Often we focus on what our dogs are doing that we don't want.  But here is a secret - if you can define what you would like your dog to do in that situation, and the steps to teach that, you will make more progress towards your goal.

Recently I was reminded of this in my own life, as adolescent Liv started barking more and more when it was time to go outside first thing in the morning, and when I got home at night after teaching classes.  I did the usual shushing her, and as you can probably guess, it didn't do anything.  It wasn't until I stepped back and put on my dog trainer hat that I saw change.

When placing hides to practice with your scent dog, it's very tempting to look for fun/interesting spots.  And if you are doing it for a fun, enjoyable activity for your dog there is nothing wrong with that!  But, if you are practicing for competition, it's a good idea to make sure to practice a variety of hide situations so your dog's practice is well rounded.  Some common ones include:

If you don't practice hides that are right at the start of your search area, your dog may learn that it isn't worth it to search the first part of the area and will rush in and start searching partway into the area.

I find this cue to be extremely helpful, and even more so when it becomes something a dog offers instead of say, jumping up on the kitchen counter.