The Scholarly ScentZ, LLC

08/13/2026

This is why I love the sport of Nose Work. I see dogs who are normally extremely sensitive come out of their shells because of this. My two dogs are no exception.

Seeing a dog who gains confidence little by little on their own 4 paws is magical.

It takes time, it takes patience, and it takes dedication, but seeing a team shine like this is what matters.

Competition is a nice add on but never the only goal. It's about bringing out the best in our dogs and our partnership.

08/12/2026

This will be a fantastic seminar, come join me! Message Melissa Sowa or V Force Dog Training to join!

We have a last minute working spot open for Saturday !! Message for details ! Update -And its full !

08/12/2026

NEW VIRTUAL EVENT SCHEDULED

Grieving While Training Virtual Event
📅 Live Virtual Event: December 17th at 4:30PM PT / 7:30PM ET (5:30PM MT / 6:30PM CT)
👥 Speakers: Natalie McManus and Aleks Woodroffe
⏱️ Length: 90 minutes
🤓 CEUS: Applied for NACSW CEUs - stay tuned
💰 Cost: $45.00 (live - replay included) / $40.00 (replay - continual access)
👉 Register here: https://www.scentworku.com/grieving-nw
(Link is in the comments should FB be naughty)

A DISCUSSION ON LOSS, GUILT AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS

Nose Work is special because many dogs can continue competing well into their senior years, often reaching the highest levels with years of experience behind them. Over time, we build more than skill with these dogs. We build trust, partnership, shared routines, and a deep connection that becomes part of how we experience the sport itself.

When a dog like that retires or passes away, the loss is felt not only at home, but also in our training with other dogs, our motivation, and our connection to the nose work community.

During this event, Natalie and Aleks will share their personal experiences with losing high-level competition dogs who changed their lives and opened new doors for them in the sport, and left lasting impressions on their training style. They will talk honestly about the grief that comes with losing a deeply experienced partner, as well as the complicated feelings that can follow: such as struggling to find motivation, feeling disconnected from training, or feeling guilty when working with other dogs doesn't feel the same.

Together, they will explore how to make room for both grief and continued participation in the sport. Whether that means starting over with a new dog, rebuilding motivation with dogs already in your pack, or simply learning how to find small moments of joy without putting too much pressure on yourself or your dogs.

SHOULD YOU TAKE THIS VIRTUAL EVENT

This virtual event is for competitors who love Nose Work, have experienced or are anticipating the loss of a treasured partner, and are looking for support, perspective, and encouragement as they continue forward.

Give your dogs an extra hug and cookie.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Happy Training!

08/10/2026

One of the most amazing things about the Michigan nosework community is the way that all of the instructors support one another and lift up the region and all of our students! This event was a surprise to me- several other nosework friends and instructors have planned this sniff and go in memory of my Brennan. Please come! We'll be raising money for GOLPP research and celebrating the gifts, memories and friendships that Brennan brought to all in the nosework community in this state. Details below- sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedsUGvZ6PtacXH9Np0FEYmv0I9toMInPAvT4k_xkTmvWAN6w/viewform

Brennan's Memorial Sniff & Go
Date: September 12, 2026, 9am - 1pm
Location: Pawsitive Steps, 1883 Star Batt Dr, Rochester Hills, MI (Back side of the building)
Cost: $20/team* - Cash or check written to Every Dog Nosework
Come celebrate Brennan by playing his favorite game at one of his favorite places while raising money to fund research on GOLPP (geriatric onset laryngeal paralysis polyneuropathy), the degenerative nerve disease Brennan lived with the last 6 years of his life.

There will be two interior searches within Pawsitive Steps that teams will run back-to-back. For experienced teams, expect these searches to go (very) quickly; however, note that there are a LOT of dog smells and other environmental distractions to work through in these high-dog-traffic search environments! Teams will enter and exit through two doors in the rear of the building, guided by volunteers.

Please note: While we all love challenging ourselves as a team with tricky odor puzzles, this sniff’n’go will NOT be focused on technical challenges. Instead of considering this a training event, please imagine this sniff’n’go as an opportunity to make memories with your dog and demonstrate the impact that Brennan (and Kayla) have had in building our community and bringing the magic of nosework to so many teams.

Brennan was a master of living each day fully – to help us do the same, we'll be enjoying an ice cream social (for both dogs and humans) in the front parking lot!

