About Us
Why K9 Nose Work?
My name is Thea Yancey and my K9 Nose Work journey began with River, a black English lab.
River is the 3rd of 11 puppies I raised for Service Dogs of VA located in Charlottesville, VA. River was released from the program at 2 1/2 years old due to reactivity.
River had been trained to do a job (diabetic alert), and once released she needed a new job.
After trying therapy dog work and a brief stint in agility, K9 Nose Work fit the bill!
Now, several years later River loves doing nose work and has even ventured into the competition world earning her ORT, NW1 and NW2 titles. She is now working on her NW3 title!
And - because there were no nose work instructors in the immediate area, I decided to get certified to teach through the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW), founders of this wonderful sport!
As a Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWI), I have enjoyed introducing new teams to the sport for the last 7 years. We now have a large community of K9 Nose Work Enthusiasts who participate in classes locally. We have also hosted our first trial events and held multiple clinics and workshops in the area offering both dogs and their handlers the opportunity to expand their skills.
It has been an amazing journey watching the progress as the teams learn the game and become proficient at locating a hide in a challenging environment!