In this conversation, she shares her 100 rule — a framework for balancing environment, airflow, hide complexity, and time to create level-appropriate challenges. Understanding it makes you a smarter competitor and a better trainer. She also talks about independence and hunt drive — what to do when your dog isn't in odor right away and how to train for it. And we talk about why not every search should be run the same, and why getting out of your local bubble and showing under judges you've never seen is one of the fastest ways to grow.

What we talk about:

• Judith's origin story — SAR dogs, retired police dogs, horses, protection sports, and how Buddha brought it all into focus
• Why scent work was such a powerful tool for a genetically reactive dog — and the important caveat that goes with that
• What made Buddha and Judith such an effective team — and how she built that foundation from five weeks old
• Ron Gaunt's thumbs up / thumbs down feedback method — frustrating and brilliant at the same time
• The 100 rule — Judith's judging framework for creating level-appropriate challenges, and how competitors can use it to better understand what's going on in a search
• How time pressure fits into the 100 rule — and why a short time limit isn't what you think it is
• Independence — the number one lesson from professional detection work, and why it matters in sport too
• How to build hunt drive in a dog that goes flat when there's no odor at the start line
• Regional trends in scent work — why you should be putting yourself in front of judges from outside your area
• The names judges give to odor puzzles — and how closeness and inaccessibility work as modifiers
• Why two hides of the same odor close together is not the problem your human brain thinks it is
• Shrimp, demo dogs, and why training a dog to show you the whole odor picture can become a competition problem
• Seven questions with Judith — including what it means to honor the dog, her signature distractor, and why her dog would call her annoying

Find Judith: Facebook: Nose Dogs Detection Services Scent Work University: scentworku.com — search Judith Guthrie for classes and webinars

Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.

Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com

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Before we get to the main topic, we start with her recent 2 minute and 14 second detective run. I had to ask how that was even possible. What followed was a conversation about how to better train for detective, how to build a dog that drives to odor, and two very different handling philosophies based on the dogs we each have. I think a lot of people will see themselves in this conversation.

Then we get into the main topic, pressure in scent work. Through the conversation, we uncovered ideas that will help competitors, trial committees, and judges alike succeed and enjoy the sport more fully.

What we talk about:

1. The 2:14 detective run — what made it possible, and what it reveals about foundation training and building a dog that drives to odor
2. Why dogs that have sailed through the lower levels sometimes hit a wall in detective — and what to do about it in training
3. Two different handling philosophies for detective — Penny's and mine — and why the dog you have shapes everything
4. Penny's 40th detective Q — and the bronze, silver, and gold detective titles her club awards that AKC doesn't recognize
5. Pressure on the dog and how it impacts your partner in scent work
6. Pressure on the handler and what both of us do to take the edge off, including Penny's ritual to reduce pressure in obedience (works for scent work too)
7. Why pressure on the handler almost pushed me out of the sport, and the two rules that made it fun again
8. Pressure on clubs. What the growth of scent work is doing to trial quality, and how clubs can best serve competitors
9. Pressure on judges, why the push to be the judge that sets sexy hides isn't always good for dogs or competitors, and a conversation about what really makes the sport fun for competitors

Find Penny at scott-foxdogtraining.com

Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.

Listen to the podcast and find everything here: https://www.AlertScentWork.com

Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

Before scent work, Ana had a career in medicine and medical education. She views judging as education — through the hides she sets, the briefings she gives, and the debriefs she shares publicly after every trial. In my observation, that medical background shows up in how she approaches the sport — doctors are always learning, digesting new material, and teaching it to others at the same time. You can see that in how deeply Ana understands odor theory and how dogs work.

And if you've ever wondered what the dogs would say about us in the parking lot after a trial — Ana has some thoughts on that too.

What we talk about:

• Ana's origin story — this is a familiar story about how scent work wasn't even the thing until it was the thing
• The recurring themes she sees across her debriefs — what handlers consistently struggle with and what the best teams do differently
• Close proximity hides and convergence — why handlers miss them and what to do about it
• Why handlers over-handle under pressure — and what the dog thinks about it
• The twenty-plus picnic table search — what Ana was testing and why competitors over-focused on the objects instead of the odor
• How dogs perceive a search area versus how handlers perceive it — and why that difference matters
• Ana's distractor philosophy — why she uses food distractors, what she tests with them, and why gummy bears tripped up more dogs than bacon
• Why the boundaries define where hides are placed but not where odor goes — and how to help your dog collect information outside the search area
• Retiring Axel from competition — and why making that call was the right thing for their team
• Seven questions with Ana — what she loves to see teams celebrate, her signature distractor, the best compliment she ever received, and what Axel and VI would say about her as a handler

Find Ana: YouTube: Ana Cilursu for her AKC trial debrief videos:

Training: Rots-n-Nots Nosework

Staten Island Companion Dog Training Club — nose work instructor

Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.

