Rechargeable Battery Fan Unit

This is the rechargeable 12v battery fan set-up I made:

TOTAL COST $40-65

It's almost as powerful as the Ryobi and easily ¼ to ½ the cost. Both the Ryobi and the home made version will run for a whole day at a Nose Work Trial.

I got all my items at an auto parts store, but you can also buy them on-line, shipping for the battery might be expensive as it is quite heavy.  

• Fan unit is sold for $12-24. The two important things are 12v and that it has the Hi/Off/Low switch and a long enough cable. 

• 12v rechargeable Sealed Lead Acid Battery with F1 Terminals, prices from $13-60 depending on where you buy it.

• Battery charger $12-25 I prefer the kind with auto shut-off once the battery is fully charged.

• Extra alligator style battery clamps with cables attached to each, about $6-12.

Cut the cigarette lighter end off the fan unit and re-wire with the extra alligator clamps.  I did mine inside the Low/Off/Hi switch so it was nice and neat.

TOTAL COST $40-65 

It's almost as powerful as the Ryobi, which I also have and love, but easily ¼ to ½ the cost of the Ryobi.

What does a K9 Nose Work® trial look like?

K9 Nose Work™ is fun dog sport that is taught in a similar way to how professional scent detection dogs are taught, except that any dog can participate, little Fluffy or big Rover, old or young, super fit or disabled dogs—it doesn't matter, we include them all!  The dogs competing are typically family pets, the handlers are average people of all ages and abilities above 16 years old and from all walks of life that love doing fun things with their dogs.

The dogs use their amazing and superior noses to find things we want them to find, in the case of K9 Nose Work® they are looking for 1-2 contained Q-tip heads which have a tiny drop of birch, anise or clove essential oil on them (we don’t use drugs or explosives!).  We hide the contained Q-tips and then send the dog to find them.  The dogs LOVE it, and it uses their natural abilities.  It is amazing and fun to work the dogs and to watch as well.

During the actual "trial" there are 4 elements that the dog is tested on:  Exterior, Vehicles (we would bring 3-5 of our own), Containers, and Interiors.  For the Interior Element we would need 6-9 rooms (over 2-3 days of trialing) that are relatively close to each other. Additional needs are a room for the Score Room and one for Volunteer Hospitality.  Restrooms are preferred, but we can rent port-a-potties if needed.

We put out between 1 and 3 hides in each element that the dog has to find, the hides are Q-tips, usually two-three halves that have a very small amount of essential oil on them that is either birch, anise or clove. They are usually in some kind of container like a little 1" metal tin with holes.

One dog at a time runs one element, then the next dog and the next dog and so on.  We then repeat the same order of dogs running for the next element.  There is not a lot of commotion while a dog is trialing, it is calm and quiet and focused.

At each element we have a judge, certifying official, timers, judges steward, videographer and photographer and maybe a few spectators.

All dogs are kept safely and securely in their handlers vehicles unless that dog is being taken out to potty or heading for their turn to run.  Dogs in the parking area are ALWAYS on a 6' leash and do not interact with each other at any time.

The parking area is calm and individual handlers usually bring a chair and sit by their car waiting for their turn to run their dog.

We provide full insurance coverage.

Here are some photos from past K9 Nose Work® trials that give examples of how it is set up and run.

NOTE: All text and photos are copyrighted and may NOT be used in anyway, downloaded, copied, linked or any other use without specific permission from this site owner and/or the photographer.

Exterior Element

Alert!

Container Element

Alert!

Vehicle Element 

Alert!

Interior Element

Details:

(More photos of typical trial sites follow these notes.)

A trial entails being able to use the parking area and other exterior parts of the grounds, 6-10 interior rooms and one larger more open room from about 7 am to 6 pm each day of the event.  We would have between 25-35 dogs/handlers testing in the event and another 25-30 people volunteering and maybe a few spectators.

