🎧 Quick Update for Apple ListenersApple created a duplicate version of the show, and fixing it may have unsubscribed you (even if you got this episode).👉 Please make sure you’re following the correct feed:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alert-scent-work/id1828451983⭐ Enjoying the Podcast?A rating or short review (even a sentence or emojis) helps more scent-work teams find us.🎉 Season 2 Starts January 5Season 1 is wrapped. Thank you for listening and sharing at trials!The judge lineup for season 2 will be announced next week on my email list and Facebook.📬 Join at AlertScentWork.com📌 Follow Alert! Scent Work on Facebook
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Mary Quinn | Judging AKC Master Nationals
From the moment she got the phone call inviting her to judge AKC Master Nationals, to arriving at the Roberts Center, Mary talks about what was running through her mind, how the event was structured, and what it feels like to carry that kind of responsibility, judging the top AKC Scent Work teams at the first Scent Work Master Nationals.We talk about how she approached designing her Master Interior and buried searches, what she observed from the teams over the three days, insights into the scoring system, and what she would make sure to practice if she were entering AKC Master Nationals as a competitor.
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Penny Scott-Fox | Lessons from the First Master National
At AKC Master National, Penny Scott-Fox brought every part of her scent work experience with her.She talks about the AKC Master National through three lenses: what it was like to compete, how she viewed the hide sets and scoring system as a judge, and what she thinks could be improved for future events from an organizer’s perspective.Penny also talks about the strategy that kept her from getting caught up in the leaderboard, how she approached the event as a marathon rather than a sprint, and how the new scoring system completely changed her handling plan.It’s a thoughtful look at the first-ever Master National from someone who’s helped shape the sport since its beginning.
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Leigh and Rhubarb | From Day One Setback To Master National Champions
One mistake most of us have made happened in her very first run, and it dropped her to 118th place for that element. But by day three, Leigh Gelotte and Rhubarb were the first-ever AKC Master National Scent Work Champions. Leigh takes us inside the event, describing the search areas, the pressure, and the strategy that turned a shaky start into being the first-ever national champions.
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Lena and Neo | Proving Them Wrong at Master Nationals
Lena went to the first AKC Scent Work Master Nationals mostly to support the event, but she also had a couple of goals. She wanted to make it into the top 100 and have the highest-placing Australian Shepherd. A few years earlier, a trainer told her Neo didn’t have the drive to be competitive, so you can imagine how good it felt when he finished sixth overall.She talks about what the weekend was really like, the nerves, the searches, the challenges, and her advice if you're thinking about going next year. You’ll hear how she trained, what surprised her once she got there, and the mindset that helped her actually enjoy it.
Scent work is more than a sport. It’s a shared obsession between people and their dogs, where every search is a new adventure and every trial is a chance to learn (and probably overthink things a little). Alert! Scent Work is a podcast for anyone who’s fallen in love with the sniffing game, or is about to and doesn't know it yet.
Hosted by Scot Singpiel, who discovered scent work in 2023 and quickly got hooked, Alert! Scent Work explores the human side of the sport. Through conversations with judges, trainers, handlers, and others from across the scent work world, we dive into the stories, perspectives, and experiences that make this community what it is.
It’s not just about titles or techniques. It’s about the people behind the leash. What motivates them? What have they learned (sometimes the hard way)? What keeps them coming back? From funny trial day moments to unexpected breakthroughs, you’ll hear honest, insightful, and occasionally ridiculous tales from all levels of experience.
We feature voices from across organizations—AKC, NACSW, UKC, CWAGS, DDT, and more, because we believe there’s no one right way to play this game. The heart of the sport is the community, and this podcast is here to celebrate it.
Whether you're competing at the highest levels or just stepping into your first search area, you’ll find something here to spark your curiosity and fuel your love for the game.
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