French Ring Trial Coming!

French Ring Trial Announcement!

The Patriot Ring Club is hosting its first French Ring Trial on August 7 and 8, 2010. The trial will be held in North Eastern Massachusetts. The field location is not finalized at this time. A French Judge is confirmed and Decoys are confirmed. Entry fees will be $50. We are presently welcoming volunteers to help with all aspects of the trial. If you have never seen a French Ring Trial it consists of obedience, agility and protection-based exercises. All dogs compete off leash and without collars. It is a challenging and exciting European dog sport. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend! If you live in North Eastern Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, Southern Maine or Southern Vermont, this will be a great opportunity to see what this activity is all about and meet French Ring Sport enthusiasts in your area. Save the dates! For more info call: 866.957.3647 or visit www.FrenchRingSport.com

New Nosework Article

Nosework’ classes brings dogs into their own

Boxford dog trainer has more than 100 clients hooked on ‘Nosework’



Nationally-recognized dog trainer Scott Williams has recently begun introducing the activity of Nosework to dog trainers and local pet owners in the Northeast. His company, Beyond the Leash, is currently one of a handful of training businesses in the country certified to teach the sport that is rising in popularity.

While your dog doesn’t like checking facebook on your laptop and you are not too keen on sticking your nose into a pile of wet leaves, Nosework represents an activity that you and your dog can genuinely enjoy together.

Nosework’s search-dog techniques introduces structured activities to your dog that allows him or her to grow on its own; to grow more into focus, grow closer to their strongest sense, and grow closer to you.

And by giving dogs the freedom to unlock the powerful potential in their sense of smell, Nosework classes can uncover the sometimes unnoticed intelligence and autonomy in canines.

Scott Williams, of Boxford, has firmly placed himself as an east coast pioneer of the activity. Starting with classes in West Boxford, William’s Nosework training has now spread throughout New England as his students, some of whom are dog trainers, are now beginning to teach the classes in their own respective regions. Williams, however, is one of only a dozen trainers in the country with a certification to teach Nosework through the National Association of Canine Scent Work , the official governing agent for the sport.

While it has been well under a year since he moved from the west coast, Williams has engaged over 100 dogs and dog owners in the activity that can bring a domesticated canine back to its primal instincts.

The class begins by first incentivizing your dog to search and hunt using food hidden in one of several cardboard boxes. But in subsequent lessons, these canine students will track a birch scented q-tip under the wheel carriage of a pick up truck.

In addition to your dog’s short term enjoyment, the classes also have the real potential to see long term mood enrichment in an otherwise bored or stubborn canine.

Watertown resident Viviana Cordano began working with Williams in July and said that her two-year old Labrador Betty, who she found in an animal rescueshelter, has become more tranquil since first beginning Nosework classes.

“She’s a rescue dog that had been returned to the shelter three times so I knew she was a little bit of a trouble maker. But she didn’t know her boundaries; no one had ever taught her anything,” said Cordano. “Not only did she need to learn but I wanted to get her mind working, her nose working…mentally tire her out.”

Cordano goes onto explain what she noticed about Betty after going through the courses with Williams.

“I found this sport and she’s doing really, really good. We enjoy it very much. Our relationship has grown tremendously and she seems calmer too,” said Cordano.

Dog trainers are also drawn to the sport that strengthens a dog’s ability to identify certain smells through some of the same methods taught to law enforcement canines.

While some trainers find that Nosework is able to increase their pet’s repertoire of abilities, others find it is simply an outlet for their dog — and for themselves.

Dog trainer Mac McCluskey travels down from Lebanon, Maine to attend the Nosework classes in Boxford. During a recent class, McCluskey took his 3-year-old Belgian Malinois Naiya through an advanced Nosework course. The course had the canine looking among random boxes, around the perimeter of a building, and in the various nooks and crevasses around the outside of a car using the search command “find it.”

“I do other dog sports with the rest of my dogs and I needed to find something for her. She seems to be pretty much a natural for it,” said McCluskey. “So it’s good for her and it’s a great outlet for her.”

McCluskey goes on to explain how his dog, and others,can enjoy the sport so much.

“Dogs are just like giant noses on four legs…dogs smell things the way we see things. So in a structured environment like this it really draws on what they do best. And that’s use their nose.”

To learn more about Nosework and enroll in Williams’s most popular class, “Intro to Nosework,” visit Beyon dtheleash.net or contact Williams at 866-957-3647. Williams also offers obedience classes as well as his nationally recognized “Doggy Boot Camp.”

New Fun Nosework Video!

