Enhanced Education Day 2026

IMPORTANT NOTE: This course is open ONLY to NACSW instructors.

Enhanced Education Day 2026

Saturday January 24, 2026

8:30AM – 5:00PM Pacific Time

(This event will be recorded)

Cost: $160.00

CNWI CEUs: 12 for the day

CCPDT CEUs:

Presentations will be recorded and available for viewing/download after the event. You will be sent the links after the event.

NOTE: To guarantee access to the live presentation, we recommend registering (including payment) by Thursday November 7th. Beyond that day, we cannot guarantee that the live links will be emailed to you on time. However, the recorded links will be sent to you after the live event (14 days post event).

Location: Online Event (via Zoom)

Topics and Instructors

Featured Instructors:
Amy Herot, Co-Founder NACSW & K9 Nose Work
Jill Marie O’Brien, Co-Founder NACSW & K9 Nose Work
Melissa Casanova CNWI
John Zupancic CNWI

Course Topics:

Jill Marie O’Brien: Searching the Tightrope – Balancing K9 Independence with Handler Search Management for Class Instructing & Student Development

Join us for an engaging webinar designed specifically for NACSW K9 Nose Work instructors! This enhanced education day discussion will focus on the critical balance between fostering canine independence and effective handler search management. Discover practical strategies, training techniques, and real-world scenarios to help your students develop confident, independent nose work dogs while maintaining clear and supportive handler guidance. Enhance your instructional toolkit and empower both handlers and dogs for greater success in the search field. Perfect for instructors seeking to elevate their teaching and deepen their understanding of the handler-dog partnership in nose work.

Amy Herot: Creative Fundamentals

Ready to enhance your K9 Nose Work instruction? In this webinar, Amy will discuss and demonstrate how to build lasting value in the nose work game for both dogs and handlers. This session will focus on key learning objectives: Understanding the core principles that drive success for novice teams and competition dogs alike Designing targeted exercises to boost drive and improve odor obedience Applying a structured, skill-building framework to enhance training outcomes Whether you’re aiming to expand on advanced techniques or solidify foundational skills, you’ll walk away with clear, practical strategies to enrich your K9 Nose Work program.

Melissa Casanova: A Judge’s Eye View – An Instructor’s Perspective

As a Judge for NACSW trials I have been able to tell you what I observe during your searches and point out little things that were great or that could have been better. Now, as a CNWI I am going to give you some ideas on what to do about these things to help create a more well rounded team.

John Zupancic: Getting Nosework to Stick: The Science Behind Adult Learning

This course provides nose work instructors with a practical guide to enhance adult learning and make their training more effective. We’ll turn andragogy into actionable tactics you can start using tomorrow: focused practice blocks (one goal, clear criteria, 3–5 reps), spaced retrieval practice between classes, light interleaving to develop discrimination, SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) feedback, and question asking. Why it matters: Adults forget quickly without reinforcement. However, by using specific learning strategies, instructors can improve retention, transfer, and execution, helping handlers make better decisions during searches. Why nose work is the ideal sport for adult learning principles: You, the instructor, see the handler in action. The sport gives immediate, objective readouts. Is the nose-work student demonstrating the prescribed actions? If they’re not, how do we get them on course? Is the student improving their search skills week to week? Are they retaining the information they need to make quick decisions in the moment? What motivates them to practice nose work?

Registration

Please register for the course in your instructor portal Course Catalog. Login link below:

https://education.k9nosework.com/login

Registration and course related questions may be sent to registrations@k9nosework.com. Technical questions about logging in to the Education website, such as pass phrase resets, should be emailed to: educationadmin@k9nosework.com

Enhanced Education Day 2026