Training Session Timer Planner
Enter your reps, work duration, and rest interval to get a full session timeline with warm-up and cool-down built in.
Session length: 4:30
Why structure a short session at all
Scent work sessions are usually short — a few minutes of real search time is mentally tiring for a dog long before it's physically tiring. A brief warm-up settles the dog into “work mode”, clear rest windows between reps prevent frustration from carrying over into the next search, and a short cool-down closes the session out calmly instead of ending on peak arousal.
Print or screenshot the timeline and use it as a simple stopwatch script for the session — no app required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as one 'rep' here?
One rep is a single search-and-find — the dog works one hide (or one round of hides) for your chosen work duration, then gets a rest before the next one. It's a generic timing structure that fits nose-work reps, obedience reps, or any short, repeated training drill.
Why no rest after the very last rep?
The timeline models a training set, not open-ended kennel time — once the last rep's work window ends, the cool-down segment takes over immediately, since there's no next rep to rest before.
How long should a rest interval actually be?
It depends on the intensity of the rep and your dog's arousal level — a fast, high-drive search often needs a longer settle before the next one so the dog resets rather than carrying frustration or over-arousal forward. There's no universal number; start conservative and watch your dog's behavior between reps.
Can I use this for something other than scent work?
Yes — the warm-up/work/rest/cool-down structure is generic. It works just as well for planning short obedience drills, trick-training sets, or any structured repetition-based session.