Laura Holder, CPDT-KA, CNWI™
My life with dogs started in 2003 with my first dog, Fanny. Like a lot of people, I followed training advice that was popular on TV at the time — until one pivotal moment with her changed everything. That's when I discovered positive reinforcement, and honestly, it didn't just change how I work with dogs. It changed how I live alongside them.
The real shift came in 2009 with my second dog, Oscar. His behavioral challenges taught me that real relationships come from building a genuine partnership, not trying to "fix" a dog. That revelation sent me down a deep rabbit hole into the world of professional dog training, and eventually led me to K9 Nose Work. I was hooked.
I became a certified dog training through CCPDT in 2011, started K9 Nose Work classes with Oscar in 2012, and earned my Certified Nose Work Instructor™ designation in 2016. In 2024, I became an approved NACSW Trial Judge, and in 2025, an Evaluator for Cyber Scent Work.
Since 2017, I've also been part of Conservation Dogs Collective — first as Executive Director, and now as owner — where my dogs Ernie and Betty White help with professional scent detection work for conservation projects each spring and summer. Nose Work isn't just what I teach; it's a huge part of my life. Ernie and I earned our NW2 title with a 1st place finish in April 2025, and Betty White and I earned our NW2 title with a 2nd place finish in November 2025. Titling is fun, but showing up as a truly connected team is what keeps me curious every time I get to step alongside my dogs as they sniff.
At Connecting with Dogs, I bring science-based methods together with joy and compassion to help people build real, authentic relationships with their dogs — through K9 Nose Work workshops, private sessions, and group classes across Wisconsin and beyond. My coaching style is fun and playful, sometimes direct, and always full of laughter and humility. I've made plenty of mistakes with my own dogs, and I'll be the first to tell you about them. I want you to feel comfortable and supported, but I'll also challenge you — because that's where the good stuff happens. My goal is for you to leave every session feeling more confident and capable, not just as a handler, but as your dog's biggest advocate.
Staying current with the latest humane training methods matters to me, and I bring that into every class, private lesson, and judging assignment I take on.
Certifications & Credentials
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Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed, CCPDT
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Certified Nose Work Instructor, NACSW
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Approved Trial Judge, NACSW
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Evaluator, Cyber Scent Work
Affiliations
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Co-founder, Force Free Trainers of Wisconsin
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Owner, Conservation Dogs Collective
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Member, NACSW
Selected Education Highlights
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Annual NACSW Enhanced Education for Instructors (2020–2026)
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Organizer & Presenter, Noses for Nature Conference (2025)
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Presenter, Wildlifetek Wildlife Detection Dog Conference (2022)
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Penn Vet Working Dog Conference (2020, 2022)
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Living and Learning with Animals Course (2021)
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Chirag Patel 4-Day Intensive (2019)
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Kay Laurence Trainer Accreditation, 2-Year Study Course (2015–2017)