Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for everyone who's fallen down the scent work rabbit hole — and loves it there. Scot sits down with judges, competitors, and community builders from AKC, NACSW, ASCA, UKC, and beyond for the conversations you've always wanted to have but never had time for on trial day. We talk nose work and scent work training philosophy, competition mindset, and the perspectives that shape how we think about this dog sport. We celebrate the wins, laugh at the disasters, and dig into origin stories — because how did any of us end up here, completely obsessed with watching our dogs use their noses? Whether you're trialing every weekend or just discovering K9 nose work and scent work for the first time, this show is about the whole scent work life — the sport, the dogs, and the community that makes it all worth it.
If the journey with your dog in this sport is the priority, success can fall into place for any team. And Caroline Oldham puts a lot of effort into focusing on the journey. And doing so helps both the dog and handler achieve their goals. She also talks about her crate-to-crate ritual and why she does it, what your dog's breed group tells you about how they search, building handler grit, and a start line tip she thinks will make a difference for most teams. What We Talk About Caroline's pack, Timber the Welsh Springer, Kate the Malinois who made her a planner, and Rebarre the yellow lab she planned a year before she got her What training a Malinois teaches you that no other breed will Breed groups and what they tell you about how your dog searches The dog is always learning whether or not you're teaching, and what Caroline did with that idea the first hour she had Rebarre Your dog is perceiving odor, not just smelling it, and why that reframe changes how you handle The toy basket mistake and why all good things should come from you Clarity, no gray days, black and white rules that hold even when you don't feel like training The one treat that is only for the discovery of odor Crate to crate, what the ritual looks like from the hotel to the search area to the car ride home What success looked like with the first dog and what it looks like now Two stories about what it looks like to drive home from a trial and call it a success even when you don't do as well as you wanted Handler grit and what it takes to keep your rituals in place when everything is falling apart The self-care coach on her training team and why the handler is half the partnership Seven questions with Caroline, including her signature distractor, the start line tip she thinks will make a difference for most teams, and what her dog would say about her in one word Links and Resources Find Caroline: Facebook: Caroline Oldham Facebook group: Scent Work Texas Southern DFW Scent Training seminars: ckoldham@att.net Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors, the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
Joanne Soyke had a Border Collie named Flip who finally found a sport that let him use his powers for good rather than evil. From that moment, from competing to training to judging, she's made it her mission to bring the gift of scent work to every dog since. That mission is rooted in something she comes back to throughout this conversation. Dogs let us into their world when they search. They share something with us that we can barely comprehend, and the more we learn to listen, the richer that experience gets for the dog and for us. She also talks about the tools that help you get there. And a mantra she borrowed from Jeff McMahon that she takes to every start line: I'm grateful for whatever the dog wants to share with me today. What we talk about: Joanne's origin story, a border collie named Flip who finally got to use his powers for good instead of evil CARAT, the Suzanne Clothier assessment tool that changed how Joanne sees every dog she works with The over-aroused Doberman and the start line routine she built around him The terrified rat terrier who went from scared of a box to knocking them across the room Judging philosophy, fun and fair, not trying to trick you or your dog How the environment dictates the difficulty of the hides she sets The sunshine through the windows she didn't notice and what that moment taught her about judging. What's actually going through her head when she's watching you run The blind hide exercise that builds your ability to read your dog Why your one step after finding a hide might be costing you a converging Trusting your dog and sharing the responsibility of the search Are you trying to trial today or for the next 10 years The mantra she takes to every start line Seven questions with Joanne, including who in her pack keeps her humble, the wedding line, and what her dog would say about her in one word Find Joanne: www.furbetterfurworse.com Facebook: Fur Better Fur Worse Dog Training Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
