My love for dog sports began in 2004 with a feisty Jack Russell Terrier who needed a job. Tess was a natural athlete and took to Agility like it was her calling in life! Before I knew it, all three dogs in the household were playing the game. Over the next decade, our little family spent so many weekends in trial parking lots – playing with our dogs, making new friends, finding an incredible community of like-minded folk. I cherish the memories of those dogs and that time in our lives.

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Fast forward to 2020… After two years in a dog-free home, it was time to add another family member to the household. Not having the time or energy for a puppy, we looked to the local shelters and found a sweet, but timid 15-month-old pittie mix. Gilly’s first months with us were spent just learning how to navigate the world. It was scary for her at first, but with lots of patience and exposure to new environments, soon she was able to enter new spaces like a boss! I was thrilled! Part of Gilly’s exposure to new things was a trip to visit some of our old Agility friends at a local trial. My original plan was to re-enter the Agility world with this new dog… But someone in the parking lot that day mentioned a “new” sport that had become popular during my absence. To be honest, this “Scent Work” thing sounded a little boring. But there was a local class starting soon, so I signed us up to find some treats in cardboard boxes. It didn’t take long to fall in love with this sport and all its complexities. The rest, as they say, is history!

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Over the next 2+ years, I immersed myself in the sport. I found incredible training through the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy and have trained almost exclusively online with FDSA. As luck would have it, I found a like-minded training buddy who lives nearby. I'm so grateful to Mary Ellen Sheedy and her super-sniffer Jake for being part of our journey. Mary Ellen's encouragement, sense of humor, and commitment to excellent training have been key to Team Gilly's success. We've shared moments of brilliance and occasional bloopers and have sniffed in so many interesting places! I can't wait to see where we go next! Thank you, friend.

 

Before I knew it, we were again spending days in parking lots with a new community of "smelly" friends. It felt like coming home! The travel, the long days, the nerves, the heartache, the celebration, the friendships... I love it all! And, as it turned out, I have a talented partner in Gilly. Learning to see the world through Gilly's nose has been an honor. She teaches me things all the time. It's funny to see how our roles have reversed. When we first met, Gilly needed help navigating the world. Now, she leads the way. One sniff at a time. To date, Team Gilly has successfully achieved titles through Excellent in AKC and we recently earned our second NW3 title with NACSW. I’m certain there will be much more to come from this amazing partner of mine.

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Retirement from my day job came in June 2023. With a lot more time on my hands, I knew that I would become more involved in the Scent Work world, but “Trainer” or “Judge” didn’t seem quite the right fit. Then I learned that NACSW allows individuals to host trials! Bingo!

 

My Dog Smells LLC was born of my love of the sport and my dream of making NACSW trials more accessible in New York State. The sport of nose work continues to grow and every year there are more and more teams looking for the chance to compete. My goal is to make My Dog Smells part of the solution to the high demand and long waitlists. I hope to see you in one of our parking lots soon!!