Test your dog's detection skills,
Participate in scientific studies,
And win trophies and prizes!

Join us for the first-ever Detection Dog Trial hosted by the Comparative Cognition Laboratory at UC San Diego, led by Professor Federico Rossano. This event will put your dog’s cognitive and behavioral abilities to the test in a professionally judged competition, while contributing to our research on detection dogs. We recently opened the first dog cognition laboratory in California, dedicated to studying the remarkable abilities of both pet and working dogs. Our dog research has been featured in major news outlets, including Scientific American, the Telegraph, the New York Times and on Netflix. For this event, we are collaborating with San Diego's internationally acclaimed dog trainers from MAN-K9.

Professional Detection Dogs
Saturday, March 8th 2025 @UCSD

We invite professional detection dog handlers and their highly trained four-legged partners to participate in our professional detection trials—free of charge. This one-day event will feature expertly designed trials, including indoor, outdoor, and vehicle searches tailored for narcotics (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine), explosives (basic explosives), and firearm (guns, ammunition) detection dogs. Compete to showcase your skills for a chance to win trophies and prizes while contributing data to our research on the remarkable abilities of professional handler-dog teams. Supervised by Manuel Villanueva and a team of expert judges and trainers from MAN-K9, this trial can also qualify as an official training event. Trials will start at 9am and end in the late afternoon.

Non-professional Detection Dogs
Sunday, March 9th 2025 @UCSD

Do you and your dog love practicing scent detection as a sport using essential oils (birch, clove, anise)? You can join us on Sunday for an exciting day of professionally run and judged detection trials! Not only is this is your chance to showcase your dog’s skills, but you can be part of groundbreaking research into the extraordinary coordination and teamwork of humans and dogs. Participation is free and you have a chance to win trophies and prizes. Trials will start at 10.30am and end in the late afternoon. Don't miss this opportunity to put your nosework training to the test!

Location
UCSD Campus, La Jolla, CA

Both the professional and non-professional detection dog trials will take place right in the heart of the University of California, San Diego's campus in La Jolla. Areas for participants and their families and visitors will include seating, pet relief areas, water stations, food options, and more. The trials will take place in Prize Center's Ballroom West (indoor search), and a parking lot next to Matthews Quad (outdoor & vehicle search). The large lawn of Matthews Quad and the adjacent Town Square will provide spaces for socializing, relaxing, and refreshments.

Win Individualized Trophies

We created event-specific trophies, designed and made by Siddhant Bhardwaj, which will be handed out for each category and the end of the day and will include the handler's and dog's name. The top three contestants of each day will also win a debit gift card (1st: $250, 2nd: $100, 3rd: $50).

Trophy

Interested in participating?

Fill out the Google Form linked below to indicate you are interested in receiving more information on the event and details for signing up soon.

Sponsors

COGSCI