Instructor | Lou
My journey into scent work began in 2018 with a beginner class and my rambunctious pomeranian, Chewy. What started as something to rid him of excess energy quickly became a passion, leading me to become a scent work instructor in 2022.
My competition experience spans multiple scent work organizations, where I have earned titles with four dogs across AKC, NACSW, CPE, and USCSS. Over the years, I have trained and competed through advanced levels, earning an AKC Master Scent Work title, Master Elite titles, and I am currently working toward a CPE Level 5 title and an intermediate title in USCSS while continuing to compete at the NW3 level with NACSW.
In addition to competing, I’ve made continuing education a priority throughout my scent work journey. I’ve completed more than 25 courses through Fenzi Dog Sports Academy and Scent Work University, along with attending Fenzi camps and specialized seminars, workshops, and training programs with experienced instructors and competitors in the sport. This includes Intentional Handling & Hide Setting Camp, where I further developed my understanding of odor behavior, hide placement, handling, and search strategy. I’m committed to continually expanding my knowledge so I can bring the most current, thoughtful, and effective training approaches to the teams I work with.
I believe being an instructor means being a student, too. I’m constantly learning, experimenting, competing, and looking for better ways to teach both dogs and their people.
I’m also a Therapy Dog Instructor, AKC Evaluator, AKC Fetch Judge, and provisional AKC Scent Work Judge, as well as a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals.
But the titles and credentials are only part of what I bring to training.
What I enjoy most is helping dogs become confident, enthusiastic, and independent problem-solvers, while teaching handlers how to better read, understand, and be a better teammate for their dogs. I believe the strongest scent work teams are built through clear communication, thoughtful training, and a genuine partnership between dog and handler.
My goal is to help every team become more confident, more connected, and more capable, while keeping training fun and giving dogs the opportunity to discover just how much they can do with their noses.