Douglas College hopes man's best friends will follow their noses to help raise money.
The college is hosting its first ever Nose Work Games on Sept. 23 at its Coquitlam campus, a fundraiser for DC's alumni bursary program.
Here's how it works: For a donation of $10, you and your dog can participate in an obedience game that will have them searching for a box of food using their highly-sensitive sniffer.
Dogs are tasked with finding a scent, typically birch, clove or anise essential oils, but for this introductory game, some doggy snacks are hidden for the dogs to find.
It's a lot of fun, says Arleigh Bell, who is the chair of the Douglas College Alumni Association and is certified in training dogs to do nose work or scent tracking.
She says dogs love the sport, which works for all kinds of dogs — big or small, fast or slow, young or old and even nervous dogs — because there is contact with other pooches.
"Just to watch how the dogs take off and enjoy the game — even dogs that are scared of anything, it's amazing to watch," said Bell.
• The Nose Work Games fundraiser takes place Friday, Sept. 23 from noon to 4 p.m. on the Douglas College David Lam Campus green next to 1250 Pinetree Way. To reserve a space (only 20 spots are available), email [email protected]. A $10 donation provides for 10 minutes, with funds going to support the alumni bursary. Veterinary tech students will also be on hand and there will be a chance to bid on silent auction items.
