Introduction
The origin of the Kong dates back to the 1970s in Colorado, USA, when founder Joe Markham crafted the first Kong from a rubber suspension part of an old VW bus. Actually, you could say it was his dog, Fritz a retired police dog, who really discovered the Kong! Joe a mechanic, noticed how Fritz loved chewing and playing with the rubber part. This quirky discovery led to the creation of a toy that was not only durable and flexible—originally designed to withstand the rigours of the road—but also tough enough for the jaws of even the most enthusiastic chewers. Today, the Kong still retains that distinctive 'beehive' shape, reminiscent of the original car suspension part.
A bit about Scent Work
Scentwork is a fun and stimulating activity that not only deepens the bond between dogs and their owners but also provides essential brain work that our canine companions need for their mental wellbeing.
In Scentwork the choice of tools and methods used in training shapes the overall experience for both dog and handler. One tool that has gained popularity over the last few years is the Kong, more specifically the Red Kong. Let’s explore some of the benefits and potential pitfalls of using a Red Kong in scentwork training as a target odour.
"Did you know? Red Kong is the target odour in the popular UK Sniffer Dog Bronze courses and one of the odours in the more advanced Gold Level UK Sniffer Dog courses.."
Benefits of Using Red Kong in Scent Detection
Ideal for Beginners: If you're just dipping your paws into the world of scentwork, the Kong is a great starting point! Combined with being robust the Red Kong has a distinctive texture and odour which makes it a great starter target odour. Indeed Kong is the odour of choice in the popular UK Sniffer Dog Bronze Level UK Sniffer Dog courses.
Inert Odour: A major advantage of using Kong is its inert nature. This means there’s less chance of odour molecules transferring from the Kong to you or around the training area. This helps maintain a clean training environment, focusing solely on the dog's sniffing efforts. It’s worth noting that residual Kong odour may linger for a few minutes after the Kong piece or hide ( container with Kong piece ) has been removed, though this can be influenced by environmental factors such as heat, the size of the Kong piece, and how long it has been in place.
Hassle free Setup: Kongs are super easy to transport and don’t require much preparation unlike other oil based target odours such as clove or gun oil. This makes it easier to get training sessions up and running with minimal fuss and low risk of odour contamination.
Wash and Go: Kongs are reusable. Simply wash them in hot water; you can use detergent but ensure you rinse thoroughly to remove any residue and allow them to air dry. Simple!
Kongs are commonplace in most doggy households. Chances are there's already one lying around your house so your dog may already have a positive association with a Kong.
Watchouts when Using Kong in Scentwork
Reduced Scent Novelty: The flip side of having a Kong around the house is that it might lose its novelty as a scent object. If your dog is too used to the smell, they might not be as curious or motivated during training sessions. We might need to ensure that we make the Kong more exciting and take a bit more time pairing reinforcement with the Kong odour so the dog attaches a high value to the Red Kong.
Challenges with Detection: The heavier nature of the Kong’s scent molecules might make it a little tougher for dogs to detect, especially compared to more volatile scents like gun oil. This could mean extra work on scentwork foundations, and being mindful not to cause frustration in our budding sniffer dogs by progressing too quickly.
Potential for Waste and Expense: If you’re using smaller containers for training, like tins or vials, you might find cutting up a Kong a bit galling, especially a brand new one. After all, Kongs aren’t the cheapest toys on the shelf! We also need to be careful when slicing up Kong – we want our dogs to sniff out Kong, not our cut up fingers!
But why RED Kong?
When it comes to picking a Kong for scentwork, the colour is more than just an aesthetic choice:
Sniffing not Seeing.. A fascinating fact is that dogs don’t really “see” red. It appears as a dark grey or black to them, which encourages them to use their noses more than their eyes.
A Unique Scent Profile..The Red Kong actually smells differently from its blue or black counterparts due to differences in the manufacturing process, this is why we need to use a Red Kong and not another colour.
In summary..
While there are a few cons to consider, the advantages of using a Red Kong in Scentwork training particularly for beginners generally outweigh the cons. Whether you're training for fun or with more serious goals in mind, bringing a red Kong into your scentwork activities can lead to enriching and fun experiences for both you and your dog.
Engaging in scentwork has loads of benefits for pet dogs. It builds their confidence, provides rich mental stimulation, and allows them to indulge in their natural sniffing instincts. Activities like these can significantly improve a dogs sense of well-being.
Happy Sniffing!
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Kate Hart
Article written by Kate Hart, Gold Scentwork instructor with UK Sniffer Dogs and founder of the Sniffer Shop. Kate runs Scent Detection classses for Pet Dogs and covers Bristol and South Gloucestershire