Listen to the podcast and find everything here:

https://www.AlertScentWork.com

Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/ #ScentWork

Much of our conversation revolves around the job of the handler in scent work — which Sandra reinforces with t-shirt-worthy sayings like "be a hot date to your dog," "pay a dog a CEO salary for flipping burgers," and "your dog is the subject matter expert, and you are the manager."

If you've ever watched a Sandra Tung student at a trial, you already know these sayings. Her reputation precedes her. We also dig into how to balance honoring your dog's choices with being a good partner, her lazy trainer philosophy for building drive and confidence, and what she actually looks for when she's judging a team — whether they Q or not.

What we talk about:

• Sandra's origin story — from her first Shiba Inu and rally obedience to becoming one of AKC's first scent work judges
• Why the dog is the subject matter expert and the handler is the manager — and what that actually means in a search
• Be a hot date — what it means, where it came from, and why it matters more than finding the perfect high-value treat *The difference between a good team and a top team — and why it almost always comes down to the handler
• How to read whether your dog is in a productive area versus an unproductive one
• Why odor doesn't care about boundaries — and what Sandra tells her students about letting their dogs go outside the search area
• Her lazy trainer philosophy — training with purpose, keeping sessions short, and why simple hides in new environments will take you further than complicated puzzles
• How running Shiba Inus made her a better handler and trainer
• Teaching dogs to move on from a hide on their own — and why she didn't realize that was a skill until dog number five
• Memory systems for remembering where you found your hides at higher levels
• What Sandra looks for when she places hides — and why she loves testing teams on things they don't expect
• Seven questions with Sandra — her dog's favorite reward, advice for her beginner scent work self, how she bounces back from a tough trial day, and the best compliment she ever received at a trial

Find Sandra:

AKC Judges Directory — search Sandra Tung to bring her to your trial

Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.

Listen to the podcast and find everything here:

https://www.AlertScentWork.com

Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/ #scentwork

She has been competing and judging across AKC, NACSW, UKC, NASDA, and more ever since. In this episode, Vicky brings a perspective on scent work that very few people can offer — she has seen it from just about every angle, as a competitor, a judge, a trainer, and someone who was there when the sport was invented. Her dogs, by the way, all have an aviation theme. Beryl Markham, the pilot. Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega. Bessie the Fire Horse. Gaston — said with a French accent. And Phoenix, the outlier.

What we talk about:

• Vicky's origin story — from a shepherd with elbow dysplasia to being one of the first people to compete in what would become organized scent work
• What hooked her — and why she describes the sport as the dog teaching us rather than the other way around
• How breed and individual tendencies shape how dogs search — including why her shepherds would catalog hides and check the perimeter before committing, and why herding dogs often go to the back of the search area first
• How judging has influenced how she competes — and a story about forcing a false alert at the end of a long trial day that she still thinks about
• What makes a search fun — not just technically challenging, but genuinely enjoyable for dog and handler together
• How she thinks about setting hides and what she hopes competitors take away from her searches
• The parking lot conversation after a low Q rate — and how to turn post-search analysis into something productive instead of just venting
• Cherish the engagement — what she means by that and why the bond you build through scent work is unlike anything else
• Seven questions with Vicky — her dog's favorite rewards, including touch games and a boing, her signature distractor, advice for her beginner self, and what she wishes more competitors understood about judges

Find Vicky:

Scent Work University: https://www.scentworku.com/collections/meet-vicky-lovejoy

AKC Judges Directory — search Victoria Lovejoy to bring her to your trial Based in Eastern Washington — travels nationally

Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for competitors — the parking lot conversations you'd never get to have at a trial, with the judges and community members you wish you had more time with.

Listen to the podcast and find everything here:

https://www.AlertScentWork.com

Follow along: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlertScentWork

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alertscentwork.com/newsletter/

Lisa Quibell is a competitor, trainer, and judge with UKC and C-WAGS. Lisa shares how scent work challenged her not just as a handler and a trainer, but as a human, and how working with very different dogs has shaped the way she competes and judges.

We talk about scent work as a confidence builder for dogs who struggle in the world and for handlers who are still finding their footing. Lisa explores what it really means to let the dog lead, how to recognize when not to interrupt, and why giving dogs real decision-making power changes the search for both dog and handler.

We also dig into something most competitors wrestle with: how to celebrate and reward after a search that didn’t go your way, and why the reward is still about the relationship, even when the search doesn’t end with a Q.

We also dig into NACSW judging versus certifying roles, how judges determine a "yes" vs a "no" in a search, and the challenge of wearing multiple hats at a trial without letting those roles bleed into your own searches.

Patrice shares why giving your dog just a few extra seconds can change an entire search, how handlers often interrupt problem-solving without realizing it, and what she notices from the judge’s side when teams succeed. We also explore her dog’s tendency to blast through thresholds, and how learning to work with that reality led to better strategy and less frustration.

We talk about how she approached designing her Master Interior and buried searches, what she observed from the teams over the three days, insights into the scoring system, and what she would make sure to practice if she were entering AKC Master Nationals as a competitor.

