Sniffing in Strawberry

Aleks grew up in Canada surrounded by both science, from her father's perspective on everything living, and animal training, from her mother's passion for Olympic level Dressage training. This balance of science and training continued into college, where she studied pheromones (moths traveling odor plumes).

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Once moving to Arizona in 2006, she quickly got her first Flat Coated Retriever and jumped head first into agility training. Her second dog, a rescue named Samantha, threw her for a loop and introduced her not only to the world of behavioral work, but also to the new and growing sport of nosework. She earned her Canine Massage Practitioner  Certification in 2017, and Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer in 2023. 

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It was her 2nd Flat Coated Retriever, Tana, that pulled her away from agility and a full-time job as an entomologist. She started Release Canine in 2017, offering canine massage and scent training. She started the Copper State Scent Work Club, which offers successful AKC scent work trials in Arizona. 

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Aleks is an avid competitor, AKC and ASCA Scent Work Judge, and NACSW Certifying Official. She teaches nosework in the Phoenix area, as well as online (Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, Scent Work University, and on her own platform) and seminars across the USA. Her experience in odor theory and observation, as well as recognizing team strengths, has helped her students excel in the sport with placements and JOY!

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She currently competes with her Flat Coated Retrievers, Tana & Georges, at the NACSW Summit and Elite levels, as well as AKC Detective and Master levels. She is also starting her young English Cocker Spaniel, Vespa, and having a blast working foundations and already earning some High in Trials.​

Holly is a lifelong student of dogs. From the very beginning, she spent every moment she could with every dog she could find. Her childhood adventures were a goldmine of experiential learning, resulting in a magical blend of cherished memories and moments of harsh education.

Her parents refused to allow a dog in their home, so Holly trained rats and horses and dreamed of the day that she could have a dog of her own. When she turned 18, she took in an 8 year old dog who had spent much of her life alone in a kennel. The magic began!

Since then, Holly has fostered over 50 dogs, worked several years in an animal shelter, and handled narcotics detections dogs as a police officer. For the past 15 years, she has been a full time dog trainer, coach, and NACSW and AKC judge. In addition to nose work and scentwork,
Holly competes in rally, obedience, and agility and dabbles in many other dog sports. Holly’s passion is building well-rounded teams and assisting in creating effective and authentic communication between human and canine partners. While the scenting sports fill the bulk of Holly’s time, she prioritizes the “whole picture” of the 24/7 relationships between handlers and their dogs.

Holly specializes in breaking down skills into their smallest parts, allowing teams to concentrate their focus on areas that need the most attention. Creating impactful exercises that can be practiced in smaller spaces and at home allows teams to continue to play and grow in the sport even when time and weather present challenges. Preserving the playful spirit and wonder of the magic of our dogs amazing olfactory talents even while practicing component parts is Holly’s top priority.

Anita Ambani, CNWI, discovered Nose Work in 2017 while living in Manhattan, NYC, when her Bolognese, Zuri, needed a new outlet after being washed from therapy dog programs due to illness and struggling with fear reactivity. Watching Zuri transform from a reactive, shut-down dog into a confident and enthusiastic searcher was a pivotal moment — and Anita never looked back.

After relocating to central Ohio in 2019, Anita immersed herself in the sport as both a student and competitor, earning her CNWI through the NACSW Instructor Training Program in 2022. She founded The Scholarly ScentZ, LLC, offering in-person and virtual Nose Work classes, seminars, and training events, driven by a genuine desire to share the transformative bond the sport creates between dogs and their handlers. She also gives back to the community as a NACSW Score Room Lead, Trial/ORT Certifying Official and Judge, licensed AKC Scent Work and C-WAGS judge, and online instructor with Scent Work University.
 

Anita is an avid competitor across multiple organizations and sports. Her 10-year-old Zuri made history as the first and highest-titled Bolognese in NACSW, AKC, UKC, CPE, and C-WAGS, and despite years of battling IVDD and CCD, is working toward her AKC "super" elite designation before she retires from dog sports — a true testament to the resilience of their partnership. Anita's 3-year-old miniature poodle, Figment, is already making his mark, trialing at the NACSW NW3 and AKC Excellent/Masters level. Beyond Nose Work, Anita and her dogs compete across a wide range of sports — Agility, Coursing, FastCAT, Barn Hunt, Rally, Obedience, and Tricks — all while balancing her passion for dog sports with her career as a Program and Business Manager for a global investment bank.