See what others have to say about attending a K9 Nose Work workshop with Leah (see her full bio here):
"What would you say are Leah's strengths?"
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Wide range of experience in dog behavior, way beyond nose work. Her ability to communicate those experiences, and willingness to do so, at the appropriate times, is incredibly helpful. Her skill at reinforcement timing with the human half of the teams, really drove home to me why having an experienced eye observing me while we practice is so important.
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Leah is verrrrry good at what she does! She has many strengths - she's intuitive and knowledgeable with dogs and people, energetic, passionate about Nose Work, knows how to work with dogs who are pets (not pros), organized, attentive to dog and handler, knows what she's talking about, always ended things on a positive note, explains WHY she recommends or endorses something, and most important to me - she has a GREAT sense of humor! ​I always learn better with someone who can have a good laugh. She was serious and focused when needed, but put us all at ease with her friendly demeanor. Oh, and I like that she would repeat the question when someone asked in case we couldn't hear it. She is definitely in a job that plays to her strengths and we are the fortunate ones!
Her passion for the sport and working with dogs is apparent. She was tireless during the day - working every opportunity, answering questions, her hides were well thought out. She was gracious with all the participants and very approachable.
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Leah's strengths are her knowledge, communication skills, open and friendly personality and ability to readily assess a dog/handler team, set up searches specific for their learning needs and then providing feedback in a supportive manner. Leah is also excellent at setting up searches to work specific variables like wind. Leah takes the time to explain topics and to answer questions.Very knowledgeable about nose work and how to instruct others. Very good communication skills. Genuinely concerned about others and their dogs.
Experience. Ability to apply her knowledge to each search and each dog. Quality of the searches based on your experience level. Ability to communicate ideas clearly so everyone understands. Willingness to answer each question as if it was the most important one asked. Patience and encouraging patience in us during every search. Her love of dogs and the sport. Leah also has a great sense of humor and fantastic people skills. She makes it fun.
Leah's positive and enthusiastic attitude to nose work makes the seminar highly enjoyable. She easily communicates her ideas to attendees, using humor to make topics all the more interesting. Her presentation is logically structured, and she effectively manages the time needed each day--never rushing to finish. She has no problem taking off-the-cuff questions and her responses and training suggestions are practical and well targeted to answer the question raised or issue being discussed.
She is very insightful about dog behavior and motivation and also really understands the human side of the team! Her material was well-organized and she was able to keep the workshop running efficiently all weekend.
Excellent observer AND explainer (will call her the explainer-in-chief:-)). Also liked the openness and acceptance with which she listened & responded to questions/statements
Depth of knowledge/experience/analytical skills. Cheerful, kind, non-judgmental, empathetic nature with a great sense of humor. Fun to be around.
Exercise design, ability to explain what the dog is doing so we can start to notice it, unfailing patience and politeness.
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Leah, you know your stuff girl!!! But you can also explain it well to those of us who haven't been exposed to it. Your energy, humor and 'being real' make you a presenter that keeps everyone engaged, especially after lunch on the second day!! :-)
Audience engagement! Leah is really entertaining, and the information and lectures feel fresh no matter how long the day goes. I didn't work a dog, but her explanations of what to do, when, and why (or why someone else might not want to do what the team we are watching does) were great.
Leah is very personable, and you can tell that she loves what she does! She is thoughtful, and reads dogs and their handlers well, and offers advice positively.
Observation and feedback were great. She provides the same level of feedback for every team which was great. She is very motivating because she is so passionate about this sport.
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Leah's critique of each dog and the commentary as they worked is definitely a strength. Another strength is....I liked the way she discussed how she chose the position for the odor and how the odor was moving at each location.
Enthusiasm for the sport; a keen eye and a really clear teaching style.
Conveying an infectious enjoyment for the sport of nose work. Ability to present information & suggestions to handlers in a systematic & clear manner both verbally & visually. Sense of humor.
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Friendly, open interactions with audience. Knowledge of and organization of material. Carefully constructed, skillful set up of searches. Invites questions on all topics of nose work and provides thoughtful answers. Provides valuable tips and suggestions to utilize at Trials.
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Would you recommend a Workshop or Coaching Clinic with Leah to other dog/handler teams/trainers?
Absolutely yes. Leah exudes competence - yet was very patient, positive, and accessible to everyone present.
Yes. Her knowledge base is impressive. Yet, she was never judgmental - no question was a dumb question.
Yes. Her expertise and long-time experience as an instructor precedes her when you hear she is doing a workshop. I knew I would learn valuable information to help me in the sport.
Yes, very much so. She has a unique ability to take the smallest action or reaction and bring it to life in a way that everyone can understand allowing us to gain a new perspective. Kind of a dog's eye view. Awesome.
Absolutely! Leah has a huge breadth of knowledge and ability to see what each dog needs to develop it's nose work skills. She can easily communicate that to handlers.
I already have. I think Leah's approach to training is easily understood and applied by trainers at all levels of experience.
Most definitely. She makes you feel relaxed even with her vast experience. I feel she is learning with us but guiding us (dogs and handlers) at the same time.
Absolutely! Practical information was presented that would help NW teams working at any level & instructors would benefit from picking up tips to enhance their training programs as well.
Leah is a fantastic coach and presenter. It was such a fun and informative weekend. I look forward to attending future workshops and camps with her.
Yes, definitely. She is very astute and is quick to point out what is going on and offer ways to improve or solve issues.
Definitely would recommend. She has experience to help all levels of handlers and presents the material very well no matter the level.
Yes, most definitely. I felt my time and money were well spent. I came home with lots of feedback and suggestions to help improve our searches.
