Socket Dummy for Scent Training

It looks like an ordinary power socket, but it hides… a real challenge for your dog's nose! The socket decoy for Nosework training is a clever, magnetic hiding spot for Fluonose Nano+ cans – perfect when you want to raise the bar and start working on walls, doors, or metal shelves. Instead of placing traditional containers on the floor, you “pull” the search up a level (literally) and watch your dog learn bracketing and precise indication of the scent source.

When designing Fluonose accessories, we focus on practicality. The decoy has a classic, European socket size (85 × 65 × 36 mm), so it easily “blends” into the surroundings. We have hidden strong neodymium magnets in the base (tested on stainless steel, refrigerators, and garage doors – it holds securely even with a dynamic “nose-boop”). This allows you to quickly change the height and location of the training, and the dog learns to work in different conditions, following the principle of “change one parameter at a time to avoid overwhelming difficulty.”

Key parameters

• 📏 Overall dimensions: 85 mm (H) × 65 mm (W) × 36 mm (D).
• ⚖️ Weight: ~60 g (with empty can).
• 🔩 Mounting: built-in neodymium magnets.
• 🧼 Cleaning: warm water + mild detergent.
• 🌡️ Temperature range: from -10 °C to +50 °C (occasional use).

How to prepare a scented can?

Nano+ can has a threaded lid and ventilation holes. Just insert, for example, a piece of cinnamon or soak some cotton with any essential oil (birch oil, anise, clove – the most common scents in NACSW) and screw it on. Remember to always work with gloves and store oils in airtight containers away from the dog's nose – improper storage can “dull” the dog's motivation.

Sample training scenario (Interior Wall Hide)

1. Stage 1 – familiarization: Place the socket at the dog's chest height, in a spot with low air movement. Allow your pet to explore freely and reward quick indication.
2. Stage 2 – bracketing: Move the socket 20 cm higher. Observe how the dog “draws” characteristic arcs on the wall – this is called bracketing, or checking the edges of the scent cone.
3. Stage 3 – increasing difficulty: Add “blind” decoys (empty sockets or real contacts). This way, the dog has to filter visual stimuli and focus on the scent.
4. Stage 4 – variable aerodynamics: Open a window or turn on a fan to disrupt the scent cone. The dog will learn to adjust its search path according to the airflow.
5. Stage 5 – “luxury” session: Place several sockets in the room at different heights. Introduce a delay in reward to encourage the dog to solidify the behavior of static indication.

With the magnetic module, you can move the entire “obstacle course” to another room or even outside in a minute – variety of environments is key for skill generalization 🐾.

Summary – why is it worth it?

• 🚀 Quick change of difficulty level: just move the socket higher or lower.
• 🔍 Better scent work diagnostics: you can see how the dog works with the scent cone.
• 🎯 Precise indication: smaller container = smaller “scent spot”, greater accuracy.
• 🛡️ Safety and hygiene: plastic casing does not rust, easy to clean.
• 🔄 Compatibility: fits Fluonose Nano+ cans.

Ready to jump to a new level of Nosework? Grab the socket decoy and give your dog a puzzle that no… plug will solve! 😉