Train with purpose.
Search with confidence.
Welcome
Whether you’re new to nose work or preparing for competition, my workshops, mock trials, sniff & go’s, and private coaching help teams develop search skills, confidence, and handler understanding through positive, effective training. Through structured searches, dogs learn to locate target odors while building confidence, focus, independence, and problem-solving skills. Train with purpose. Search with confidence.
“Finding a hide is a moment; building a search dog is a journey.”
-Michele Ellertson
What Gone Sniffin Offers in
South Central Pennsylvania
Continue your Nosework journey with training opportunities that challenge, inspire, and support
both handler and dog at every level.
Workshops
Focused, hands-on learning opportunities, often with NACSW judges as the presenters, designed to develop specific search skills, handling techniques, and trial preparation. These workshops often help handlers to read subtle changes in their dog's behavior; when to step in and support and when to step back.
Sniff & Go
Trial like experiences that help handlers and dogs build confidence, gain experience, and prepare for competition in a supportive environment. Teams are assigned a time slot so they don't need to stay all day. Great practice searches which most often include some coaching, but without the pressure of a formal competition.
Special Events & Travel Classes
Take your nose work journey to the next level with special events designed to challenge, motivate, and inspire both dog and handler. From the 100 Box Challenge to other fun, engaging search experiences, every event offers a new opportunity to learn and succeed.
Private Coaching
Unlike a group class, private coaching allows the instructor to focus entirely on your dog's search style, confidence, weaknesses, and challenges, and your training goals. Benefits include a customized pace for the dog, immediate feedback, problem solving support, and ideas for home practice tailored to your dog's specific needs.
"Tamara is an excellent workshop host! I have attended multiple different workshops at different locations with three different presenters over the years. All the workshops I've attended were well organized, good clear communication, and excellent learning experiences. I've even audited when a working spot was not available, and while I prefer working spots with my dogs, I learned just as much auditing! Highly recommend."
-Aimee Phillippi-Taylor, DVM
“Tahnka and I have been working with Tamara since 2021. We achieved our ELT-CH at the end of 2020 and wanted to get additional training to help us prepare for the challenges of Summit. I had met Tamara in earlier trials, and she was highly recommended by teams that worked with her. We set up regular training and have been with her about twice a month since then. Tamara is a very thoughtful trainer focused on core skills and always asking about the specific areas of difficulty we would like to work on. She has been particularly helpful in improving our performance on high and converging odor problems. She has been very creative in finding training locations including schools, hardware stores, businesses and parks to better prepare us for the variety of trial environments we encounter. Overall, she is one of the most creative trainers we have worked with and always has a positive attitude, making training with her a great experience.”
-Fred Highland
‘’I began attending events hosted by Tamara in 2022. Since then I have attended and worked with my three Nosework dogs in seven of Tamara's events. All levels from Summit to NW1. Every event has been organized and well coordinated. Communication has been clear, concise and timely. Tamara has brought in some of the most well respected and sought after trainers in the sport of Nosework to share their knowledge with us. Topics have been incredibly worth while. I have some physical handicaps and Tamara has made sure that the venues have been able to accommodate same so that I could participate. I highly recommend Tamara as a host!’
-Barbara Novak, ANWI
“Tamara’s nose work seminars and workshops are the best organized that I’ve attended in this part of PA! Tamara’s warm personality makes everyone feel welcome. She brings in great presenters such as Tony Gravley and Garrett Dyer. The presenters and topics mesh well with the chosen venue. The topics are pertinent with numerous learning opportunities for all attendees. Tamara’s seminars are very well organized from notebooks and pens, to snacks and drinks. She communicates with working teams and auditors quickly and thoroughly. Consider a nose work seminar hosted by Tamara for your next workshop!”
-Diane W
“I have had the pleasure of taking frequent private lessons with Tamara Smith. She has
continued to impress me with her insight and observations during those lessons with my 2 dogs
who are at very different levels. Searches have always been thoughtfully designed.
Foundational skills are addressed and revisited as needed. Tamara shares her extensive
knowledge of Nosework and instructs in locations that are safe, clean and challenging. I look
forward to many more lessons and the special events she hosts.”
-Jane Nadelson