The Sniff Club is a fun and supportive online learning environment offering scent work challenges you can complete on your own time. Whether you’re an experienced nose work handler or new to nose work, all are welcome to join The Sniff Club to work on your dog’s nose work skills and give them some fun sniffertunities while practicing!

Each term of The Sniff Club is four months long and there is a specific skill/challenge focus for each month. The skills will focus on different ways to develop a confident, independent, happy search dog, while building teamwork. There are two levels of participation for each skill—a Foundation Level and an Advanced Level. You get to decide what level you’d like to try out each month (you can do both if you want!), set up the exercise, then submit your videos to share with others. If you're looking for some targeted feedback, there's an option to "amp-up" your participation with an optional coaching add-on during registration.

Each participant who shares a video that meets all of the challenge criteria will be entered to win a $50 Amazon, Chewy, or Connecting with Dogs gift card at the end of the club term. Each video shared will equal one entry and the winner will be chosen by random draw at the end of the term.

Each term of The Sniff Club is 4 months long.

• On the second Wednesday of each month, a new skill will be posted in the website group forum by 10am Central Time.

• Criteria will be defined for each skill, for each participation level (Foundation and Advanced).

  • Foundation Level: Great for those new to scent work, revisiting foundation skills, or pressed for time.

  • Advanced Level: Great for those who love a challenge, who have a dog with nose work experience, or who are looking for more complicated criteria to tackle.

• Each skill will have definition criteria, including, but not limited to: The number of hides, a time limit, objects to place in the search area, and if the dog can run on or off leash.

• Full criteria must be met in order to be entered into the gift card draw and to be eligible for feedback for Coaching Amp participants.

• A video submission time period will be announced each month when the challenge is posted. The submission period is typically 7-10 days long.

• You'll work with your dog on the skill level(s) then upload your video to the specific thread during the specified time period.

• Once the video submission period has closed, it’s closed. You can still work on the skill, though.

• You'll have access to the website group forum for one year after the term ends.

• A dog! All ages, breeds, and experience levels are welcome!

• Something your dog will search for. This can be food, your dog's favorite toy, or target odors your dog is already familiar with (K9 Nose Work odors, human remains, car keys, tea bags, turtle poop)!

• A video-recording device. Most mobile phones will work perfect for this!

• A tripod or training partner who can video you. Videos must show you and your dog working. A cheap tripod with a phone holder (like this one) is a great investment for this.

• A device with internet access. All skills and communication during The Sniff Club will be conducted through the private web-based forum.

• Each month you will upload a link to your video submission in the website group forum under that specific skill level challenge as a comment - Do not start a new thread/post. For example, you’ll post your video as a comment under the “Skill #2 - Foundation Level” thread.

• You are allowed to share one video per level, per month (a total of 2 videos).

• Your video should be taken using a method where both you and your dog are visible. Use a tripod, prop up the camera, or have someone else video record for you.

• Your videos should be uploaded as a link with appropriate permissions to allow others to see it. An unlisted YouTube link, Google Drive link, and/or Dropbox link are good options.

• Your videos will NOT be shared outside the website group forum without written permission from the video owner.

• Each video that is shared in the group and meets the full challenge criteria gets entered into the gift card giveaway at the end of the term.

Summer Term — Starts in June 2025

• June - Skill posted Wednesday, June 11th

• July - Skill posted Wednesday, July 9th

• August - Skill posted Wednesday, August 13th

• September - Skill posted Wednesday, September 10th

Fall/Winter Term — Starts in November 2025

• November - Skill posted Wednesday, November 12th

• December - Skill posted Wednesday, December 10th

• January - Skill posted Wednesday, January 14th

• February - Skill posted Wednesday, February 11th

Registration for the 2025 Fall/Winter Term is open through Sunday, October 26th.

During this registration period, please click the button at the bottom of this page to complete your registration.

Q: How much does it cost to participate? A: $120 per dog, per term. The coaching feedback "amp" is an additional $50 per dog, per term. Credit card payment is due at the time of registration. You are welcome to register multiple dogs if you wish (more info below).

Q: Can I participate with more than one dog? A: Yes! You are more than welcome to participate with more than one dog at a time! There are two options to participate if you have multiple dogs:

• Option 1: Pay for each dog's spot! With this option, you'll pay for each dog's spot and submit monthly videos for each dog.

• Option 2: Pay for one spot, rotate dogs! With this option, you'll pay for one spot and select one dog per month for the video submissions. Please email me if you are interested in Option 2 so I can give you a coupon code for your additional dog's registration.
  

Q: How do I get access to the website group forum? A: Upon successful registration and payment remittance, you will be emailed instructions on how to access the private website group forum. In order to be granted access to the group, you will need to setup a unique login using your preferred email address and password. Once your login information is created, I will grant you access to the forum. Please allow 24 hours for the admin to review and approve your entry.

Q: Do I have to participate at the same level each month? A: Nope! You get to choose what participation level your dog works each month or try both!

Q: Can I still participate if I don't want to share my videos?

A: Yes! You are more than welcome to be a Sniff Club participant even if you don't upload your videos each month.

Q: What if I can't participate every month? Do you allow partial registration and participation? A: You are welcome to participate as your schedule allows, however you must still pay the full registration fee.

Q: What are the payment and cancellation policies? A: Credit card payment will be collected at the time of registration to confirm your spot. Cancellations will be honored within 48 hours of your payment. An email request must be submitted to laura@connectingwithdogs.com for all cancellation requests. Please be sure to add laura@connectingwithdogs.com to your safe-sender email list so you do not miss any important communication details related to the Sniff Club.

I'm happy to help! Please send me an email anytime at laura@connectingwithdogs.com.