Photo Credit: Terri Spaeth-Merrick

I started training K9 Nose Work® with my dogs and volunteering in NACSW-sponsored trials in 2010 when NACSW first brought this new sport to Oregon. I have hosted dozens of Nose Work trials since 2015. After watching the joy coming from so many dogs in training and competition, K9 Nose Work® became my passion and I became certified as a CNWI (Certified Nose Work Instructor) through NACSW.

I had already been doing other performance dog sports with both Shamus and Siobhan when I decided to start taking K9 Nose Work® classes with my then 7½ year old papillon, Shamus. He was very independent, and more importantly, motivated by food! He was the first papillon to earn the NW3 ELITE title....Good Boy! Shamus and I competed over the years until I had to retire him just shy of his ELITE 3 title.

My other papillon, sweet and sassy Siobhan, also competed in K9 Nose Work® until she retired with a NW3 title.

I am currently training with Flyn, a highly motivated and independent little hunter who loves this game! Flyn is competing at the Excellent/Master levels in AKC Scent Work and recently earned his NACSW NW3 ELITE title.