspired by a recent trial where as a handler I got "lost" between two mirror hides and thought ...
May 06, 2024•55 min
Topic : TRAIN TO TRIAL and TRIAL TO TRAIN REWARD AT SOURCE ! How do we train SOURCE drive for Trial ? How do we reward AT source in training or in trial ? Is it the same or is it different ? Lets chat about Source Reward ! Its a fun topic to gain insight into the concepts of SOURCE REWARD and what that may mean AND CHANGE in multiple scenarios from training accessible to inaccessible hides, high hides to ground hides, known location hides vs blind hides, remote reward away from source or trainin...
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 3 min
