New environments, such as shelters or foster homes, can be overwhelming for dogs, often increasing anxiety and leading to unwanted behaviors. Certified dog trainer and author Laurie Horn will guide staff, volunteers, and foster caregivers in using a dog’s most powerful sense – their sense of smell – to help dogs feel calmer, more confident, and ultimately more adoptable. In this session, you’ll learn how to easily implement a simple, effective scent work program that requires minimal effort and no budget at all.
Laurie Horn is the author of Scent 4 Shelter Dogs and is a dog trainer and owner of Sniffing Out Solutions. She began Sniffing Out Solutions to offer free resources to dog owners, rescues, and shelters. She also works with individuals virtually or in-person to create a better bond with your dog through play, enrichment, and scentwork. She believes in a force-free, positive reinforcement methodology. She does not believe in using aversive training tools. She believes that while they may appear to be a quick fix to a problem, in the long run, they damage the bond between the dog and their person which can be extremely difficult to repair. A dog is much more likely to make good choices when they are rewarded for doing so, than if they are punished for making a bad choice.
She grew up with Collies and has been lucky enough to have the love of a Dalmatian as well as two amazing, wonderful mutts and numerous other dogs during her time in rescue and shelter work. She worked in rescue for several years, including serving on the board of a bully breed rescue. She was instrumental, as the adoption counselor, in finding homes for the misunderstood and the forgotten ones.
She is a member of the Council for Certified Professional Dog Trainers. She has her CPDT-KA, is Certified Fear Free, a Certified Concept Pro Dog Trainer – CCPDT-AD, and a Blue Level World Scent Dog Association (WSDA) Instructor and Level 1 Judge. She is a member of Michigan Pet Alliance and serves on the Education and Training Committee.
Laurie lives in Michigan with her husband and spends her time writing, continuing her education in scentwork and dog behavior, and making scent/enrichment items that she donates to the local shelters and rescues.
