A 2-Part Series on the Science of Sniffing and Its Power to Transform Behavior

Presented by Canine Decoded + Canine Development and Testing 

This lecture series is now CLOSED for registration! 

Behavior change doesn’t have to be complicated.

Sometimes it starts with one simple action: a sniff.

In this two-part workshop, Dr. Melanie Uhde (Canine Decoded) and Tamara Champagne (Canine Development and Testing) team up to show you how strategic sniffing can reshape your dog’s emotional state, reduce reactivity, and help them feel grounded—no fancy tools required.

Whether you’re a trainer, a dedicated dog owner, or just a behavior nerd at heart, you’ll walk away with a fresh understanding of your dog’s nose—and exactly how to use it to change behavior for the better.

 

What You’ll Learn

  • The neuroscience of scent and stress — why sniffing is your dog’s built-in regulation system

  • How sniffing rewires the brain (and what that means for reactivity, anxiety, and focus)

  • Actionable training strategies to use sniffing in real life: starting at home and turning your walks into scent labs 

  • Games and behavior plans that support nervous, sensitive, and “big feelings” dogs

 

This is for you if...

  • You have a dog who struggles with fear, anxiety, or reactivity

  • You want low-pressure training techniques that support emotional regulation

  • You’re ready to go beyond “sniffari” and use scent strategically

  • You love science but also want to know what to do with it

What’s Included

  • 2 Live Webinars with Dr. Melanie + Tamara

  • Science & Strategy: These workshops blend theory and real-world application

  • Replay Access if you can’t join live

  • Handouts, Checklists and FB Community  to support your sniffing implementation at home 

  • A live Q&A with Dr. Melanie + Tamara to answer all your questions and help you problem solve 

 

 

Sniffing for Behavior Change: How one simple action can change your dog's brain - for the better.

 

This lecture series is now CLOSED for registration! 

Learn the Science + Strategy

Join two live webinars with Dr. Melanie Uhde (Canine Decoded) and Tamara Champagne (Canine Development and Testing) as we break down:

  • How sniffing regulates the nervous system

  • How to use scent work to support dogs with reactivity, anxiety, or big feelings

  • Real-world training strategies to add sniffing to your existing training plan

đź“… Live Sessions: May 26 & May 28 (6pm MDT)
🎥 Can’t make it live? No worries — replays included!

Explore + Apply at Home

Get hands-on with practical tools:

  • Checklists and training plans to guide your sniffing sessions

  • A simple framework to help you know what to do, what success looks like, and when to move forward

  • Bonus: A few “nerdy notes” to tie theory to real-life progress

Whether you’re just starting out or adding structure to your existing training plan, you’ll have clear, flexible guidance at your fingertips.

Connect in Community

Get 30-day access to a private Facebook group where you can:

  • Ask questions

  • Share wins

  • Get ideas and support from fellow dog owners

We’re not just teaching — we’re in it with you. Community support helps you keep moving forward when things get messy (because dogs).

 Reflect + Troubleshoot

At the end of your 30-day sniffing adventure, join us for a live Q&A and wrap-up session on June 26 (6pm MDT).
Bring your questions, your “this didn’t go as planned” stories, and your wins.

We’ll help you troubleshoot, refine your approach, and keep the momentum going long after the workshop ends.

Gianna and Cinza

"Sniffing has helped my dog’s reactivity tremendously. Not only does she enjoy detection, but it has also greatly improved her confidence in numerous ways. She has made bounds in her behaviour that would have been difficult to achieve had we not found detection and the power of sniffing. Not long ago, she struggled to be in a new space. Now, after numerous outings for detection, she can confidently enter a new area and go to work. When she is in a search, she almost completely disregards triggers around her that she would find difficult to ignore outside of these activities, disengaging to continue sniffing. I am forever grateful for finding this tool that both me and she can enjoy and participate in, but also create a stronger relationship with."
 

Leslie and Milo

"After two traumatic life events last year, Milo became reactive and defensive. Our training in nose work, combined with skills learned in Tamara's program, made Milo’s reactivity more manageable. While still not perfect, his focus on finding hides and games such as searching for food have significantly reduce his focus on external triggers like other dogs and people. Sniffing has improved our partnership and given both of us more confidence. "

Meet Your Hosts

Tamara Champagne

Tamara is the found of Canine Development and Testing. She specializes in helping high-arousal and anxious dogs find clarity and calm through personalized training. She blends sport detection with behavior modification, using structured sniffing to support everything from reactivity to advanced scent skills. Sniffing isn’t just a tool in her toolbox—it’s a foundational part of how she helps dogs regulate, and thrive.

Tamara recently completed the Triple Helix Course with Dr. Melanie, and is a Ford K9 CSDT-2 Instructor.

When she isn't coaching clients (dogs and humans) she can be found training and competing with her own dogs, Valor (Doberman), and Vimy (GSP) in scent detection, obedience and hunt tests.

D. Melanie Uhde

Passionate canine educator, pioneer of innovative training programs, and speaker. Her unique approach is rooted in a deep understanding of dogs, encompassing their behavior, neurobiology, genetics, and motivation.

Her expertise and research on gut-immune-brain interactions in gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric diseases at Columbia University have left a lasting impact on the field, with 16 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious scientific journals such as Brain Behavior and Immunity and Psychiatry Research.

With qualifications that include a Ph.D. in Natural Sciences and a Master's Degree in Biology, Dr. Melanie Uhde pushes the boundaries of behavior modification and training. She has worked with difficult rehab cases, pet dogs of all breeds and sizes, and consulted professional dog training organizations on best policies to ensure the welfare of dogs. Additionally, she completed advanced studies of anxiety disorders at Stanford University, further attesting to her dedication in the field.

But if there is one thing she can't live without (other than dogs), it's coffee, fiction books, and her loving husband.

 

Let’s change behavior—one sniff at a time.

This workshop won’t be repeated in this format. If you’re ready to use your dog’s nose to reduce reactivity, anxiety, and overwhelm, now’s the time to join.

Got Questions? We've Got Answers.

Your Dog’s Nose is Ready. Are You?

You’ve scrolled, sniffed out the details, and now there’s only one thing left to do: join us.
This workshop is your chance to learn how one of your dog’s most powerful tools can change everything—from chaos to calm.

Don’t leave this page wondering “what if.”


Leave it with a plan.

This lecture series is now CLOSED for registration! 

Course Schedule

We have your entire 30 days mapped out! Never wonder where you need to be or what to work on! 

Phase 1: Learn the Why + How

(May 26 + May 28, 6pm MDT)

Start strong with two live webinars that lay the foundation. We’ll cover the science of sniffing, how scent impacts behavior, and exactly how it supports reactivity, anxiety, and arousal in your dog.

âś… Webinar 1: The Science of Sniffing
✅ Webinar 2: Step-by-Step Practical Application 
✅ Replays available if you can’t make it live
✅ Download your checklists, handouts, and training plans

Phase 2: Implement + Explore

(May 29 – June 25)
Now it’s time to take the concepts off the page and into your dog’s world. Apply the hands-on games and exercises that build sniffing into your existing training plan. With our checklists and handouts, you’ll always know what to focus on.

✅ Weekly training plan to follow 
âś… Use the private Facebook group to share wins, ask questions, and get feedback
✅ Adapt the plan to your dog’s needs—there’s room to experiment

Phase 3: Reflect + Refine

(June 26, 6pm MDT)
Wrap up the workshop with a live Q&A. Bring your questions, your messy middle moments, and your success stories—we’ll help you refine your plan and move forward with clarity.

✅ Live support 
✅ Celebrate progress 
âś… Keep your training momentum goingÂ