Melissa Sowa has been judging since buried hides had to be placed using a drill. She's competed through Summit in NACSW and detective in AKC, and judges for AKC, C-WAGS, and USCSS. When she talks about what works and what doesn't in this sport, she has seen it from just about every angle there is. And a lot of what she comes back to is the same idea. Take your time. At the start line. Covering your search area. Moving up the levels. Paying your dog. It shows up everywhere in this conversation and in everything she sees as a judge. We also spend a lot of time on the handler side of things, because in scent work we talk a lot about training the dog but there is just as much to work on as the human half of the team. What we talk about: Detective search coverage, what covering an area really means, and what Melissa does before she calls finish One hide syndrome, why it's real, what causes it, and what to do about it How competing at Summit changed how detective search areas feel to her Memory as a skill, she said she has a horrible memory and walked us through exactly how she trained herself out of it How you start the search is how it's going to go What organizational psychology taught her about rewarding her dog The pay discrepancy between training and trialing and what to do about it Don't rush the levels, why staying and getting more practice can make a real difference Why you might pay for a lack of nos at the lower levels What she sees handlers do that costs them Qs, things that have nothing to do with the dog Influencing your dog, her thoughts, and how she idiot proofs her own dogs in training USCSS and the stupid handler trick, yes this is a real competition element Two judge stories, one involving a metal detector, one involving a monsoon Seven questions with Melissa, signature distractors, what her dogs would say about her, and what happened when she played a kitten meowing and frogs chirping as audio distractors at trials Find Melissa: vforcedogtraining.com Facebook: VForce Dog Training Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors, the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
Dianna Santos came to scent work through a dog-aggressive Doberman who needed a reason to be a dog. Zeus couldn't go for walks. He couldn't be around other dogs. His world was shrinking, and so was hers. What happened when he started searching changed him. It also changed how she thinks about this activity: who it's for, what it can do, and why she believes every dog with a nose deserves to play it. She went on to build Scent Work University and produce over 140 episodes of the All About Scent Work podcast. When I asked her to distill all of those conversations down to some themes that keep coming up, she landed on odor will humble you and focus on the dog. What she said about the first one felt like she'd been following me around with a notebook. The second is a good paradigm for all of us to remember. We also get into something many competitors wrestle with: how much involvement the handler should have, and what that balance actually looks like in a search. And if you have a reactive or dog-aggressive dog, Dianna has a lot worth hearing that might help you. What we talk about: The two themes Dianna keeps hearing from the best in the sport and what they mean for the rest of us The universal handler journey, why it looks the same for almost everyone, and why understanding it helps you push through the hard parts What focus on the dog really means when something is going wrong in a search How much involvement should a handler have, and what finding that equilibrium actually looks like Zeus, a dog-aggressive Doberman, and what scent work gave him that nothing else could The choice point, what it means for any dog to choose the work over whatever else is pulling at them What scent work surfaces about your dog during training and how to address it outside of a search so it stops costing you in the ring Dogs with challenges, reactive, fearful, dog aggressive, and what perspectives and approaches can actually help How closed off a handler's life can become around a difficult dog, and what starts to open up Scent work as the activity, not just the sport, and why Dianna will go to her grave defending every dog's right to play it Seven questions with Dianna, including what still delights her, the most rewarding thing someone has ever said to her, and the piece of advice that stuck Find Dianna: scentworku.com All About Scent Work podcast Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors, the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
Kristi Murdock might be the most appreciated person in AKC Scent Work. She built wesmellbetter.com, a free site that tracks every qualifying score, title, placement, and fastest-in-trial result in the sport. I talk to Kristi about the site's origin, what she thinks is the coolest feature more people need to know about, and how people use the site to increase their enjoyment of scent work. But this episode is also about Kristi as a competitor. We talk about why, at first, her dog didn't seem to like nosework, what she's learned about being a better handler, and why she considers herself a smellevangelist. What we talk about: The origin of wesmellbetter.com — holiday complaining, a visiting brother who knew how to scrape websites, and Doug deciding to learn Python What other competitors say about the site. The alerts feature — Kristi's current infatuation and why you probably want to sign up for them The Trial Finder, the achievement section, and the NQ tracking most people don't know about How the site changed the way Scot thinks about titles, and why Kristi blames herself for his new spending habits The story of Kristi's first nose work dog — and what she figured out years later that explains everything Nose work as rehabilitation — how it became the right tool at exactly the right moment Handler challenges — living in the moment and what Kristi calls odor goggles What coaching finally taught her about her job as a handler Stress management for dog sports — Hélène Lawler's curriculum and what it actually addresses Seven questions with Kristi — including her dog's favorite reward, what her dog would say about her as a handler, a very specific strategy she had for dealing with a very unique distractor in a Detective search. Find Kristi: wesmellbetter.com — sign up for a free account and the alerts feature Facebook: We Smell Better Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
