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Please note: Workshops run concurrently on Saturday and Sunday. Participants may choose one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop per day 

Cost: $150 Working (limited to 8); $80 Audit (unlimited)

A: Odour in Motion: Scent Theory, Flow, and Problem Odour 

Delivered by Teeft K9

This workshop dives into how odour really moves in search areas and how dogs interpret those invisible scent pictures. Teams will explore airflow, temperature, vertical vs horizontal plumes, and problem scenarios like pooling, converging, lingering, residual, masking, overshadowing, contamination, and trapped odor.​​

Learning objectives:

• Understand core scent theory and how environmental factors reshape odour plumes.​​
• Recognize change of behaviour versus final indication as reflections of odour, not guesses.​​
• Use hide placement to build confidence and clarity instead of confusion, especially in complex odour puzzles.​​

Level: Suitable for teams comfortable on odour. Working and auditor spots available.

B: Search Strategy & Line Craft: From Threshold to Finish 

Delivered by Noble Nose Dogs

This hands‑on handling lab focuses on what the human does: walkthroughs, start‑line choices, search patterns, and line skills that set dogs up to succeed. Participants will practice choosing start points, managing thresholds, reading situational airflow, and applying systematic strategies for rooms, containers, and interiors.​​

Learning objectives:

• Conduct an effective walkthrough and convert it into a clear search plan.​​
• Improve lead handling, body position, and use of body pressure, including when to reverse search or detail.​​
• Work high/low and inaccessible hides without crowding the dog or creating avoidable handling errors.​​

Level: For teams already trialing or preparing to trial; auditors welcome.

Please note: Workshops run concurrently on Saturday and Sunday. Participants may choose one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop per day 

Cost: $150 Working (limited to 8); $80 Audit (unlimited)

C: Reading the Dog, Reading Yourself: Communication, Motivation, and Stress 

Delivered by Teeft K9

This workshop tackles the two‑way communication loop between dog and handler: how dogs read us, how we read them, and how stress and motivation shape performance. Teams will look at why dogs “cheat” (nose vs eyes), how handlers accidentally influence searches, and how to support both high‑drive and low‑drive dogs.​​

Learning objectives:

• Identify how your dog is reading your body, voice, and emotional state, and how that affects searching.​​
• Build sustainable motivation plans for both low‑drive and over‑aroused dogs, including reward strategies and “do I treat too much?”.​​
• Develop practical tools for managing nerves, handling interruptions, and having a “what now?” plan when things go sideways.​​

Level: All levels; especially useful for handlers feeling “stuck” or stressed in training or trials.

D: Unknowns, Blanks, and Residual Odour: Calling It Clean 

Delivered by Noble Nose Dogs

Blank areas and unknown number of hides demand solid handling and clear criteria. This workshop addresses how repeated searching can create false alerts, what your dog may be telling you in negatives, and how to handle residual odour without confusing the team.​​

Learning objectives:

• Read the difference between “asking for help” and “there’s nothing here” behaviours in your dog.​​
• Make clear decisions about when to reward, when to move on, and how to treat residual odour in training.​​
• Reduce revisiting of old hides and build cleaner responses in blanks and unknown‑count searches.​​

Level: Best for teams already on odour and beginning to encounter blanks/unknowns.

Please note: Workshops run concurrently on Saturday and Sunday. Participants may choose one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop per day 

Cost: $150 Working (limited to 8); $80 Audit (unlimited)

E: Advanced Handling: Distractors, Detail Work, and Overarousal

Delivered by Teeft K9

This session tackles some of the most frustrating trial challenges: food/toy/environmental distractors, frantic searching, and over‑detailing. Working teams will practice balancing detail work with efficient coverage while maintaining clear indications and emotional stability.​​

Learning objectives:

• Understand why distractors are so tempting and implement practical handling and training strategies to reduce their pull.​​
• Slow and focus overdriven dogs without shutting them down, including for high/low and inaccessible hides.​​
• Change or refine indications (e.g., active to passive) without eroding motivation or creating new problem behaviours.​​

Level: Advanced – Elite teams; auditors will see a variety of problem‑solving scenarios.

F: Designing Odour Puzzles: Hide Placement to Build Skills, Not Holes

Delivered by Noble Nose Dogs 

Hide placement can either build understanding or accidentally install big gaps in your dog’s odour education. This workshop focuses on designing progressive odour puzzles that target specific skills like pooling odor, converging odor, elevation, and trapped odor.​​

Learning objectives:

• Plan hide placements that deliberately train pooling, converging (horizontal and vertical), and trapped odor.​​
• Distinguish when a problem is primarily an odour puzzle, a training design issue, or a hygiene/contamination problem.​​
• Build stepwise setups that increase difficulty without rehearsing confusion, fringe alerts, or quitting.​​

Level: All levels, including experienced handlers, and anyone who sets hides regularly.

Please note: Workshops run concurrently on Saturday and Sunday. Participants may choose one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop per day 

Cost: $150 Working (limited to 8); $80 Audit (unlimited)

G: Mental Game & Trial Strategy: From Walkthrough to “Finish” Call 

Delivered by Teeft K9

This workshop connects your handling choices and mental game from the moment you walk the search area to the moment you call “finish.” Participants will practice constructing search strategies, setting criteria for “area covered,” and managing nerves so better decisions survive trial pressure.​​​

Learning objectives:

• Build a repeatable plan for walkthrough, start line, and search progression, including pattern vs no‑pattern choices.​​​
• Develop clear internal rules for when to stay, when to move on, and when to call “finish” in unknown‑count and blank scenarios.​​
• Apply mental management tools so you can execute your plan even when stress and surprises show up.​​

Level: Best for teams trialing or close to trial‑ready.

H: From Training to Trial: Mental Game, Debriefs, and Action Plans 

Delivered by Noble Nose Dogs

This capstone‑style workshop turns past and future trial experiences into a concrete improvement plan. Handlers will learn structured debrief methods to analyze runs (real or simulated), identify root causes of issues, and decide what to change in training.​​

Learning objectives:

• Use a practical debrief framework to pull useful information out of every trial or match run.​​
• Translate common problems (dog returns to last hide, uncertainty in blanks, handler freezes, reward confusion) into specific training tasks.​​
• Create an individualized “trial action plan” covering goals, warm‑up, reward rules, and post‑run review.​​

Level: Strongly recommended for any handler who has trial experience or plans to compete soon; auditors can fully participate in the planning and debrief exercises.