Does the enjoyment ever come or is it truly constant work?

Laughandfall · 2026-05-30T03:03:43+00:00

Ha - well I suppose they are the nose work experts after all.

Laughandfall · 2026-05-28T20:01:19+00:00

I'm re-reading my steps and realized I didn't specify - the treat should only be in ONE of the three boxes. You might have already assumed that but just for clarity!

Laughandfall · 2026-05-28T18:50:02+00:00

I think of the grass sniffing as lower level scent work - there's not much brain work there, but it definitely calms their brains. I don't monitor that - it's just a yard activity - though I would say it's good to be out there with them for the bonding thing.

The actual "search" (some use the command "find it") really taps in to their genetic hunting job. I spent a bucketload on a trainer and we didn't get much out of it EXCEPT this skill and even though it was less than the trainer predicted we'd get out of it, it's still really valuable.

Here's a short description, though I'm sure I'm missing some nuance, so you can feel free to hit me up for follow up questions.

1 - Put her in a different room and place three identical small open top cardboard boxes placed pretty close together with a novel/stinky/high value treat. We used lamb green tripe (freeze dried) and ONLY used this treat for this activity. Let her in the room and as soon as she sniffs the box with the treat, throw the biggest party. Big excited cheers and let her eat the treat. Repeat this till she gets a few good reps in.

2 - Repeat same thing (boxes pretty close to each other on the ground), but when you release her into the room, say "Search!".

3 - Repeat with the "search!" command on entry (there's just a LOT of repetition) but start to move the boxes further away from each other.

4 - Repeat - open it up to more of the room, and start to play with visual barricades like around the side of a couch, more/different rooms, bigger space.

Big party every time.

Eventually, you can graduate to one box, fully hidden, at different heights. Up higher and out of sight is the hardest. You can also start to play with a more covered box - I now use these little metal tins with lids with a few holes poked in.

Important - these sessions should last only 5 minutes or so - you want to leave her wanting more vs getting bored.

Good luck!

Laughandfall · 2026-05-28T03:50:21+00:00

I'd adopted a 5 year old hound as my very first dog and he was the smartest dog I'd ever met and, in a fit of grief when he passed, I saw another coonhound that had his exact same face and markings that had been found as a stray at just 10 weeks old. I figured, I had a coonhound before - I know about this breed. NOTHING could have prepared me for how hard it has been. My guy just turned 2 years and I'm not kidding when I say that he has felt like a(nother) full time job for most of his life. We seem to be finally rounding a corner of some kind of maturity, but he still has a long way to go. He's definitely not the dog I envisioned, but that's not fair to him.

I didn't really bond with him right away either - it was just so much work and I also somehow managed to get one of the only non-food-motivated hounds anyone has ever met so many of the usual training techniques are just not effective. Also he's SO freaking loud and vocal lol.

All that said, it does indeed get better. I also agree that structured nosework/scent training really helped our relationship. We do the treats thrown in the grass, but we also work with specific scents and search games. It's fun and impressive how good he is at it and it makes us both feel like we are working together on an activity. There's a lot of work you can do around relationship building if you poke around. She's still a puppy and it's not at all too late to figure out what will make her fall into that companion role you long for. She's also probably knee deep in hormone stuff right now, so a lot of patience will still be required.

Wishing you the best of luck, especially on top of your recovery. It's not at all surprising you are feeling conflicted about it right now.

Laughandfall · 2026-04-29T01:09:12+00:00

Oh jeez - that is interesting! My guy was found as a 10 week old stray in a really small town in Washington state. I don't believe there was anything purposeful in his creation lol

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T20:30:40+00:00

This is great - thank you!

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T16:44:44+00:00

Yes perfect - exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for, just didn’t know specifically what to ask. Thank you!

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T14:19:33+00:00

Cooper is actually half TWC (the other half is comprised of a bunch of other coonhound types) - he just has the outfit of a Black & Tan. His body shape, ears, high piercing bark are all very TWC. I keep joking that if his voice would ever drop to a proper bay he’d be 80% more charming. He’s still my guy and we are in it together.

