“Jardine,” a 12-year-old male Dalmatian, is the Sherlock Holmes of scent spots. CH. Hot2spot Rocked My World sniffed out 59 AKC Scent Work titles, the most ever achieved by any dog as of 2026. These include 32 Element titles and 27 Level titles.
In AKC Scent Work, dogs begin by searching for cotton swabs saturated with the essential oils of Birch, Anise, Clove, and Cypress, completely hidden from both the handler and the canine. Dogs search elements, which include Container, Interior, Exterior, Buried, and Handler Discrimination, across four levels: Novice, Advanced, Excellent, and Master, plus Detective. When the dog locates the scent, it alerts the handler.
Jardine also earned qualifying and advanced titles in Diving Dogs, agility, AKC Rally, AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU), and AKC Community Canine (CGCA) for a total of 156 titles. These include CC FCAT5 SWD2 CZ8P SWME2 SHDME2 NJP NAP NFP RA BN VXA AMX6 DMX3 DE ORT NW3 UJJ JD RATI RATO CAX TDI TT TKP CGCA CGCU.
Building Sensory Success
How did this spotted dog nose his way to the top?
Jardine’s journey began when his breeder and owner, Laurie Isaacson of Castro Valley, California, capitalized on her dog’s innate sense of smell. Dogs have over 200 million scent receptors, while humans possess only five million.
While some Herding, Hound, and Sporting breeds are known for their superior scent skills in finding explosives for the military or helping police search for missing people, Dalmatians aren’t commonly a choice for this line of work. But as a member of the Non-Sporting Group, the Dalmatian’s spirited determination, curiosity, and stamina make the breed a formidable odor chaser. “Many Dalmatians are enjoying this sport,” says Isaacson. “It’s great for all breeds, especially senior dogs with limited or declining mobility who can’t participate in more active sports like Dock Diving or agility.” Participating in Scent Work is low-impact and keeps minds engaged.
Positive Training Is Key
At first, Jardine loves the challenge of searching, but for him, the best part is receiving an instant reward when he makes a find. “He pulls me to the start line, and as soon as I say, ‘Let’s go,’ he sniffs the air and begins searching the area,” Isaacson says. Highly food-motivated, the Dal’s smug look, bouncing body, and fast wagging tail certainly convey, “I found it, Mom, I’m ready for a treat, and let’s have a party.”
“My dog loves doing anything with me because I try to make our training and going to trials a lot of fun,” Isaacson says.
In a way, Scent Work mimics the Dalmatian’s original purpose of trotting alongside a coach and staying close to its owner. “The Dal had to make decisions on its own, guard its person, and not lose focus on the job all at the same time,” Isaacson says.
The Learning Curve
After completing his conformation championship at 18 months old, Jardine’s search for scents began in 2019, at 5 years old. Isaacson wanted to compete in Conformation at the Dalmatian Club of America’s National Specialty in Huron, Ohio, which was the first year of AKC Scent Work trials. “When I learned that the club was holding a Scent Work trial, I decided to introduce Jardine to the aromas and prepare to enter him,” Isaacson says.
Jardine’s passion for Scent Work came naturally. His dam, “Miley” BISS GCH Sweet Spot Hot2spot Best of Both Worlds , was the first Dalmatian to earn upper-level AKC Scent Work titles, including the challenging Detective title.
“Jardine has a different learning style than his mother’s,” Isaacson says. “It can be a challenge sometimes because if he sees a squirrel or a lizard when we’re doing a search, he’d prefer chasing after them and forget the essence he’s looking for.”
In addition to participating in numerous sports, Jardine has also earned the Dalmatian Club of America Coaching Certificate. “It doesn’t seem to matter what sport he’s involved in because he’s consistent and methodical in everything he does,” Isaacson recalls. “When we competed in Dock Diving at the AKC Invitational in Orlando, he stared at the bumper for the longest time and does that the same way every time he’s at the pool.” The first Dalmatian to complete an air retrieve in Dock Diving, he’s also the first Dalmatian with the AKC Dock Diving title of Air Retrieve Master Excellent 6 (AMX6).
“We’re always learning new things as much as we can,” Isaacson says. “Despite dips in the road with a squirrel or a lizard to distract him here and there, getting out there and having fun is what it’s all about for both of us.”
Despite their long experience in dog sports, Isaacson admits to occasional handler error. On one Scent Work search, Jardine couldn’t find the odor, and Isaacson couldn’t figure out why. “I kept hitting my head on something hanging from the ceiling, and I thought it was part of the house,” Isaacson recalls. “It turned out the odor was inside a ball hung from the ceiling.”
When the team isn’t in a class or at a trial, they’re relaxing at home. “When I chose this breed, I wanted a breed that was sweet, cuddly, would go with the flow, and easy to live with,” Isaacson says. “When I bred Jardine’s litter, he was the thinker of the group and had great structure to hold up and participate in dog sports.” Working for cookies is always a bonus.