All things Nosework with Jill Kovacevich

What to listen for:

“I think the story is very similar to a lot of folks who, even in our present day, are doing Nosework. We find out about this very cool sport in a very weird way, and we decide that we want to try it, have no idea what we're doing, and then it just becomes this geeky dedication that you cannot saturate yourself with enough of, and you find yourself, almost 12 years later, still doing the same wonderful thing.”

2/3 of the Dames of Detection - Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett - bring us on an exhilarating journey through the world of canine scent work with Jill Kovacevich, a seasoned nosework enthusiast from Mountain Dogs, LLC in Colorado. Taking us from her humble beginnings in this unique sport to her present-day success, Jill shares her passion and dedication to the sport.

Dive into the importance of toy rewards in nosework competitions and training, brought to life by Jill's wisdom and experience. Hear her expert techniques from perfecting the timing to letting dogs make independent decisions.

Jill explains her place in the world of scent work officiating as she reveals her journey to becoming a certified official and judge. She sheds light on the impact of the pandemic on her roles and the birth of mentor programs in the field. Jill's expertise in law and her insights on standardization in scent detection add another dimension of understanding to this sport. All this and more in this episode of K9 Detection Collaborative!

Key Topics:

• How Jill Got Into Nosework (0:01:58)
• Teamwork is Dreamwork (0:08:59)
• Hosting vs. Attending Nosework Events (0:12:31)
• Not Making Decisions for Your Dog (0:14:46)
• Training Puppies with Toy Rewards (0:19:04)
• Training, Hosting, and Judging (0:22:30)
• Standardizing Qualifications (0:30:28)
• Training in Different Climates and Environments (0:37:32)
• Handler’s Addition to Dog’s High (0:43:15)
• Training Up Through the Ranks (0:46:52)
• Dog Obedience Competition Levels and Changes (0:50:02)
• Foundation of Distractors (0:59:36)
• Takeaways (1:07:35)

Resources:

• Mountain Dogs, LLC

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here at CB K9 and here at Evolution Working Dog Club. Also, check out her Functional Obedience Class here.
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

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