Knowing what to expect
It’s no secret that dog sports are expensive, but just how expensive and what purchases are typical of scentwork? I hope to give a breakdown of what the average competitor can expect when trying to title a dog in the sport. This break down will not include the purchase price of a dog or their regular upkeep (food, veterinary care,gas, etc)
Entry Fees
The most obvious cost of titling a dog in scentwork is entry fees. Here is a breakdown of different major scentwork organization average costs:
AKC scentwork
To enter an American Kennel Club Scentwork trial, you must first have your dog registered with the AKC, which costs $35-75 depending on the kind of registration you obtain. This is a one time purchase and will not need to be renewed.
Entry fees for all levels besides detective are typically $20-25. Typically, detective classes cost $45. Most AKC trials last one to three days, during which you can handle the same dog for each element once a day. Their is no minimum number of classes you are required to enter. Depending on how many events you enter each day, AKC trial entry fees can range from $20 to $375. To obtain the latter figure, multiply the $25 entry fee by the five discrimination-related factors (interior, exterior, buried, container, and handler) for each of the three trial days.
Each division (novice, advanced, excellent, and master) requires three qualifying runs in each element to title. Of course, you also pay for runs you do not qualify in as well. Its unrealistic to expect to never NQ.
NACSW
Both dogs and handlers must register with NACSW to participate in trials. Dog registration is for the lifetime of the dog and costs $35. Member registration must be renewed annually for $35.
To begin trialing in NACSW you must first complete your odor recognition test. This requires passing runs in three classes of birch, anise, and clove. Each class is typically $25, and all three are $75.
Between registration for you and your dog and the minimum required for an ORT (assuming you pass each test on the first try), you are looking to spend $145 before you get started. Unlike AKC, NACSW requires that you pass each test with a minimum number of faults given the level to obtain a NW1, NW2, or NW3 title. Rather than pay per class, you pay for the entire day, which typically runs $130-160 for 4-5 runs. If you fail a class, you are not eligible to title on that day.
UKC Nosework
To enter any UKC trial, you must first register with the UKC. Only the dog needs to be registered, and registration does not need to be renewed. Single registration runs $35.
Trials offer three different price schedules. Regular price, club member price, and day of prices They average $25 for regular entry, $20 for members of the club putting on the trial, and $30 for entries on the day of the trial. Unlike AKC, which requires three qualifying runs per element to title, UKC only requires two passing runs per element.
A note on titles:
Titles are not everything, and I hope not to portray them as the sole focus of a dog's scentwork journey. This information is simply a breakdown of costs geared toward handlers wanting to get into the world of scentwork trials but unsure of the associated costs.
How do you trial?
I have not participated in a trial
I trial In AKC Scentwork
I trial in UKC nosework
I trial in NACSW
Gear
Unlike trial entry expenses, which are fixed expenses, the gear you purchase is flexible to your budget. Here is a breakdown of the most common gear used and what you can expect to spend
Harness: While not required at all in trial, most handlers choose to run their dogs in a harness so the dog understands the context of the harness being worn and know they are playing the scentwork game. While most harnesses will work for scentwork, here are some options that you will see frequently, as well as a few of my favorites. This list is far from complete, and harness options may be the subject of a future blog. I hope to give a sense of the spectrum of harness options available, but keep an eye out for a more in depth review.
Low end:
-No harness/ a harness you already own: free!
-rabbitgoo Dog Harness: $15-$21. This is a basic y-front harness that will have sizes available to fit most dogs. They come in 14 color options.
-Comfortflex: $39-$50, Perhaps one of the most popular choices for scentwork, Comfortflex definitely deserves a mention. These straigtfront harnesses have multiple color and size options available
Medium:
-Julius-K9® IDC® Powerharness: $34-$69 lots of color options available https://usa.juliusk9.com/collections/harness
-BRILLIANTK9: $51-$87 Another very popular harness among scentwork competitors They also have custom velcro embroidered patches available, which are a fun way to be able to see the different ways people use to make custom patches with dog names or sayings.
-Ruffwear:$50-$70. A personal favorite of our kennel. Ruffwear has consistently high quality products that are beautifully designed with fun colors. They are a easy choice for harnesses, but you may have a hard time picking your favorite color!
