Meet the Dogs

Dog’s are the scent experts, our best teachers, and our inspiration. Meet the Nose Work dogs of Foothills Canine Academy.

Walkin’ In Ah-Maiz-ing Favor, NACSW L1E, L1C, L1V, L3I NW1, NW2 (High in Trial), NW3 ELITE (HIT x 2), ELT-CH (HIT x 2, P), SMT x 3, AKC SWN, SWA, SWE, SWM, K9SG ADV

Favorite things: Kong Wobbler, Scent Work class, food, Performance Scent Dog Speed class, Scent Work training, and sniffing. Oh, and food!

Known as Maisie and sometimes called Ah-Maiz-Balls, this little coonhound came into my life at 2 years of age as a foster dog. Having spent her puppy and adolescence periods in a shelter, she didn’t know much about the real world and had never experienced life as a pet dog. Her rough start hasn’t stopped her, and through Scent Work her confidence has exploded. She lives every waking moment for searching and thoroughly enjoys competing. Maisie has over 40 Nose Work titles, most with placements and High In Trial, as well as numerous Pronounced designations.

We are now competing at the highest level of any venue, NACSW Summit, where Maisie is the first coonhound to achieve this title – not only once but three times, and 2nd place overall for two of them.

If you meet Maisie while doing Nose Work, she is all business. But in her downtime, she lives life to the fullest and is a typical hound goof!

Lucille Chick-Chicky-Boom, NW1, NW2, NW3, NW3 Elite, (All HIT), ELT1 & NACSW L1V, L1E, L1I, L1C

Favorite things: Bork at the cats, dress up, acting gigs at FCA events, bork at the horses, sniff and find things, bork at the cows.

Everyone loves LUCY!! Meet the newest FCA team member Lucille Chic-chicky-Boom. I thought it would be fun to experience working a pint size sniffer, and didn’t want to give up any more space in the dog-mobile. At 11 lbs, this fiery little dog big mouth Double-shot-of-Jack-splash-of-Chi fit the bill. Lucy came from Carolina Loving Hound Rescue, so she had already started her sniffing schooling from the hound experts, mostly through observation and osmosis.

“Joie de vivre” describes Lucy the best, and Lucy takes after her namesake (Lucille Ball). Lucy only recently started her competition journey, but at 3 yrs old has already achieved all of her NACSW levels titles through NW3 Elite, and every one of them with first place overall. We are now competing in Elite, where she is exceeding my expectations. She might be tiny but she is surely mighty!

Stay tuned for more adventures of Lucy!

Millie, NACSW L1E, L1V, NW3-Elite

Favorite pastimes: Chasing squirrels up trees, walking at Greenville’s parks, and trading tricks for treats at Scent Work class.

Millie is my “misfit” dog. Adopted at 7 mos. old, she previously had little interaction with humans. Consequently, she was extremely fearful of people. In order to build her confidence around strangers, we started Nose Work. Since then she has made many human friends, and loves visiting with her “peeps” in Nose Work class.

I thought that Millie would never be able to trial, but she has since proved me wrong. While it wasn’t easy, we have kept up with and surpassed other teams, passing her NACSW L1E, L1V, NW2, and NW3 the first try. She even came in 3rd place overall with her last two NW3 trials. (Notice my shocked expression, Millie was not the least bit surprised.)

Millie has been tremendous at teaching me how to be a better handler, and to learn to read the most subtle changes of behavior when working scent. Millie has achieved her NACSW Elite title and is now enjoying retirement from competition. She continues to mentor me in all things odor!

Maggie, NACSW NW1

Favorite things: Follow Mom around, do Nose Work and be the dog-fun police.

1999-2017

Maggie is the corgi-mix responsible for starting my Nose Work competition addiction. She began Nose Work when she was 12. At the very first trial in the Southeast in 2012, Maggie at 13 proved age was no limitation when she passed all four searches to earn her NW1 title and come in first place overall. She also received the NACSW’s Harry Award, given to one special rescue dog at the NW1 level.

Scent Work was the one activity that Maggie was able to do up to her very last day. She had slowed down and wasn’t even able to manage to go for walks. However, as soon as she started searching, she got the pep back in her step! I credit Scent Work for keeping her mind active and her heart happy to the end.

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