Laura Holder, CPDT-KA, CNWI™
My life with dogs started in 2003 with my first dog, Fanny, and a whole lot of training advice I picked up from TV. Then came Oscar in 2009. His behavioral challenges taught me that real relationships come from partnership, not trying to "fix" a dog, and that sent me down a deep rabbit hole into professional training and, eventually, nose work. I was hooked. Since 2011, I've been teaching nose work and scent detection, and my dogs are still teaching me something new every week.
I became a certified dog trainer 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 mix science-based training with a whole lot of joy (and a few questionable puns) to help you build a real relationship with your dog. 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.
I'm a total snerd (scent work nerd) about continuing education, and everything I learn ends up in my classes, lessons, and judging.
Certifications & Credentials
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2011-present: Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed, CCPDT
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2016-present: Certified Nose Work Instructor, NACSW
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2024-present: Approved Trial Judge, NACSW
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2025-present: 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)