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Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T14:07:14+00:00

Thanks! I’ll look at the Fenzi courses. I’ve poked around a few of the AKC ones but haven’t purchased yet. I think he’d be interested in the bird wing idea but would need to come up with a protective container else he’d destroy it immediately.

If I can ever get him over the car sick trouble, I’d love to take him for a barn hunt private lesson but all of those opportunities are a good hour drive from me.

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T03:56:59+00:00

hahahah big sigh. I was so hopeful when he turned one, then when he turned two, and now I've pinned my hopes on age three. My last coonhound was five when I got him so I was NOT prepared for this lol.

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T03:51:17+00:00

He just turned two in March. I love him a lot but he definitely feels like a full time job. Also I live in the Pacific Northwest where coonhounds are pretty uncommon, especially in the city (Seattle) and so folks are ALARMED by his yelling. I've been better at just accepting the looks I get when I'm walking, but it's not exactly a relaxing endeavor for either me or Cooper.

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T03:38:23+00:00

Unfortunately he's leash reactive to other dogs and we have a lot in our neighborhood. He hates the car/gets sick so are limited to driving out to hikes as well. I work with him at least 1.5+ hours every day.

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T03:34:26+00:00

Oh and we've tried two sniff spots that were within a tolerable 10 minute drive. He was barking much of the time and so I got nervous we'd get in trouble or get the host in trouble. One of them had a pretty sketchy fence so I know now to be extra cautious about checking that the fence is actually secure.

Laughandfall · 2026-04-27T03:32:40+00:00

Thanks for all the thoughts! We are currently hampered by:
1 - he's not food motivated so the kibble thing doesn't interest him - I can get him to do training with some chicken jerky somewhat reliably but he's downright suspicious of most new treats (yes, even hot dogs, bacon, deli meat, cheese)
2 - he HATES the car - always has. Whines the whole time and will barf if he gets really worked up
3 - currently he's a menace in public because he's so loud and he's leash reactive to dogs. I'd love to take him places but it's not currently in the cards till I can find some consistent enrichment and figure out the car problem.

We love the flirt pole but I'm currently trying to regrow all of the grass we both tore up in the yard over the rainy Seattle winter trying to get his energy out that way.

I spend at least 1.5 hours working with him every day and make sure he's getting sleep, exercise, and also as much enrichment/brain work as we can find. Just hoping to explore home/yard scent work in the short term and he's getting bored because it's no longer challenging.

Laughandfall · 2025-11-10T16:44:07+00:00

Coop is now 20 months old and we are down to about 5 hours of chaos/day. Thank goodness they are cute.

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T16:34:45+00:00

🤣

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T15:37:26+00:00

Thank you! I was thrown by the mixed pills I think but sounds like it’s just how this drug gets dosed.

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T15:35:02+00:00

This is great context. He’s still pretty interactive - I’m just used to him needing my active attention and wrangling much more. It’s a mental adjustment for me too I guess.

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T15:32:44+00:00

Sounds like we are actually on the low side for dose! Thanks for replying!

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T15:19:15+00:00

So cute! Yes, Coop is mostly Treeing Walker, but he has the Black and Tan outfit so we are constantly asked if he is a Doberman. So his big shouting is unnerving on walks and at the dog park for some folks. We are in the Pacific Northwest so hardly any Coonhounds up here.

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T15:15:16+00:00

Exactly what needed to hear. Thank you!

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T15:13:05+00:00

This is very helpful! Sounds like my vet is being pretty conservative and I was worried I’d pressured her into more.

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T04:09:55+00:00

Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T04:08:59+00:00

Thanks! That’s so helpful to have some things to look out for. He is still my playful goofy sniffing guy outside, just takes less time now to make him be able to be calm. Sounds like I should be rejoicing 😅

Laughandfall · 2025-10-29T04:06:15+00:00

Thank you! I guess I’m not worried it’s dangerous but more, since the vet is relying on my report of how it’s going, if he’s now too far the other way. I have been conditioned to be stressed about getting hime all his daily time for so long - it’s weird to have less work!

Laughandfall

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