Peggy Haslach CNWI, K9 Nose Work Instructor
Peggy credits her Siberian Husky Chi for getting her into dog training. Chi has not been the easiest dog to train and Peggy and Chi definitely had their ups and downs, when Peggy decided to train her for competition agility. Chi’s first agility instructor was one of the founders of K9 Nose Work. She knew the training challenges Peggy faced with Chi and suggested she try the new K9 Nose Work class as an option in case Chi’s agility career did not pan out. That was a great suggestion. Peggy and Chi have been hooked on the sport ever since.
Peggy enjoyed the training process with Chi and when she saw her confidence grow in both K9 Nose Work AND Agility, she jumped at the suggestion Desiree Snelleman made about becoming a Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWI). Peggy completed her certification in 2009 and started teaching classes as a substitute or replacement instructor all over Southern California. In 2010, she relocated to the Pacific Northwest and joined the team at It’s A Dog’s World. She is currently teaching Introduction to K9 Nose Work, Introduction To Odor, Continued and Advanced Odor classes. Peggy also teaches a number of private sessions.
Peggy finds teaching K9 Nose Work to be one of the most rewarding classes she has ever taught. The great thing about this sport is that all dogs can do it. Peggy has seen a number of different breeds; she has had dogs as young as 12 weeks and as old as 14 years. She’s also had blind, deaf and 3-legged dogs in class. Peggy loves seeing the dogs and handlers grow together in the sport, and how their confidence grows when they see how well their dogs can search with their noses!
And what about Chi? Well she has become quite the Nose Work dog. Chi won the inaugural K9 Nose Work Mock trial and recently won the NW2 trial in Shoreline. She has also become a pretty good agility dog, earning her MACH in March 2011 and has qualified for the 2012 AKC National Championships this spring in Reno. She also has her RN title in Rally Obedience.
Peggy also has a young Border Collie named Daim. Daim started doing K9 Nose Work when she was 8 weeks old. She took 3rd place in the PNW’s first NW1 trial and will be going for her NW2 in February. Daim started doing agility a little over a year ago and has earned her AX, AXJ and XF titles.
Moving to the Pacific Northwest and joining IADW was one of the best decisions Peggy has made. She really enjoys teaching and has a passion for working with dogs. Peggy said “They are honest and have a unique way of keeping us honest”. If you were to ask Peggy what advice she would offer regarding K9 Nose Work, it would be the advice she received: Number one, trust your dog! Number two, stay out of your dog’s way and let them search!
To contact Peggy directly, click HERE!
