Letting Your Dog Sniff “Other Stuff” in Scent Work Container Searches

When "Off Track" Isn’t Wrong

One of the most common things I see in container searches is the moment a dog veers off the boxes, and the handler immediately panics. You know the look: a glance at the judge, a tug on the leash, and the whispered “get back to work.” But here’s the thing: that dog might be doing exactly what they’re supposed to do.

In container searches, especially at the sport level, there’s this expectation that dogs should go box-to-box like they’re checking items off a list. But odor doesn’t behave in a straight line, and dogs don’t problem-solve like machines. They use environmental information—airflow, surfaces, space—to work odor to source. And that sometimes means sniffing “off-track.”

For newer dogs, especially green dogs just starting out, it’s even more important to give them room to work. These dogs are still figuring out what odor does. They’re learning how it behaves in space, how it clings to surfaces, how it moves with the wind. If a young dog sniffs the floor or walks over to the wall, it doesn’t mean they’re distracted. It might mean odor is pooling or drifting, and they’re trying to understand where it’s coming from. Let them work.

Let the Dog Learn

And yet, I see handlers trying to micromanage every moment. “Check this one. Now that one. Now come back here.” But if the dog is already working odor—if they’re trying to solve the puzzle—and we keep interrupting, we’re not helping. We’re teaching them to stop problem-solving and wait for instructions.

As dogs progress and gain more experience, more odor pictures, more exposure to different environments, we can start teaching them more efficient patterns and productive search strategies. That includes helping them learn how to move through a container area with purpose, stay focused, and check the most likely source points. In container searches, for example, that’s often the seams, not the lid or the center of the box, but the places odor is most likely to escape.

But those skills are earned over time. You don’t build them by constantly interrupting. You build them by letting the dog explore, solve problems, and learn what works.

Container searches aren’t just about items—they’re about odor. Your dog doesn’t care that it’s a line of boxes. They care where the scent is and how to get to it. And that’s where we have to change how we see the search.

Train for Independence

Another thing to consider is that dogs work differently depending on their experience with independence. A dog that’s had more freedom to explore and problem-solve tends to trust their nose more. A dog that’s been told where to go from the beginning may be more hesitant to break the pattern. You might get a dog who checks every box but doesn’t tell you when they’ve actually caught odor, because they’re too focused on “checking the list.”

Think About Your Long Game

This is where I encourage people to think about their long game. Do you want a dog that only works when you’re telling them what to do? Or a dog that can problem-solve on their own and tell you when it matters? You can absolutely teach a dog to search productively and independently, but not if you jump in too soon to micromanage the picture.

Trust the Dog

So what should you do when your dog sniffs the floor or walks away from the containers?

First: breathe.

Second: watch. Are they solving a puzzle? Catching a plume? Looping back on their own?

And finally: trust. If you’ve been training for odor obedience and problem-solving, give them space to do the job.

Container searches are a great place to develop handling habits, teach clarity, and learn to read your dog. But they’re not about staying in a straight line. They’re about reading the room, reading your dog, and understanding that sometimes the best move is to let go of control and let the dog lead.

At the end of the day, it’s not about checking every box, it’s about solving the puzzle. Let your dog do what they’ve been trained to do.