Welcome to k9 scentsability

I specialize in training the “scent” dog sports, including tracking, trailing, shed dog, nosework, and lost item recovery. Bring your dog and come join us in exploring the wonderful world of scent, as it is experienced by your canine companion.

Learn to Work WIth your dog’s exquisite sense of smell

Come learn about tracking, trailing, nosework/scentwork, lost item recovery and/or shed dog sports. You and your dog will have a great time!

Our Mission

Our mission is to help dogs and their people have fun and build strong bonds, by training in the “scents” sports.

What Makes Us Different?

Positive Approach

Positive reinforcement training is a cornerstone of our philosophy.

Feedback

Receive useful feedback during training sessions to help you and your dog improve and gain proficiency in your chosen sport(s).

Individually tailored lesson plans

For every training session, each team has a lesson plan tailored specifically to their needs/goals at that time.

Experience

I have long-time experience in the tracking fields, as well as nosework searches, etc.

Focus on Fun!

If you only want to play the sports for fun with your dog, we’re here for you!

Trialing assistance

If you want to enter tracking tests or trials in any of the other sports, we’re here for you (and encourage you to have fun with your dog), too!

Meet the team

Kamrin Mac Knight

Founder and trainer

During the weekday, I’m busy as a practicing intellectual property, corporate, and patent attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In the evenings and on weekends, you will find me either training dogs in the various scent sports or trialing with my dogs in the NASDA (North American Sport Dog Association) events, barn hunt, nosework, or at a tracking test (either participating or judging). I’m also an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Trick Dog and Temperament test evaluator, as well as a Fetch judge.

Helping dogs learn to utilize their amazing sense of smell to track, trail, or find “lost items” or antlers is so much fun. It is also gratifying to see the “ah-ha” moment, when their owners/handlers realize that their dog is actually “DOING IT” and having fun.

While the details are different between the “scent” sports, the common factor is the dog’s exquisite sense of smell and their remarkable ability to distinguish between the “scent of interest” and the background myriad of scents in the environment.

Take

the amazing shiba inu

Take was a rescue Shiba Inu, who started me on an amazing journey into the wonderful world of dog sports. Despite health issues, including bilateral luxating patellas (surgery at about 1 year), and a debilitating fibrocartilagenous embolism that paralyzed him for a time, he was successful in numerous sports. In addition to earning his Companion Dog (obedience) title, he earned his Rally Advanced title, numerous freestyle titles, NW1 (nosework), barn hunt, and tracking titles through the AKC, ASCA, and Mixed Breed association. For a number of years, he was the first and only Shiba to earn a Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) title and came oh so very close, to earning his Champion Tracker title. He’s in the national Shiba Inu Hall of Fame for both versatility and tracking.

We lost him at almost 16 years of age, in 2017. He’s greatly missed.

SUMI

The awesome kai ken

This picture is her puppy picture, she was small enough to fit inside large bonsai pots and enjoyed lounging in the one shown here. Sumi, our Kai Ken girl, was an amazing pup. During her prime years, her breed wasn’t recognized by the AKC, so she didn’t have the opportunity to earn many titles. However, she earned her Tracking Dog (TD) title and came very close to earning her TDX title. She was an irrepressible spirit, always true to herself. She loved tracking and only TPLO surgery on one knee and a brace on the other knee (she blew out both CCLs), slowed her down. She was a devoted nosework dog, the first (and probably still) the only NW3 Kai Ken. She also earned her novice barn hunt title, as well as freestyle titles. She was still playing in nosework classes the week that we lost her at 15, in 2019. We miss her a lot, too.

KUMA

The TALENTED shikoku

Kuma is one of the few Shikoku who participate in canine sports. This picture is from a trailing and locating trial. He was blowing coat at the time, so he looks a bit “moth eaten,” but it didn’t slow down his nose. He’s looking over a downed log on his way to find his rat.

Kuma especially enjoys the “rat” sports, with titles in urban locating, trailing and locating, and barn hunt. He’s also quite good at finding antlers in shed dog and finding lost items. He also has titles in precision coursing and is working on his nosework titles (he’s just starting). He earned his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) and novice Trick Dog titles, as well as his STAR Puppy title. He’s just starting on his tracking and trailing journey. He earned his United Kennel Club (UKC) and IABCA (International All Breed Canine Association) championship titles, but prefers using his nose to find things over the show ring.

SAYA

the BRILLIANT hokkaido

Saya is one of the few Hokkaido who participates in canine sports. This picture is from a trailing and locating trial. Saya is looking at the rat in the box at the end of her trail. Often the rats come up to the wire grate to say “Hi” to the dogs.

While Saya is an amazing dog, who really enjoys the rat sports, she’s multi-talented, with titles in urban locating, trailing and locating, shed dog, lost item recovery, barn hunt, and precision coursing. She’s also working on her AKC scent work and NACSW nosework titles. She has her IABCA championship title and is working on her UKC championship. In addition, she has her CGC and novice Trick Dog and STAR puppy titles. She’s just started on her tracking and trailing journey.

Our Process

We work with each dog and handler team individually. Each team member receives the time needed to solve the training challenge presented at each session. Individual attention to the dog’s, as well as the handler’s progress allows for positive feedback to help the team grow and enjoy their chosen sport, whether for fun and/or titles.

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INitial assessment

Our first session is a focused assessment of the team’s abilities in the chosen sport. For tracking, trailing, and shed dog, we’ll meet outdoors, typically at a local park. For lost item and nosework, we’ll meet either outdoors or at a training building.

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program development

Following the assessment, I will develop an training program to get the team started. Typically, this will include fun “homework,” and a scheduled time for training with me. Training will either be in a class or as private sessions. The location depends upon the sport and the choice of a private or class format.

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Continued progress

As the team develops their skill level, we’ll discuss options for testing (tracking) or trialing (all of the other sports). Some teams opt to continue without participating in tests or trials. It’s completely up to the team! While testing and trialing can be fun, they’re not for everyone.

Come Join the fun!

If you’re interested in checking out any of these sports, please contact me. You and your dog will have a lot of fun together, building even stronger bonds.

Most dogs really enjoy these sports, although some seem to prefer one over another. For example, some dogs excel at finding lost items, but don’t really care about finding odors in nosework. Others LOVE finding odors in nosework, but think finding lost items or antlers is boring. We’ll figure out which of the sports are the most enjoyable to you and your dog!

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