Introduction
When it comes to training pet dogs in scent work, scentwork tins are a great piece of kit! These little containers are not just handy; they're also perfect for setting up fun training sessions at home or in training classes. I have pulled together a short article on why aluminium tins are a top pick for working with target odours for example gun, clove or truffle oil. I am focussing on aluminium simply because this is my metal of choice when it comes to scentwork tins.
Why Aluminium Scent tins?
Aluminium is a great choice for your scentwork tins because it doesn’t mess with the odour you’re using. Since it's chemically inert, aluminium won’t change the smell of the oils or whatever scent you decide to use. This means your dog gets a clear and consistent whiff every time, making your training sessions more about fun and less about confusion for your dog!
Comparing aluminium Scentwork tins with Other Materials
Using materials like wood and cardboard as scent vessels or hides, can be tricky because they soak up odours easily. Think about our own human scent, which sticks to porous substances, such as our clothing getting absorbed into the material. On the other hand, aluminum scentwork tins don’t absorb other odours. This makes them great for scentwork since the scent inside the tin stays pure.
Tins won't break the bank!
Scent work needn't be expensive, indeed a lot of the stuff we use for scentwork you will find around the house and garden, from flower pots to cars! Aluminum tins are super affordable and easy to find. You can pick them up easily online. from stores such as Amazon and with a just a little DIY knowhow you can make scentwork tins yourself. This makes them an ideal choice when you're just testing the waters of scent work and not quite ready to invest in more specialised scent work equipment.
Aluminium scentwork tins are lightweight and portable, plus they are a common bit of kit for most scentwork instructors.
The Size of the tin and ventilation
Choosing the right size for your scentwork tins and adjusting the amount of odour released are key steps to building those foundational skills and ensuring your dog’s training success. Getting these elements just right at the beginning of training will help to set the stage for your dog to suceed and enjoy scent detection. As a general rule, use larger tins with more vents for beginner dogs, and switch to smaller tins with maybe just a single vent for the more experienced sniffers. You’ll find that bigger tins are usually around 4-6 cm in diameter, while the smaller ones measure about 2-3 cm. Whether large or small, these tins are easy to hide around your home or garden—especially if you secure a strong magnet inside safely. They hold just the right amount of scented material to be challenging without being too obvious.
Let's look at venting your scentwork tins. We are looking for odour to drift out enough to challenge but not overwhelm your dog. The more holes, the more odour is released. A few small holes, maybe five to ten, punched in the top should do the trick. Remember to make your scent hides easy enough to detect in the early stages of scentwork training but not so much they are unpleasant, or overwhelming in the context of your training area. You might find this blog useful that I wrote about Preparing Gun Oil Soaks
Making your own tins for Scentwork..
If you just want to make holes in a few tins and don't mind a bit of DIY, it is a fairly easy process, but be sure to watch those fingers!
What you need..
- A stout hammer
- A few tins
- Leather punch or nail
- A peice of wood roughly the size of the inside of your tin.
First place the tin on the piece of wood to prevent your tin from buckling when you punch a hole. Then, using a leather punch, or a strong nail, and a hammer, carefully punch the amount of holes you need in the lid of the tin. Aim carefully — the goal is to let the scent escape, not give your fingers an unexpected whack!
My Top Tips for looking after your Scentwork tins..
1. Label each tin clearly:
When we ear-mark scentwork tins for a specific scent, label it clearly, so not to get our tins muddled up. This is now a "hot" tin and should always be used for the same odour to avoid contaminating your other scentwork vessels.
2. Keep Tins Separate:
Store tins dedicated to different odours separately, even when empty. This prevents the scents from mingling and potentially confusing your dog during training sessions.
3. Empty your Scentwork tins after each training session
Remove your soaks from your tin after each training session, dispose of used soaks carefully or return to your airtight storage jar. I like to use 350ml glass Kilner jars for this purpose. Using a glass storage jar means I can easily refresh my soaks ( pemeated odour cotton filters or Q-Tips) every 3 – 4 weeks in the jar, and popping the soaks in the scentwork tins when I need them.
Cons to using aluminium tins
1. Tins are metal, and can have sharp edges
Tins are metal and can be sharp on the inside, which may pose risks. I generally don't recommend scentwork tins for dogs that are 'grabby' or tend to be possessive. Such behaviours increase the risk of swallowing or biting down on the tins, potentially leading to injuries like cuts in the mouth from the metal edges.
2. Not designed to be durable
Whilst very convenient, scentwork tins are not really designed to withstand toothy dogs, so the slightest mouthing can cause dents.
Fun Facts about a Dogs nose..
💡 Did you know?
We all know that dogs have an incredible sense of smell, but did you know they can sniff through both nostrils independently? This amazing abilityallows them to not only detect odours but also determine the direction from which the smell is coming. This directional smelling is crucial during scentwork, as it helps them pinpoint the exact location of a scent source much more accurately and quickly. This is just one of the many reasons why dogs are such effective scent detectors!
Wrapping up
Aluminium scentwork tins really bring a lot to the table for scent work training with pet dogs. They keep the scents unaltered, are just the right size for hiding, and have the perfect amount of ventilation. Plus, they're affordable and easy to use anywhere. Whether you're just getting started or looking for ways to spice up your training, aluminium tins could be exactly what you need to make each session a "scentsational" adventure.
Happy Sniffing!
Kate Hart
Article written by Kate Hart, Gold Scentwork instructor with UK Sniffer Dog s and founder of the Sniffer Shop. Kate runs Scent Detection classses for Pet Dogs and covers Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Find your local UK Sniffer Dogs Instructor HERE