Here's a short video of the "Intro to Odor" Class. We are having a great time in Boxford.

So far there are twenty-five Nosework students enjoying the experience with their dogs.

We are working towards having trials and kicking the butts of all visiting nosework competitors

from the left coast.

Beyond The Leash has been invited to give a K9 Nosework Seminar at MasterPeace Dog Training in Franklin, MA. on Sunday December 6th, 2009 from 9am to 4pm.

The title of the seminar is "Introduction to Canine Nosework". There have been 12 to 15 slots made available. I have been told that they have a spacious 8000 square foot training room to hold the seminar in. A description of the event is as follows:

Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to hunt. The sport of K9 Nose Work and Fun Nose Work classes are designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise. It’s a great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy. Find out just how good your dog's nose really is!

Scott's approach to teach dogs to do scent work is based on some of the foundation techniques used in K-9 detection. This unique curriculum promotes a positive, fun and motivationally-based methodology.

To sign up for this exciting event please contact MasterPeace Dog Training at 508-553-9300 or visit them online at masterpeacedog.com

Boxford Nosework in the news.

Beyond The Leash dog training in Boxford, MA. recently was featured in the TRI-TOWN TRANSCRIPT. The article focuses on the new dog sport called K9 Nosework orFun Nosework. A link is provided within the text above. But if that fails I have copied and pasted the article below.
BOXFORD - In a world where dogs are used to wearing plaid sweaters and eating treats that look like miniature T-bone steaks, one Boxford resident is offering to guide your canines back to their primal instincts.Using some of the same methods that teach dogs to search for bombs and drugs, Washington Street resident Scott Williams has begun teaching “nose work” classes at Lincoln Hall. The lessons, he said, have the potential to turn a pampered Pomeranian into a hunter.“You’re really trying to channel the dog’s natural instincts and drives,” said Williams, who moved to Boxford in June. The classes are recreational activity for both the dog and the owner, Williams said.While it has been gaining momentum on the West Coast, canine nose work isn’t well known in these parts. Williams, a certified nose work instructor, is running one of only a dozen or so classes in the country, and is the only certified individual teaching on the East Coast.Using the downstairs in Lincoln Hall, the former Los Angeles resident begins by setting up small cardboard boxes in a line down the length of the room. Putting a dog treat or food in one box, he has the owner walk his or her dog down the line until it finds the right box.“We teach them to search and hunt using food,” Williams said.Nose work is contradictory to most types of training in the sense that you are trying to push the dog to follow itself and not the owner. He said owners have to be careful about giving subconscious visual cues to their pets, such as slowing down around the box with the food in it.“Ultimately, we want the dog to follow its nose,” Williams said.The class work ranges from finding a piece of food in a line of boxes to eventually letting the dog off the leash on a vehicle search to find a birch-scented Q-tip.Since starting Boxford classes in late August, Williams has seen enough interest in the lessons that he will also be offering them at the Community House in Hamilton.In the four months since moving to the area, he has received requests by a number of dog trainers to give tutorials on nose work teaching. Last week, the dog trainer was invited to the state police academy in Vermont to take part in a detection-training workshop.The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Boston has also shown an interest in training, he said. Williams said since nose work focuses on improving a dog’s motivation and autonomy, it’s ideal for helping abused dogs that are timid and afraid.The next set of classes in Boxford begins on Sunday Oct. 18 at Lincoln Hall. Williams is offering advanced classes, which begin at 1 p.m. and the introductory course that begins at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Classes in Hamilton begin on Monday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Community House.The course includes six classes.

Cane is out...Malinois really do sleep. I have proof!.

As the saying goes "A picture is worth a thousand words..." I'm going to bed. Good Night!

Intro to K9 Nosework Graduates!

Well, The very first session of "Intro to Nosework" has ended. We had two classes running back to back. The first class had six dogs and the second class had five. Out of eleven dogs, nine dogs graduated and are moving on to our "Intro to Odor" Class that starts on Oct. 18th. I am very pleased with the commitment of the handlers and I am always impressed with how quickly dogs learn when given the freedom and guidance to do so.

These first classes have really been a great experience for me as an instructor. The New Englanders that I've met through these classes are the best. I don't consider myself a "people person" but when dogs are the common denominator, I have no problem chatting for hours on end about dog related stuff. That's why I started Beyond The Leash!

Thank you all again for your support. I love what I do and am so fortunate to be able make a living doing it. These are lean times for all of us these days and I will continue to work hard to make your experience in K9 Nosework well worth the time and money. THE FUN IS JUST BEGINNING!