Working Spot – NW3 and Elite – Sunday, May 3 – Mary Ellen Grady

Each full day workshop will focus on handling and training tactics and techniques to help K9 teams navigate common trial challenges such as environmental and food distractors, fringe odor, inaccessible hides, converging odors, mirror hides, elevated hides, and speed searches.

Handlers and K9’s will work a variety of scenarios (some known and some blind) that will emphasize:

• Air scent scent theory - both interior and exterior and how airflow affects the odor
• Handler skills- how handler stress, body pressure, leash handling and voice affect the K9's ability to make decisions
• Effective area clearing- strategies for clearing an area based on the K9's working style
• K9 alert behavior- recognizing sourcing behavior to make a quick call

Teams will have the opportunity to work all scenarios, though variations may be made to meet teams at their individual levels. Handler’s will receive individual feedback and will also watch other teams work and hear training tips and instruction provided to other participants.

Mary Ellen Grady has been a K9 handler with Chesapeake Search Dogs (CSD) since 2012 working both live find and human remains detection (HRD) K9s and has deployed on more than 200 rescue or recovery missions. Currently, Mary Ellen is working a single purpose K9 who is nationally certified in HRD land, water, crime scene, and light disaster. For the past three years, Mary Ellen has been leading the HRD puppy and prep team program for CSD, responsible for ensuring K9 and handler teams are ready to certify and deploy in support of state, local, and federal law enforcement or emergency response organizations. Mary Ellen has been an active NACSW trial judge since 2022.

The seminar will run from 9am-4pm and will be held at:
Lords New Church
1725 Huntingdon Rd
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006

Cost: $240 for members, $275 for non members
10 working spots, unlimited auditors ($40)

Registrar: Mary Grace Buckwalter

Email Mary Grace with questions about registration.