I ran under Karen Allen at a detective trial and didn't Q. What stayed with me wasn't the result, it was the feeling walking away. She was rooting for us. That's who she is as a judge, and it's a big part of why I wanted to have this conversation. One of the threads running through this whole conversation is how much we impact our dogs without realizing it. Body chatter. Disappointment going down the leash. Turning away at the wrong moment. Not opening your body to give permission. A lot of us are probably in that same place. We also both got into something we're each actively working through — what happens when your dog stops searching and starts asking you questions. And inaccessibles. What makes them challenging, and she and Scot talk about how their dogs each handle them. What we talk about: Karen's origin story — a cattle dog rescue who was hard to do activities with, and how scent work became the thing that finally worked What changed in Aspen after scent work Newton, who is deaf in one ear and very sound sensitive — and Larkin, who can shut down easily How Karen plans a search — the Cirrus tool, the yes zone, and videoing search areas before trial day Sniff and dismiss — and why patience matters more than most competitors realize Collection, false alerts, and nerves — why it's more complicated than it looks What Karen loves to see in a team when she's judging — and what she admits she's still working on herself How much we impact our dogs without realizing it — what Karen sees as a judge and what Scot admitted about Murphy What counts as a win when you don't get the Q The boundaries — what newer competitors get wrong about them When your dog stops searching and starts asking you questions Inaccessibles — why they're hard to call and why we don't practice them enough E scent ial Nosework ABCs — Karen's new business and what it focuses on Seven questions with Karen Find Karen: AKC Judges Directory — search Karen Allen Escential Nosework ABC: noseworkabcs.com Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
When I started out in scent work, I thought it was simple: place a hide, dog finds the hide, call alert. Judith Guthrie started pulling that apart the first time I sat down near her at a trial. What she was saying about odor behavior and how handlers were impacting their dogs blew my mind. Judith brings together a deep understanding of odor theory, dog psychology, and handling strategy all in one place. I didn't even know they were three separate things. In this conversation, she shares her 100 rule — a framework for balancing environment, airflow, hide complexity, and time to create level-appropriate challenges. Understanding it makes you a smarter competitor and a better trainer. She also talks about independence and hunt drive — what to do when your dog isn't in odor right away and how to train for it. And we talk about why not every search should be run the same, and why getting out of your local bubble and showing under judges you've never seen is one of the fastest ways to grow. What we talk about: Judith's origin story — SAR dogs, retired police dogs, horses, protection sports, and how Buddha brought it all into focus Why scent work was such a powerful tool for a genetically reactive dog — and the important caveat that goes with that What made Buddha and Judith such an effective team — and how she built that foundation from five weeks old Ron Gaunt's thumbs up / thumbs down feedback method — frustrating and brilliant at the same time The 100 rule — Judith's judging framework for creating level-appropriate challenges, and how competitors can use it to better understand what's going on in a search How time pressure fits into the 100 rule — and why a short time limit isn't what you think it is Independence — the number one lesson from professional detection work, and why it matters in sport too How to build hunt drive in a dog that goes flat when there's no odor at the start line Regional trends in scent work — why you should be putting yourself in front of judges from outside your area The names judges give to odor puzzles — and how closeness and inaccessibility work as modifiers Why two hides of the same odor close together is not the problem your human brain thinks it is Shrimp, demo dogs, and why training a dog to show you the whole odor picture can become a competition problem Seven questions with Judith — including what it means to honor the dog, her signature distractor, and why her dog would call her annoying Find Judith: Facebook: Nose Dogs Detection Services Scent Work University: scentworku.com — search Judith Guthrie for classes and webinars Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
In scent work, we talk a lot about odor theory, training, and handling technique. But there's something else affecting your performance, your dog's performance, and your experience of the sport that doesn't get nearly enough attention — pressure. Penny Scott-Fox has been watching what it does to competitors, dogs, clubs, and judges, and she wanted to talk about it. Before we get to the main topic, we start with her recent 2 minute and 14 second detective run. I had to ask how that was even possible. What followed was a conversation about how to better train for detective, how to build a dog that drives to odor, and two very different handling philosophies based on the dogs we each have. I think a lot of people will see themselves in this conversation. Then we get into the main topic, pressure in scent work. Through the conversation, we uncovered ideas that will help competitors, trial committees, and judges alike succeed and enjoy the sport more fully. What we talk about: The 2:14 detective run — what made it possible, and what it reveals about foundation training and building a dog that drives to odor Why dogs that have sailed through the lower levels sometimes hit a wall in detective — and what to do about it in training Two different handling philosophies for detective — Penny's and mine — and why the dog you have shapes everything Penny's 40th detective Q — and the bronze, silver, and gold detective titles her club awards that AKC doesn't recognize Pressure on the dog and how it impacts your partner in scent work Pressure on the handler and what both of us do to take the edge off, including Penny's ritual to reduce pressure in obedience (works for scent work too) Why pressure on the handler almost pushed me out of the sport, and the two rules that made it fun again Pressure on clubs. What the growth of scent work is doing to trial quality, and how clubs can best serve competitors Pressure on judges, why the push to be the judge that sets sexy hides isn't always good for dogs or competitors, and a conversation about what really makes the sport fun for competitors Find Penny at scott-foxdogtraining.com Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
