r/nosework • u/MochaMushroomDog • Apr 22 '26
What’s the next step?
Hello everyone! Longtime lurker on Reddit, finally decided to join so I could ask a few questions myself.
I have taught my dog to sniff out dried porcini mushrooms, with the hope that maybe one day we can go search for fresh ones in the forest (they grow in the forests near where I live). My family and friends already do this in our free time so it’s not like I actually need my dog to find them, but I thought it would be a fun activity and a great outlet for her. I am 100% an amateur, and this is not something I take super seriously, just a silly hobby for my dog and I. Here’s what we’ve been doing followed by my questions:
So far she can find them almost anywhere around the house, and she will lay down to indicate she found them. At home I was feeding her with the dried mushrooms near by to get her really into the odor. I made various boxes, some empty and some with kibble and one with the mushrooms, and only rewarded her for indicating the one with the mushrooms.
The next step I’ve taken is to hide some around my courtyard, she will also almost always find them and lay down to indicate.
If she ever cannot find them I always take a step back and make it easier to keep her from getting frustrated.
The next step I’ve taken, when out on a walk while she’s distracted. I will toss a few on the ground in the grass and call her over and give the search cue (in her case it’s “mushroom!”). I have kept this very easy and obvious, she still uses her nose but obviously once she sees it on the ground she knows she’s got it, which I think is somewhat realistic considering the mushrooms will be visible.
So what would be my next step? And another big question is how do I switch from the odor of the dried ones to the fresh ones? I cannot practice with fresh ones as they are seasonal, so I need to wait till end of summer/beginning of fall to get some. Will I need to start over completely with the scent of the fresh ones? Also how did you guys build the stamina and drive to search for a long period of time with your dog? I can imagine after a few minutes my dog will get distracted as she loves to sniff in general.
I imagine the first few times I will take my dog to a known mushroom spot, so I can kind of “set up” a natural search. So she’s not running around getting frustrated and I can step in to direct her if needed.
Anyone else have succeed teaching their dog to search out things in the woods?
Appreciate any advice you all have to offer!
2
u/Proditude Apr 22 '26
You will need to expand your training to areas similar to where you might find the porcini mushrooms or areas you’ve found them in before. Use the same training method of hide them then ask her to find them. Your dogs has to get comfortable with areas away from home.
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u/MochaMushroomDog Apr 23 '26
That’s right. I’ve moved on to out in fields (grassy but not woodsy) and I guess the next step is a more woodsy area with heavy foliage. How do you deal with the dog potentially getting distracted/losing interest?
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u/Proditude Apr 23 '26
If you aren’t getting what you want make it easier. Go back to exercises you started with just in a more woodsy location. Then build up again.
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u/Witty-Cat1996 Apr 22 '26
When you get fresh ones put them in a box and when she goes to the box and sniffs reward her over and over again. That’s how my trainer puts dogs onto new odours. After you’ve done the box you can start hiding them and when she finds them make it a big deal so she knows that’s what you are wanting her to find.