The dogs are on leash at all times, 6’ or less in any public area or parking area. (During the actual searches the dog may be on a longer leash. If the Interior search area is a safe and totally enclosed space the dog may work off-leash.) The dogs are only worked one dog at a time.  

When they are not working the dogs are secured inside their handlers vehicle or in a secure crate—except if they are being taken out to potty.  (We are very diligent about picking up all dog poo and providing our own garbage cans for it.)  In fact we leave places cleaner than we found them, and take all dog poo with us when we leave.

During the actual "test" there are 4 elements that the dog is tested on: Exteriors, Containers, and Interiors, Vehicles (we bring our own).

Typically Containers and Interiors are done inside, but Containers could be done outside if it is dry or under a covered area.  For Interiors we would need 6-10 rooms (total over the course of a 2-3 day trial) that are relatively close to each other.  Those rooms could be classrooms, offices, storage rooms or other interesting interior spaces.  The space would not be disturbed or messed up, the dogs/handlers just enter, do the search and leave.  For Containers a recreation hall or gym or other open space at approximately 500 sq. ft. or more is ideal.

We put out between 1 and 3 hides in each element that the dog has to find, the hides are Q-tips heads, usually 2-3 per container that have a very small amount of oil on them that is either birch, anise or clove. The hides are always inside some kind of container like a little round 1" metal tin with holes to allow the scent to escape.

One dog at a time runs one element at a time then the next dog and the next dog and so on.  Then we repeat the same order of dogs running the next element.  There is not a lot of commotion while a dog is trialing.  Just the dog and handler and the judging team of 4-7 are in the Element when a dog is working.  The parking area is calm and individual handlers usually bring a chair and sit by their car waiting for their turn to run their dog.

At each element we have about 5-7 volunteers, including a judge, certifying official, timers, a judges steward, and videographer.  They stay at each element until all the dogs have run and then move to the next element.

Our judges are typically professional K9 detection dog handlers from Multnomah County Sheriff K9 Units, Port of Portland K9 Units, Portland Fire Department arson dog handlers; active, retired and/or trainers for those entities.  There are typically 2-4 judges at the trial the entire day.

If we are approved for the location, we would come once by appt. to look at the facility, take photos and video and determine if the facility is appropriate and discuss additional details so we can plan the event according to the logistics of the location.  All locations have to be approved by our certifying organization, National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW).   www.nacsw.net

We are happy to answer any questions you may have.  We also provide full insurance coverage for ourselves, the location, the competitors and the parent organization, NACSW.

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Here are some fun photos of an NW3 trial.

They clearly show a target and alert, about as perfect as it gets.

Vehicles:

Targets odor, nice head twist and pin point.

Turns and a beautiful alert!

Can you tell she loves this sport!  What a smile.

Containers:

Nice speed and drive while searching.

Clear, sharp alert in Containers!

What a Trial Site looks like:

Set up: a few pop-up tents for shade at the Queue-up stations and Exterior and Vehicle Elements

Welcome Signs

Registration Table

Competitor Briefing

Queue-up Station

Next dog!

Keeping track of who has run.

Volunteers are ready.

Waiting your turn to run.

Waiting to enter the Element to search.

Waiting to enter the Element to search.

Waiting to enter the Element to search.

NACSW Certifying Official

NACSW Certifying Official

Score Room Team

Volunteer Hospitality

Our judges, current or retired professional K9 detection handlers or trainers.
Most are from police and sheriff departments in the area.

A judge in action watching the dog and handler.

Ready to start the search.

Ready to start the search.

Ready to start the search.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.


Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

Competitors waiting for their turn to run their dogs.

A view of a typical parking lot with competitors
providing shade for their dogs waiting in their vehicles.

All types of dogs play this sport!

Typical Element Area Set-ups

Containers

Vehicles

Interiors

Exteriors

Additional Photos and Videos Can Be Found 
HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

NOTE: All text and photos are copyrighted and may NOT be used in anyway, downloaded, copied, linked or any other use without specific permission from this site owner and/or the photographer.

© Terri Spaeth-Merrick 2018