True North Canine Scent Trailing

05/23/2026

Honoured and privileged to be doing this work.

05/10/2026

Curious about Discriminant Scent Trailing? Lucy, our sully trained Discriminant Scent Trailing Canine, shows how effective it is.

05/03/2026

We’re running another Intro to Discriminant Scent Trailing class this June, with a few spots still open.

This has been part of our program since 2022, and it’s led by a certified Discriminant Scent Trailing handler with real life rescue experience.

The work is straightforward and practical — giving dogs a chance to use their nose in a way that makes sense to them. It tends to settle busy brains, build confidence over time, and give handlers a clearer way to read and support their dogs.

No pressure for perfection — just developing skills, letting dogs work things out, and building a better connection along the way.

Rural setting, small groups, all dogs welcome.

If you’ve been thinking about doing something like this, feel free to reach out for details: [email protected]

04/08/2026

World Autism Acceptance Month Story of the Day! British Columbia Scent Trailing K9 Team Locates Missing 4-Year-Old with Autism. On 4/7/26 a vacationing family lost sight of their 4-year-old with autism when the child bolted into the woods after being approached by a dog while hiking. The father remembered seeing a sign on the way to their trailing spot. Fortunately for the family, the sign belonged to Jessica Tuomela, owner of the scent trailing company True North Canine. The father of the nonverbal child on the autism spectrum requested immediate assistance from Jessica and her scent discriminate partner K9 Lucy after the child eloped from a gravel parking lot into an unfamiliar wooded trail system. The area contained extensive trails, dense forest, and numerous water hazards, increasing urgency. Jessica, a top-ranked Paralympian Triathlete and K9 Lucy have multiple missing person recoveries and quickly responded due to the potential danger to the child. Jessica is blind and typically trails with backup handlers but made the decision to trail alone with Lucy because of her familiarity with the trailing system, time sensitivity, and the high risks of nearby water sources that children with autism are often drawn to.
Jessica collected a scent article from the child’s car seat using the absorption method she learned during her training with Scent Evidence K9 CEO Paul Coley. She followed her response protocol measures and dismissed the family members who had been in contact with the car seat. Jessica then presented the scent jar to K9 Lucy and deployed from the place where the child was last seen. Lucy began trailing with confidence along the main trail. She continued 150 meters before making a decisive right turn across a metal/grated bridge over moving water. Lucy maintained speed and commitment and followed the trail left and uphill for 200 meters through rocks, roots, and slippery mud. While moving at speed, Lucy abruptly stopped, kicking up dirt, and immediately diverted right into dense, low evergreen brush. The child was located lying under the bushes. The nonverbal child had initially run into the woods because of a known fear of dogs. Lucy gave a sit-alert to identify the target and then gently laid across the child’s legs. The child responded affectionately and even held the harness and petted Lucy on their walk back to the family vehicle. The trail length was .65 miles and Jess and Lucy ran the trail in only 6.5 minutes thanks to their athletic training.

“This is impressive scent discriminate K9 trailing work on so many levels. Jessica and Lucy have worked hard to develop their trailing skills and have multiple lifesaving recoveries of people with autism and Alzheimer’s Disease who are at high risk of wandering. They are truly inspirational and we are honored to train with them,” stated Coley. The American Pediatric Association states that 50% of children on the spectrum will wander at least once before age 17. Having a Scent Kit prepared in advance can help responders find them fast and bring them home safe.

Amazing trail Jessica and K9 Lucy! To learn more about Jess and Lucy visit ScentEvidenceK9.com and search for Jessica Tuomela. True North Canine Scent Trailing Jessica Tuomela Jessica Tuomela - Triathlete

03/02/2026

Doing what we do best!

03/01/2026

Great work!

Kissimmee Police Dept. Bloodhound Team Locate Missing 86-Year-Old with Alzheimer’s Disease. Ofc. Andrew Cason and K9 Belle, a Scent Evidence K9 trained Bloodhound, responded to help find a missing elderly woman who had wandered from her daughter’s home and had been missing for an hour. Cason collected a scent article from the woman’s pajama pants and deployed K9 Belle who trailed a half mile and located the woman sitting at a bus stop. K9 Belle trailed straight to the woman and gave the sit alert to identify the target.
“K9 Belle was trained to sit when she reaches the target to reduce any potential trauma from a missing person who may be confused or agitated. Our Bloodhounds often become comfort animals when they locate someone,” stated Scent Evidence K9 CEO Paul Coley.
K9 Belle was donated to Kissimmee Police Dept. by our Florida Bringing The Lost Home Program partner, Senior Resource Alliance in Orlando to increase available search resources in the area for missing persons and those with Alzheimer’s Disease and autism who are at high risk of wandering.
This is find #7 for the scent discriminate Bloodhound team and #599 by our Florida Bringing The Lost Home Program partners! Great trail Ofc. Cason and K9 Belle and thanks to Kissimmee Police Department and Senior Resource Alliance - SRA Florida for their commitment to creating a safer community. To learn more about how scent discriminate K9 trailing is used to locate those with Alzheimer’s and autism who are at high risk of wandering visit ScentEvidenceK9.com

