Mary Ellen Grady - Navigating Trial Challenges: Handling and Training Tactics

Mary Ellen Grady

Saturday, September, 26, 2026

9 AM – 5 PM

Topic: Navigating Trial Challenges: Handling and Training Tactics

Location: Carroll Lutheran School, 1738 Old Taneytown Rd, Westminster, MD 21158

Description: The 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.  

Each registered participant will receive a questionnaire to complete and return to Mary Ellen. The information gathered will assist Mary Ellen in effectively setting hides and guide discussions based on the feedback of participants.

Workshop Requirement: All working teams must be competing in a NACSW Level 3 or above, AKC Master level or above; or other venue equivalent to the same.

Mary Ellen Grady is an Operational K9 handler with Chesapeake Search and Rescue Dogs Association, Inc. (CSD) and has deployed on more than 200 searches as a K9 handler with the team.  As a K9 handler, Mary Ellen has held, or currently holds, the following certifications: NASAR Canine SARTECH Area Search II and III, NASAR HRD Land III, IV and Other, International Police Working Dog Association (IPWDA) HRD Land, IPWDA HRD Crime Scene, IPWDA HRD water, and IPWDA HRD Light Disaster.  

A senior member of CSD, Mary Ellen is the K9 HRD Program Coordinator, is an NASAR Lead Evaluator and also serves as an evaluator for her team’s internal K9 evaluations.

Outside of search and rescue, Mary Ellen is an advocate for dog sports, a Trial Judge for the National Association of Canine Scent Work, LLC (NACSW) Trial judge, and is a scent work instructor.

• This event has been approved by NACSW for 5 CEU's.

REGISTRATION OPTIONS:

12 Working Spots @ $225.00 each (WITH your dog)

12 Auditor Spots @ $75.00 (WITHOUT your dog)

Important:

• If you're interested in an auditor spot, please email tsmithgonesniffin@gmail.com. Auditor registrations cannot be submitted through the website. 

• If all Working Spots are full, you will automatically be placed on a waitlist when you register. If a spot becomes available, you will be notified via email.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Venmo: @GoneSniffin (Last 4 digits of phone number: 2461)

PayPal: Tamara Smith (Email address: tamnelli@comcast.net)

Important: 

• Please include your name, your dog's name, and the workshop name in the Notes box so we can match your payment with your registration. 

• If you prefer to send a check, please reach out to request this option via email at: tsmithgonesniffin@gmail.com