Many competitors have seen Ana's AKC trial debrief videos — breaking down hide placement, odor movement, and what teams were experiencing in the search area. In this episode, the judge, trainer, and competitor talks about the lessons she has learned from years of watching teams search. Before scent work, Ana had a career in medicine and medical education. She views judging as education — through the hides she sets, the briefings she gives, and the debriefs she shares publicly after every trial. In my observation, that medical background shows up in how she approaches the sport — doctors are always learning, digesting new material, and teaching it to others at the same time. You can see that in how deeply Ana understands odor theory and how dogs work. And if you've ever wondered what the dogs would say about us in the parking lot after a trial — Ana has some thoughts on that too. What we talk about: Ana's origin story — this is a familiar story about how scent work wasn't even the thing until it was the thing The recurring themes she sees across her debriefs — what handlers consistently struggle with and what the best teams do differently Close proximity hides and convergence — why handlers miss them and what to do about it Why handlers over-handle under pressure — and what the dog thinks about it The twenty-plus picnic table search — what Ana was testing and why competitors over-focused on the objects instead of the odor How dogs perceive a search area versus how handlers perceive it — and why that difference matters Ana's distractor philosophy — why she uses food distractors, what she tests with them, and why gummy bears tripped up more dogs than bacon Why the boundaries define where hides are placed but not where odor goes — and how to help your dog collect information outside the search area Retiring Axel from competition — and why making that call was the right thing for their team Seven questions with Ana — what she loves to see teams celebrate, her signature distractor, the best compliment she ever received, and what Axel and VI would say about her as a handler Find Ana : YouTube: Ana Cilursu for her AKC trial debrief videos : Training: Rots-n-Nots Nosework Staten Island Companion Dog Training Club — nose work instructor Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/ #ScentWork
One of the first AKC Scent Work judges and an AKC Scent Work Expert Judge, Sandra Tung is also a trainer and high-level competitor who has been in the sport since before AKC even had a scent work program. Much of our conversation revolves around the job of the handler in scent work — which Sandra reinforces with t-shirt-worthy sayings like "be a hot date to your dog," "pay a dog a CEO salary for flipping burgers," and "your dog is the subject matter expert, and you are the manager." If you've ever watched a Sandra Tung student at a trial, you already know these sayings. Her reputation precedes her. We also dig into how to balance honoring your dog's choices with being a good partner, her lazy trainer philosophy for building drive and confidence, and what she actually looks for when she's judging a team — whether they Q or not. What we talk about: Sandra's origin story — from her first Shiba Inu and rally obedience to becoming one of AKC's first scent work judges Why the dog is the subject matter expert and the handler is the manager — and what that actually means in a search Be a hot date — what it means, where it came from, and why it matters more than finding the perfect high-value treat *The difference between a good team and a top team — and why it almost always comes down to the handler How to read whether your dog is in a productive area versus an unproductive one Why odor doesn't care about boundaries — and what Sandra tells her students about letting their dogs go outside the search area Her lazy trainer philosophy — training with purpose, keeping sessions short, and why simple hides in new environments will take you further than complicated puzzles How running Shiba Inus made her a better handler and trainer Teaching dogs to move on from a hide on their own — and why she didn't realize that was a skill until dog number five Memory systems for remembering where you found your hides at higher levels What Sandra looks for when she places hides — and why she loves testing teams on things they don't expect Seven questions with Sandra — her dog's favorite reward, advice for her beginner scent work self, how she bounces back from a tough trial day, and the best compliment she ever received at a trial Find Sandra : AKC Judges Directory — search Sandra Tung to bring her to your trial Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/ #scentwork