She talks about the AKC Master National through three lenses: what it was like to compete, how she viewed the hide sets and scoring system as a judge, and what she thinks could be improved for future events from an organizer’s perspective.

Penny also talks about the strategy that kept her from getting caught up in the leaderboard, how she approached the event as a marathon rather than a sprint, and how the new scoring system completely changed her handling plan.

It’s a thoughtful look at the first-ever Master National from someone who’s helped shape the sport since its beginning.

She talks about what the weekend was really like, the nerves, the searches, the challenges, and her advice if you're thinking about going next year. You’ll hear how she trained, what surprised her once she got there, and the mindset that helped her actually enjoy it.

In this episode, Tracy Hill offers practical takeaways for competitors while also opening up about the challenges that rarely make it to social media. From learning to process “no” to navigating the realities of a sick dog, she reflects on how those difficult moments shaped her approach to training and competing.

It’s an honest, encouraging conversation about perspective, perseverance, and the joy of working with our dogs, even when things don’t go as planned.

A founding instructor with NACSW and one of the judges at the very first AKC scent work trial, Penny digs into why most handlers wait too long to make the call and what she believes “trust your dog” really means. We also get into how she builds drive and what makes a search fun. She shares her take on the first-ever AKC Master National, and how she’s preparing for it.

It’s a conversation full of the kinds of details that make you rethink the game, from training hides to handling quirks to knowing when to walk away.

Jennifer talks about the overlooked skill that becomes critical in higher-level searches — especially buried; the hidden power of reward rituals that go beyond food; and how “my dog lies to me” usually means the dog is giving feedback, if we’re willing to listen. She also explains the smartest way to approach a judge if you want meaningful feedback after a trial.

But ultimately, it always comes back to joy, connection, and celebrating the dog, and that perspective just might change how you see your own searches.

We came back to that story, along with something I’ve noticed in Ellen's runs: when it looks like an alert to me, but she moves on. That led to a great discussion about the subtle signs of reading your dog and how every dog is unique.

We also talk about odor when judging long trial days, how to get more out of watching and video, and the kinds of moments she loves when judging.

And through it all, what really stands out is Ellen’s passion. Even after years in the sport, she still gets goosebumps watching dogs solve odor problems, and it’s contagious.

That was the start of an obsession with scent work. Competing, learning everything she could, teaching, and judging all followed.

Aleks shares what she believes is the single most important skill for scent work teams and why it changes everything. She talks about the difference between waiting for confirmation and watching for the odor picture, and how she sets searches with intention. From her “chair at every level” example to the master searches she plans in detail, nothing is just slapping hides out there.

Hallie has judged for NACSW and AKC, while also competing with her own dogs and coaching teams through every stage of the sport. With more than 25 years of experience, starting in detection dog work before moving into sport, she brings a depth of knowledge shaped by thousands of searches.

Hallie talks about what makes a search fair, challenging, and enjoyable. She unpacks how environmental factors like wind, heat, and elevation change odor. And she offers candid insights on the role of the handler—how nerves, habits, and over-handling shape a dog’s performance.

Laurie Schlossnagle helped build C-WAGS scent work and went on to judge the very first AKC Scent Work trial. In this conversation, she shares how she thinks through level-appropriate searches, why stable odor matters more than difficulty, and what handlers often overlook when competing. Laurie also reveals the personal story behind her signature distractor, and what it symbolizes beyond adding challenge.

About the Guest

Laurie Schlossnagle is a judge for AKC, UKC, and C-WAGS scent work, a long-time competitor, and a trainer at Side by Side Dog Training. She has been instrumental in creating scent work opportunities across organizations and continues to judge, teach, and compete.

Key Insights from the Episode

1. Fair judging starts with level-appropriate challenges, not tricks.
2. Stable odor is the first test: if odor won’t stay available, the search isn’t fair.
3. In upper levels, dogs usually know the odor picture, handling becomes the hard part.
4. Long lines are communication tools, and teams must practice them.
5. AKC, UKC, and C-WAGS each give dogs different “odor pictures” and environments and different competitive experiences
6. Judges sometimes rerun classes when fairness is compromised, and they’re looking for it.

Resources Mentioned

1. Side by Side Dog Training — https://sidebysidedogtraining.com
2. Facebook: Side by Side Dog Training
3. Instagram: @sidebysidesc

Episode Highlights

00:59 Scot’s first Q was under Laurie

03:42 Laurie’s philosophy for setting hides

05:06 How environment shapes “level appropriate” searches

08:37 Why higher levels are mostly about handling

11:02 Long-line advice for trialing and training

15:34 What’s different across AKC, UKC, and C-WAGS

17:41 Why C-WAGS was created

19:20 Laurie judged the very first AKC trial

23:23 When buried was literally drilled into the ground

27:12 A hidden food distractor forces a rerun

30:28 Seven Questions

33:12 Story behind Laurie’s signature distractor

Thanks for listening to Alert! Scent Work.

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