*All proceeds from this sniff’n’go will be donated by Kayla towards research & treatment of GOLPP.

Please join us in a show of love for Kayla and Brennan, and in celebrating the life of an incredible dog who inspired so much.

08/10/2026

I had received a lot of inquiries on started in Scent Work. If you're in the Columbus area and looking out for an intro class, here's an option at On Point Dog Sports that I wanted to pass along.

Intro to Scentwork Class with Rebecca Chuha Tuesday 6-7pm

New Class Offering Intro to Scentwork with Rebecca Chuha

Intro to Scentwork: 8‑Week Foundations & Odor Introduction

This flexible Intro to Scentwork program runs 6–7pm, August 18 – October 6, 2026, and is designed to meet teams exactly where they are in their training journey. The first half of the course focuses on building strong primary skills, while the second half introduces teams to birch odor beginning September 15, 2026.

Weeks 1–4: Primary Foundations
Teams develop confident searching, clear reinforcement patterns, and problem‑solving skills using primary. This portion is ideal for beginners or for dogs who benefit from strengthening their foundational hunting behaviors.

Enrollment option: Students may register for only Weeks 1–4 if they prefer to remain on primary.

Weeks 5–8: Birch Odor Introduction
Beginning September 15, we introduce birch and build early odor recognition, hide strategies, and handler observation skills. Searches are tailored to each team’s current level.

Enrollment option: Students may register for only Weeks 5–8 if they already have solid primary experience.

A Class Built for Individual Progress
Each week includes customized search setups and coaching to support both new and advancing teams. Whether you’re preparing for your first trial or building reliable skills for fun, this class provides a supportive, progressive learning path.

Class is setup if you are already running primary and want odor introduction, you can join week 5.
Cost $200 for all 8 Weeks

Please join their group to sign up!

08/04/2026

🐾 CleverDogs is hosting an Official NACSW™ Odor Recognition Test (ORT)! 🐾

📅 Sunday, September 27, 2026
📍 Embassy Suites by Hilton Columbus/Dublin
5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, Ohio 43017

We're excited to host our first official NACSW™ Odor Recognition Test (ORT) and hope this will be the first of many NACSW™ events hosted by CleverDogs!

Thinking about competing in an NACSW™ Nose Work Trial? Your first step is passing an Odor Recognition Test (ORT). During the test, your dog will search 12 identical boxes, with one containing the target odor (Birch, Anise, or Clove). The search is blind, meaning you won't know which box contains the odor—you'll need to recognize and call your dog's alert when they find it.

To enter an ORT, you must:
✔️ Be an NACSW™ member
✔️ Have your dog registered with the NACSW™

Sign up on our events page:
https://cleverdogsohio.com/events-2/

We can't wait to welcome teams to this exciting event and look forward to hosting many more NACSW™ events in the future!

08/03/2026

Back by popular demand I am adding back some virtual class offerings. Since my classes are at max capacity and I'm not running any new intro classes until I get a new dog and that's years out from the making.

Wanting to learn exteriors but have no structured plan in place or have an advanced dog but want to revisit and strengthen foundations? I am running an online Exteriors class in September for 6 weeks, whether your dog is a young puppy or an Elite dog needing to revisit foundations and work on some odor problems presented at upper levels this class is for you.

Class will get you access to a weekly lecture (recorded if you can't make it live), materials, plus video review for working spots. Auditors may participate but will not get video review. If you're interested in participating, feel free to contact me via my website.

Working spots are limited to ensure quality review time. Auditors are unlimited.

08/02/2026

National Association of Canine Scent Work's K9 Nose Work Education Division is pleased to present:
Air vs. Odor Movement: What Every Handler Needs to Know
with Dr. Lindsay Waldrop, Ph.D.
DATE/TIME: Thursday August 20, 2026 / 10:00 am – 11:30 am Pacific Time
Understanding how odor moves is essential for handlers who want to accurately interpret their dog’s behavior during a search. While air movement plays a role, it is not the same as odor movement—and confusing the two can lead to misreads in the field. This webinar breaks down the fundamentals of odor behavior, including plume formation and odor availability, and explores how air movement influences—but does not define—odor movement. Handlers will also learn practical ways to visualize airflow so you can better predict and understand how odor is actually traveling in your search environment.
https://conta.cc/4pPlBf4 E