Vicky Lovejoy was there at the very beginning — before formal trials existed, before organizations formed, when a group of enthusiasts in the Los Angeles area were just figuring out what this sport could be alongside founders Ron Gaunt, Amy Herot, and Jill Marie O'Brien. She has been competing and judging across AKC, NACSW, UKC, NASDA, and more ever since. In this episode, Vicky brings a perspective on scent work that very few people can offer — she has seen it from just about every angle, as a competitor, a judge, a trainer, and someone who was there when the sport was invented. Her dogs, by the way, all have an aviation theme. Beryl Markham, the pilot. Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega. Bessie the Fire Horse. Gaston — said with a French accent. And Phoenix, the outlier. What we talk about: Vicky's origin story — from a shepherd with elbow dysplasia to being one of the first people to compete in what would become organized scent work What hooked her — and why she describes the sport as the dog teaching us rather than the other way around How breed and individual tendencies shape how dogs search — including why her shepherds would catalog hides and check the perimeter before committing, and why herding dogs often go to the back of the search area first How judging has influenced how she competes — and a story about forcing a false alert at the end of a long trial day that she still thinks about What makes a search fun — not just technically challenging, but genuinely enjoyable for dog and handler together How she thinks about setting hides and what she hopes competitors take away from her searches The parking lot conversation after a low Q rate — and how to turn post-search analysis into something productive instead of just venting Cherish the engagement — what she means by that and why the bond you build through scent work is unlike anything else Seven questions with Vicky — her dog's favorite rewards, including touch games and a boing, her signature distractor, advice for her beginner self, and what she wishes more competitors understood about judges Find Vicky: Scent Work University: https://www.scentworku.com/collections/meet-vicky-lovejoy AKC Judges Directory — search Victoria Lovejoy to bring her to your trial Based in Eastern Washington — travels nationally Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
For some, scent work is more than a sport and ribbons. It's a shared process that can change both dog and handler in ways you never saw coming. Lisa Quibell is a competitor, trainer, and judge with CWAGS and UKC. She shares how scent work challenged her not just as a handler and trainer, but as a human — and how working with very different dogs has shaped the way she competes and judges. We talk about scent work as a confidence builder for dogs who struggle in the world and for handlers who are still finding their footing. Lisa explores what it really means to let the dog lead, how to recognize when not to interrupt, and why giving dogs real decision-making power changes the search for both dog and handler. We also dig into something most competitors wrestle with — how to celebrate and reward after a search that didn't go your way. And Lisa said something I'm still thinking about: the marker tells them when they did the right thing. The reward is about the relationship. What we talk about: Lisa's origin story — how a friend named Toni kept bugging her about scent work, and why Luna changed everything once she finally said yes I train because of Luna, but I train the way I do because of Stark — what a difficult cattle dog taught Lisa about confidence, calm conversations, and choice Why confidence and scent work are more similar than people realize — and why the people who need one often resist the other What overconfidence actually is — and why it's not confidence at all Scent work as a safe space — why dogs who struggle in the world often thrive at a trial, and what that does for them over time The delicate dance of letting your dog lead — when to follow, when to step in, and how different dogs need completely different things from the same handler How having four very different dogs has shaped the way Lisa judges — and why judges who've only run one breed can develop blind spots Luna's master title — what that ribbon on the wall means, why Lisa has never watched the video, and why she wishes she hadn't been so focused on the goal What it means that scent work is a gift to us as handlers — not just to our dogs The reward sequence after a search that didn't go your way — and why the reward is about the relationship, not the result Why the best parties Lisa has ever seen as a judge were for dogs that didn't qualify Seven questions with Lisa — including the advice she'd give her beginner self, what her dogs would say about her as a handler, and why her business is called Quibbles and Bits Find Lisa: quibblesandbits.com Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.co Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
I almost skipped the Box Mania. Containers sounded boring. But during the session, Jill started narrating the searches and the behavior she was observing. And she talked about pathways to odor. That was one of the moments that split my scent work journey into before-and-after. I almost skipped, and I haven't seen a search the same way since. From clear interstates straight to source, to faint hiking trails that disappear into the overgrowth, Jill explains how dogs collect information long before they reach source — and why searching is a process, not a moment. She also talks about tendrils: the smaller threads of odor that branch off the main pathway, sometimes connecting back, sometimes breaking off entirely. We also dig into how NACSW judging and certifying official roles differ from AKC, how judges determine a yes versus a no in a search — and what happens when a judge realizes mid-trial they got it wrong. Plus the challenge of wearing multiple hats at a trial without letting those roles bleed into your own searches. What we talk about: Pathways to odor — why this framing changed how Scot reads his dog in a search The difference between an interstate to source and a hiking trail that disappears into the brush Odor tendrils — the smaller threads that branch off the main pathway and how they help explain pooling and trapping Ron Gaunt's influence on Jill — collection of information, the conversation the dog is having, and why Ron hides were set the way they were Why scent work made sense to Jill when other dog sports didn't — and what it means to be on even ground with every other dog trainer when a sport is new The difference between a certifying official and a judge in NACSW — and why AKC combines both roles How NACSW works toward consistency across regions so that an NW3 on the East Coast feels similar to one in Colorado What judges are actually evaluating — and what happens when a judge realizes mid-trial they got it wrong The challenge of hosting a trial and competing in it — and why Jill's results are showing her a different story than the one she tells herself Why miles matter more than a pre-search routine — and the ritual Jill doesn't realize she has Seven questions with Jill — including what she loves to see when she's judging, her dog's favorite reward, the best piece of advice that stuck with her, and what her dogs would say about her as a handler Find Jill: MountainDogs.org Scent Work University: ScentWorkU.com — search Jill Kovacevich K9 Scent Fix podcast — with Aleks Woodroffe Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with. Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/
AKC scent work judge and competitor Patrice Dodd talks about why scent work is one of the few places in life where she can be fully present, and why handler attention may be the most important skill in the sport. She also reflects on the challenges and pressure she feels as a judge, balancing fairness, difficulty, and the desire for competitors to succeed. Patrice shares why giving your dog just a few extra seconds can change an entire search, how handlers often interrupt problem-solving without realizing it, and what she notices from the judge’s side when teams succeed. We also explore her dog’s tendency to blast through thresholds, and how learning to work with that reality led to better strategy and less frustration.
From the moment she got the phone call inviting her to judge AKC Master Nationals, to arriving at the Roberts Center, Mary talks about what was running through her mind, how the event was structured, and what it feels like to carry that kind of responsibility, judging the top AKC Scent Work teams at the first Scent Work Master Nationals. We talk about how she approached designing her Master Interior and buried searches, what she observed from the teams over the three days, insights into the scoring system, and what she would make sure to practice if she were entering AKC Master Nationals as a competitor.
At AKC Master National, Penny Scott-Fox brought every part of her scent work experience with her. She talks about the AKC Master National through three lenses: what it was like to compete, how she viewed the hide sets and scoring system as a judge, and what she thinks could be improved for future events from an organizer’s perspective. Penny also talks about the strategy that kept her from getting caught up in the leaderboard, how she approached the event as a marathon rather than a sprint, and how the new scoring system completely changed her handling plan. It’s a thoughtful look at the first-ever Master National from someone who’s helped shape the sport since its beginning.
One mistake most of us have made happened in her very first run, and it dropped her to 118th place for that element. But by day three, Leigh Gelotte and Rhubarb were the first-ever AKC Master National Scent Work Champions. Leigh takes us inside the event, describing the search areas, the pressure, and the strategy that turned a shaky start into being the first-ever national champions.
Lena went to the first AKC Scent Work Master Nationals mostly to support the event, but she also had a couple of goals. She wanted to make it into the top 100 and have the highest-placing Australian Shepherd. A few years earlier, a trainer told her Neo didn’t have the drive to be competitive, so you can imagine how good it felt when he finished sixth overall. She talks about what the weekend was really like, the nerves, the searches, the challenges, and her advice if you're thinking about going next year. You’ll hear how she trained, what surprised her once she got there, and the mindset that helped her actually enjoy it.
Scent work isn’t just about ribbons. It’s about setbacks, resilience, and the bond that makes every trip to the start line a gift. In this episode, Tracy Hill offers practical takeaways for competitors while also opening up about the challenges that rarely make it to social media. From learning to process “no” to navigating the realities of a sick dog, she reflects on how those difficult moments shaped her approach to training and competing. It’s an honest, encouraging conversation about perspective, perseverance, and the joy of working with our dogs, even when things don’t go as planned.
The first time I ran under Penny Scott Fox, she gave me a piece of feedback I still think about every time I step into a search area. We unpack what she meant by that comment — and how handlers can feel more confident calling finish when the run is actually done. A founding instructor with NACSW and one of the judges at the very first AKC scent work trial, Penny digs into why most handlers wait too long to make the call and what she believes “trust your dog” really means. We also get into how she builds drive and what makes a search fun. She shares her take on the first-ever AKC Master National, and how she’s preparing for it.
