Exploring Nose Work Competitions

Bernard/Laura

Bernard is such a great success story. He came to the Peninsula Humane Society (PHS) from a Shelter in Tulsa Oklahoma. Unfortunately, despite everyone's best efforts, he was not adopted for 412 days! Thankfully, during that time, he was a beneficiary of the Shelter Dog Nose Work Program.

Laura Wirz, a volunteers at PHS, figured she should foster Bernard to help get him ready for adoption. Well, the foster placement turned into an adoption and now he is a member of a loving family!

Bernard got his ORT last year, but this year he showed his stuff and got his NW 1 Title. A happy story that gets better all the time.

Chloe/Rich

Chloe is another success story that found her forever home through the Peninsula Humane Society.

If we had a dancing with the stars competition, Chloe would win! She gets so excited when she finds odor and always enters a search area with gusto.

Team Chloe is building on their NW2 experiences and getting closer to a title every trial.

Finley/Caeli

Team Finley has been tearing through a variety of sniff and gos and trials in AKC and NACSW. In AKC they passed Buried and Containers. In NACSW they placed 1^st in Interiors, 3^rd in Exterior and 2^nd place vehicles. We're sure they will continue their winning ways in 2026.

Nutella/Isabel

"Nutella is most proud of her NW2 title that we got in Monterey after many many tries. Looking forward to NW3!!!"

Lily/Judy

“Our favorite NW successes this year is we passed our ORT and also titled in NW1 We also received pronounced in our Exterior and Vehicle search at the NW1 trial in San Jose.  Hooray! 

We really enjoy your classes so much.  They're fun and inspiring and educational.  And I really appreciate you and Mary being part of me and Lily's journey.  Thanks so much!”

Sloane/Linda

"Sloane nailed clove and anise at the ORT. There will be another ORT in their future."

Laura/Maui

Team Maui trialed and with the encouragement of Eric and Gianna the team got all three odors this year and passed their ORT. Maybe Gianna's cuteness helped to get the team over this hurdle. On to Nose Work 1!

Janice/Raffi

Raffi has made great strides. It was a big leap for Raffi to try a trial. In the first ORT search area he was pretty nervous about the room and hesitated a little going into the first search area. That made him a little unfocused when searching and so they were not successful.

Round 2 Janice got a little to excited and called alert when the hide was in another box (it happens). However, round 3 was a great success. Raffi finally seemed to be enjoying himself and did some real searching, but with a lot of false alerts. A learning experience for both of them…and fun! Hanging out with a classmate was another highlight of the day.

The next trial Raffi was more comfortable and he succeeded in getting one of the odors. He showed great progress in a trial environment. It was a big leap, and Janice (and Raffi) were very happy!

Cleo/Natalie

Team Cleo got in the holiday spirit by joining a sniffing extravaganza called the "Holiday Heist". During the search they checked out odor, but also searched for clues left by Elves telling them who stole the Holiday Spirit! Team Cleo rocked the searches and left with holiday cheer.

Elron/Betsey

Elron is our resident crooner and could sing backup for Taylor Swift. Not only is he a great singer, he is a talented Nose Work dog! Betsey entered a Nose Work 1 trial For Exhibition Only (FEO) to get a feel for what a trial is like, and to see how her boy would do in that setting (BTW this is a great thing to do and will give you first hand experience before you officially trial)

Elron did so well that if Betsey and Elron had their ORT and officially entered, they would have come in 3rd place!

We have to say good-bye to this amazing team as they are moving to Hawaii. However we will always remember what a great handler Betsey is and Elron's golden voice.

Polka/Isabel

"Polka is most proud of starting to learn the world of nosework and being training with all the professional sniffers… she looks forward to an ORT title in 2026! "

Skills Challenge Searches

Lucky/Christine

Christine's teammates, Sunny and Lucky, explored the NACSW Skills Challenge. The Skills Challenge is a virtual titling event offered by the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) for dog-and-handler teams involved in scent work. Instead of competing live at a trial, teams submit videos showing their dog performing specific scent-work skills for evaluation and a chance to earn a title.The NACSW skills challenge, high and inaccessible hides were no problems for Lucky and Sunny.

Seaside Sniffer Teams - A Year to Remember!

ORT

Judy /Lily– ORT

Laura/Maui - ORT

Janice/Rafi - 1 ORT pass

Cindy/Korra – 2 ORT passes

Gabi/Mia – 2 ORT passes

Linda/Sloane – 2 ORT passes

Trials

Isabel/Nutella – NW2 Title

Laura/Bernard – NW1 Title

Judy /Lily - NW1 Title

Caelii/Finley – 1^st Interiors 3^rd Exterior @ AKC

·      AKC Passed Buried and Containers

·      SLO 2^nd place vehicles

·      Pronounced Interior and Exterior

Enrichment

Betsey/Elron – NW 1 - 3^rd place FEO

Natalie & Simon/Cleo – Passed the Holiday Heist

Christine with Sunny and Lucky- Explored the NACSW skills challenge