A black poodle in a continental clip sniffing a buried container on the ground outdoors in AKC scentwork, with green foliage in the background.

Scent Work Classes in the Bay Area

Spring Session Ends May 17th, 2026.

We offer beginner scent work classes, advanced scent work classes, and private scent work lessons for dogs in the Bay Area, including Los Gatos, Cupertino, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and surrounding communities.

If you’re looking for a fun way to provide mental enrichment for your dog while strengthening your partnership, scent work training is a great place to start.

Class Interest Form

Complete this interest form as the first step to signing up for classes with Primacy K9.

Summer 2026 Class Offerings

Continuing Beginners: Sundays at 10:30am. Class session starts May 24th

  • This class is appropriate for dogs who have been introduced to odor and are ready to begin exterior/interior and containers searches

  • Continue reinforcing foundations and building handler skills

  • Your dog has been introduced to odor and is ready to start searches

  • Introduction to different search elements

Beginners: Sundays at 12:45pm (Start date pending class fill)

Beginners: Wednesdays at 5:30pm (Start date pending class fill)

  • The beginner class focuses on foundations: introducing and building search motivation, and helping handlers learn how to read their dog’s search behavior.

  • No prior experience necessary

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Private Scent Work Lesson

Please contact us by adding this class to cart, the “contact us” form on the website, or info@primacyk9.com so we can better understand your needs and customize a plan that works best.

Personalized Nosework Training for You and Your Dog

Private scent work lessons offer individualized coaching to help you and your dog build strong search skills, confidence, and teamwork. Whether you're just starting nosework or working toward advanced scent work goals, private training allows us to tailor the session to your dog’s unique learning style.

Scent work (also called nosework) taps into your dog’s natural ability to use their nose to locate hidden scent. Through fun search exercises, dogs develop problem-solving skills, independence, and focus while gaining a powerful form of mental enrichment.

Private lessons are ideal for teams who want more individualized attention, flexible scheduling, or help with specific training challenges.

Private lessons are a great option for:

  • Dogs that benefit from one-on-one training

  • Easily distracted dogs

  • Teams preparing for scentwork competition

  • Handlers who want faster skill progression

  • Dogs needing confidence-building activities

  • Owners who prefer an even more customized training plan

What We Work On in Private Lessons

  • Building strong search drive and motivation

  • Introduction to foundational skills, scent work and odor

  • Improving search strategy and independence

  • Reading your dog’s search behavior

  • Problem solving training challenges

  • AKC scent work, NACSW nosework trial preparation (if desired)

Private Scent Work Lessons for Dogs in the Bay Area or remote.

$0.00
WAITLIST: Beginner Scent Work Class

Note: I will add an additional beginner class either Sundays at 12:45 or Wednesdays at 5:30pm once there is enough interest. Complete the contact form on this page.

Start here! This class runs for five classes and is best for those looking to start their scentwork journey, or those who want to reset some foundations and troubleshoot specific issues. At the end of the 5 week session, your dog will understand basic searching skills and be finding target odor (birch oil).

$225.00
Continuing Beginners Class (Next session starts May 24th, 2026 at 10:30am)

This class is appropriate for dogs who have been introduced to odor and are ready to begin or polish exterior/interior and containers search skills.

  • Your dog has been introduced to odor and is ready to start searches

  • Continue reinforcing foundations

  • Continue building handler skills

  • Reinforce clear alert behavior

  • Introduction to different search elements (approximately Novice/Advanced searches, ORT or early NW1 prep, or you want to polish skills before moving on to higher levels)

$225.00
WAITLIST: Handler Discrimination & Lost Item Training

***Please email or complete the “contact us” form to join the waitlist for this class***

Teach your dog to identify and locate a specific scent article belonging to you. In this class, dogs learn to search for their handler’s item, such as a sock or scented cotton ball, among multiple objects using scent alone. This skill is used in AKC Handler Discrimination and NASDA Lost Item searches. Ideal for all teams with or without prior scentwork experience— this is a great way to dip your toes into scentwork and gives you a fun and enriching game to play with your dog at home.

$225.00
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WAITLIST: Intermediate/Advanced Scent Work Class

***Please send an email or contact form to join the waitlist for this class***

This class runs for five classes and is best suited for experienced dogs wanting greater success beyond the Foundations.

Intermediate/Advanced Scent Work Class Details

Designed for experienced teams working towards upper-level competition. These sessions focus on building independence, problem-solving, and handler observation through complex and challenging search scenarios.

Dogs will work advanced search environments that require thoughtful handling and strong odor commitment. Training exercises may include converging odors, inaccessible hides, large search areas, high hides, and varied environmental distractions designed to strengthen both dog and handler skills.

Handlers will develop a deeper understanding of search strategy, timing, and reading subtle changes in their dog’s behavior at odor. Classes emphasize thoughtful problem solving, clear communication between dog and handler, and building the confidence required for high-level trial environments.

$225.00
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