02/28/2026

At True North Canine, everything we do starts with one simple belief: everyone deserves to come home safe.
🐾

We know our community resources — law enforcement, search and rescue teams, first responders — already carry so much on their shoulders. They show up day and night when people are scared, lost, or in crisis. Our goal is to support that work, not add to it.

That’s why we focus on providing highly trained, reliable canine teams that can be an effective tool in locating missing loved ones and assisting when time matters most. A well-trained dog can cover ground quickly, follow what we can’t see, and help bring clarity to chaotic situations. It’s not about replacing anyone — it’s about strengthening the safety net for our communities.

We do this work because we care deeply about the people around us. We care about families waiting for answers. We care about giving first responders every possible advantage. And we care about building safer communities where neighbors look out for one another.

True North Canine was built on passion, service, and a commitment to doing our part. If we can help ease even a small part of the burden and play a role in bringing someone home safely, then we’re exactly where we’re meant to be.

Thank you for trusting us to serve alongside you. 🧡

02/28/2026

Life at True North Canine isn’t just about training — it’s about partnership. 🐾

Our Discriminant Scent Trailing Canines perform at a high level because we make sure their needs are fully met. We hike together, we run together, and yes… we definitely play together. A happy, fulfilled canine is a focused and driven working partner.

They probably eat better than we do.
They definitely sleep in comfier beds than we do.
And they absolutely run the house.

But that’s okay — because these dogs do extraordinary things.

Our canines aren’t just working dogs. They’re family. They’re our daily motivation. They’re our lives — because they help save lives.

And we wouldn’t have it any other way. 🐶🧡

02/27/2026

How do we keep our Discriminant Scent Trailing Canine’s skills sharp at True North Canine?

We train for the scenarios no one wants to imagine.

From complex urban environments to dense wilderness, from high-traffic areas to challenging weather conditions — we create the wildest, most difficult training scenarios we can think of. Our goal is simple: to make situations that seem impossible… possible.

We train often.
We train in different locations.
We train in varying weather and environmental conditions.
We work with different subjects and scent challenges.

This variety builds adaptability, problem-solving skills, and resilience — for both canine and handler.

Our training is effective because we stay creative, we keep sessions engaging and purposeful, and we maintain a positive, motivated mindset. When handlers and canines enjoy the work, performance improves — and that matters when real lives are on the line.

Preparation is not occasional. It’s continuous.

At True North Canine, we don’t wait for challenges to arise — we train for them.

02/27/2026

At True North Canine in Victoria, BC, we’ve seen firsthand how critical the first hours of a missing person search can be. Preparation can make a meaningful difference.

One of the tools we use is a Scent Preservation Kit. These kits are designed to capture and store a person’s unique scent in a clean, uncontaminated way so it can later be provided to a highly trained Discriminant Scent Trailing Canine if needed.

You can think of it like the difference between a high-definition photo and a grainy security image — the clearer the reference, the more precise the trail. When stored properly, a preserved scent sample can last up to 10 years, ensuring it’s available should it ever be required.

When combined with trained trailing canines, properly preserved scent samples significantly improve search effectiveness, contributing to a documented 96% rescue success rate — more than double many traditional search methods.

We hope no family ever needs to make that call. But if the unthinkable happens, having a scent sample ready can save valuable time and increase the chances of bringing someone home safely.

If you’d like more information about Scent Preservation Kits or how they work, we’re always here to answer questions.

Because everyone deserves someone looking for them.

02/26/2026

At True North Canine, based in Victoria, BC, we understand that when a loved one goes missing, every second matters.

We are proud to have a Certified Discriminant Scent Trailing Canine on our team, specially trained to follow the unique scent of a specific individual. This advanced capability allows us to effectively trail and locate missing or lost persons, even in challenging environments.

Early deployment significantly increases the likelihood of a safe outcome. If someone becomes lost or goes missing, do not wait — contact True North Canine immediately so we can respond quickly and begin trailing as soon as possible.

We firmly believe that everyone deserves someone looking for them. No matter the circumstances, every person matters, and every search deserves urgency, professionalism, and care.

Our mission is simple: to bring loved ones home safely and provide families with reliable, compassionate support during critical moments.