Connecting with Dogs

12/30/2025

🎉❤️🐾 Congratulations to Team Dickens on achieving their ORT title this past weekend 🐾❤️🎉 Way to go team!

gosniff

12/15/2025

👃🐾 SPOTS FILLED - Pop-up Drop-in Nose Work Classes 🐾👃

Email laura(at)connectingwithdogs.com to be placed on the waitlist!!

- Tuesday, December 30th from 6-7:30pm *full*
- Wednesday, December 31st from 11am-12:30pm *full*
- Wednesday, December 31st from 1-2:30pm *full*

- Location: Unity Center, 1717 N 73rd St, Wauwatosa
- Cost: $40/dog, per class (come to one class, two or all three!)
- Register online at: https://tinyurl.com/drop-in-classes-with-laura

Get some additional practice in a fun and supportive group class environment!

👃🐾 Pop-up Drop-in Nose Work Classes 🐾👃

- Tuesday, December 30th from 6-7:30pm
- Wednesday, December 31st from 11am-12:30pm
- Wednesday, December 31st from 1-2:30pm
- Location: Unity Center, 1717 N 73rd St, Wauwatosa
- Cost: $40/dog, per class (come to one class, two or all three!)
- Register online at: https://tinyurl.com/drop-in-classes-with-laura

Get some additional practice in a fun and supportive group class environment. All dogs are welcome!

12/03/2025

🎉👃🐾 Congratulations to Team Zoey on earning their ELT-P Title this past weekend! Although Zoey isn’t one of my furry clients, her four-legged housemates and her human, Angie, are and they wanted to make sure I shared her special news! Congratulations, team!!

12/01/2025

🐕👃 CYBER SNIFFING GAMES: "Focused Fido - Interior Level 2"

📅 When: Saturday, January 24th | 2:30-4:00pm
📍 Where: Unity Center (1717 N 73rd St, Wauwatosa, 53213)
💰 Cost: $50 per dog | Only 6 spots available!

What to expect:
🔍 Three back-to-back interior searches with two hides each
⏱️ 2:30 minute time limit per search
📋 Take home your scorecard after completion
🏆 Pass all three searches? Upload to CyberScentWork.com for titles & ribbons!

This particular game focuses on YOU being "weird" by:
✅ Performing both a unique sound and movement action during each search.
✅ Using creative actions such as clapping while taking big steps, singing while hopping, moaning while walking like a zombie, etc.
✅ Not doing anything to purposefully stress, startle or frighten your dog.

🐕 Dogs searching for target odor (birch, anise, clove), paired odor, food, or toys are welcome!

Register now while spots are available at: https://www.connectingwithdogs.com/cyber-scent-work

11/18/2025

🎉👃🐾 Congratulations to Team Tavish on earning their L1I title this weekend!! 🐾👃🎉

11/18/2025

👃🐾 Pop-up Drop-in Nose Work Classes 🐾👃

- Tuesday, December 30th from 6-7:30pm
- Wednesday, December 31st from 11am-12:30pm
- Wednesday, December 31st from 1-2:30pm
- Location: Unity Center, 1717 N 73rd St, Wauwatosa
- Cost: $40/dog, per class (come to one class, two or all three!)
- Register online at: https://tinyurl.com/drop-in-classes-with-laura

Get some additional practice in a fun and supportive group class environment. All dogs are welcome!

11/18/2025

🎉👃🐾 Congratulations to Team Nico on earning their L1I title this weekend!! 🐾👃🎉

11/17/2025

🎉👃🐾 Congratulations to Team Woz on sniffing their way to an NW1 title yesterday! Go Team!!! 🐾👃🎉

11/17/2025

🎉👃🐾 Congratulations to Team Pip and Team Nilo on earning their NW1 titles this past weekend! Way to go!! 🐾👃🎉

11/15/2025

🎉👃🐾 Congratulations to Team Wyatt for sniffing their way to their L2C Title yesterday! Way to go!!

11/09/2025

🎉👃🐾 Team Betty White, NW2 Title 🐾👃🎉

After our "memorable" May NW2 debut (where nature's call took priority over nose work), Betty White and I returned to trialing yesterday and earned our NW2 title.

But here's the thing - while I'm thrilled we titled, I'm celebrating because we showed up as a connected team.

Over the past 6 months, we've been dialing in our routine both in conservation detection deployments and our K9 Nose Work practice:

✨ Pre-game 💩? Check! (Yesterday's real MVP)
✨ Pre-sniffing party music in the car? Playing (Betty White seems to really dig Aretha Franklin)
✨ Patience during every search? Abundant.
✨ Super yummy rewards selected by Betty? Yep! (Bark Pouch = game changer).
✨ Connection between us? SOLID.

Yesterday's trial was challenging for so many teams. The search areas tested us in ways that reminded me why preparation and partnership matter so much. Between each search, I watched BW truly relax - not just waiting, but genuinely comfortable and content. She curled up into her crate bedding and snoozed in the car between searches. We connected during the walks to and from each search area, and we approached each start line with eagerness, consent and focus.

I made better choices, too. When I saw her working through a tricky area, I gave her the time and space she needed. When she committed to source, I trusted her completely. We moved through the day as partners, trusting one another to be there for each other when - and if - needed.

Yes, we titled. Yes, we placed 2nd overall and 2nd in interiors. But what I'm truly grateful for is that we did it while genuinely enjoying every moment together as a connected team of two. And then we headed home to my other team of two - my boys, Aaron and Ernie - who got to enjoy their own special day while the girls were away playing. :)

Thank you to all my family, friends, students, classmates, colleagues, the wonderful Loving Paws team, and CO Nancy. Yesterday's sniffy day was truly a special one and I'm grateful to have been able to play alongside my nosey partner as a connected, trusting teammate.

11/09/2025

🎉🐽🐾 Congratulations to Team Sadie on sniffing their way to their NW2 title this weekend at Alpine Valley! Way to go!! 🐾🐽🎉