High end:
-BiloboroDOvleather: $175. My harness of choice and what is, in my opinion, worth the price tag. This harness is as durable as it is beautiful, and being a leather harness, the upkeep is simple and easy to maintain. I often find myself frustrated with traditional harness sizing, and being able to simply adjust the size of my harness by what hole the buckle is in is a nice feature.
-Extreme Tactical K9 Harness :$219. If you are looking for a tactical style harness, this is a great option that still allows for full mobility for the dog.
-Bold Lead Design Tracking Harness: $300 If you are wanting to go all out on a harness, BLD is an option to consider. Although its not as size inclusive as the other options, the BLD reputation is excellent, and the harnesses are well crafted.
Leashes
There are different factors to consider in choosing a scentwork leash, and many people have multiple leads they use to choose between given what element they are running. Length, texture, and loop are all different options to consider. Leash handling is a skill every scentwork competitor will need to develop, and each handler will have their own preferences for lead. Here are a few different common variations and what they run.
-Champ Dog Gear Biothane 10’ long line: $28.
-Nose & Hearts Grip Leashes: cost based on length
-K9 Tactical Gear leather Detection leash: cost based on length
Scentwork odor supplies
There are two options for odor supplies, pre assembled kits and getting the supplies yourself. One thing to keep in mind with kits is that you may still have too get additional tins or items like centrifuge tubes for use in your training (note that different organizations use different odors and prepare them in different ways).
Kits:
-Leerburg AKC Scent Work Kit: $82. This includes prepared swabs in jars, additional oils, a single tin, and a carrying case.
-The K9 Nose odor set of oils: $35. Includes set of AKC oils and small case.
-Nosework in box: $130. This is the kit for trial focused trainers as its contents are the most inclusive of what you will need to prepare for trials.
Oils:
The oils you use for scentwork run about $8 per vile and last a very long time. All together, they will run you around $32, give or take.
Tins/boxes/centrifuge tubes
Bulk sets of these can typically be purchased for $20; you will want multiples to stock up on for your training ensamble.
Training
Perhaps the most variable cost of all, training comes in all forms, and every handler will be unique in the options they choose. Personally, I have found a mix of in person classes, online courses, books, and paid learning groups to be what has worked for me throughout my learning journey.
Classes:
Perhaps the most straightforward method of getting started in scentwork, in person classes offer a structured way to get into the sport with guidance from experienced coaches. It is not possible to give a very accurate price breakdown for this because of how varied each training center's pricing is from the next, but in person ongoing classes tend to be the priciest form of training.
Online Content
For many scentwork exhibitors, online content is the most accessible way to learn how to train scentwork. Here are a few options for online training I have personally used.
-Fenzi Dog Sports Academy: Fenzi is a well known online dog training platform that hosts classes and seminars. Spots in class come at different price points with different upgrades you can make. The bronze level starts at $65 for the class content, and the highest “gold” level includes incentives like instructor feedback, getting to post videos, and posting dog specific questions.
Scentsabilities Nosework Coaching Community:
In my opinion, this is one of the coolest online resources available to people involved with scentwork. Instructor Stacy Barnett hosts a private group that offers benefits such as two or three Q&A Zoom sessions a month, video review of homework assignments, and access to a private Facebook group that offers community support. I have been enjoying learning from this group for several months and highly recommend it. Group membership dues are $39 a month.
Scentwork University
My spouse started their scentwork journey with Scentwork University, and I reviewed their content. Their formatting is clear, professional, and easy to follow. In my opinion, it is less comprehensive than what someone interested in trialing at the upper levels would require, but it is a good resource to get started with. Most classes are $230, and some of the material is repetitive.
Books
Books are a fantastic addition to a scentwork training regime. I've found that reading was the best way for me to bulk up on scentwork information rather than other forms of content. Non specialty scentwork books are $15-45 but I have found many of mine on online secondhand book websites (like thriftbooks) for much less.
In conclusion
In doing the research for this post, I understood this could not be a completely comprehensive list as there are simply too emany variables, but I hope this was useful in getting a better idea of how expensive some of the more common costs associated with scentwork are. I especially want to note that this is not an activity that you need to spend an arm and a leg on. Some treats, a tin, and odor can lead to a whole lot of fun with your dog, even if trials and weekly classes are outside of your budget right now.
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