Lauralea Oliver is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Ecological Detection Dog Trainer and Handler, and internationally recognized educator in canine scent work. She has worked professionally with dogs since 2000, building experience across a wide range of disciplines including shelter and rescue dogs, companion animals, sporting dogs, and working detection dogs.
As the founder of k9inSCENTive, Lauralea specializes in ecological scent detection dog training, handler development, and field deployment services. Since 2014, she has partnered with agencies, researchers, conservation organizations, and private clients throughout the United States to develop and deploy canine teams for wildlife conservation, ecological monitoring, and environmental research projects.
Lauralea’s detection dogs have been trained to locate a diverse range of targets, including rare plants, reptiles, amphibians, wildlife scat, and pathogenic fungi. Her work has supported projects involving species such as California tiger salamanders, giant garter snakes, western pond turtles, San Joaquin kit foxes, and some of Arizona’s rarest native plant species. She has also collaborated on groundbreaking detection dog programs focused on invasive and plant-pathogenic fungi.
In addition to her conservation work, Lauralea has been deeply involved in the sport of canine scent work for more than two decades. Through the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW®), she serves as a Certified Nose Work Instructor®, Trial Judge, and Certifying Official. She continues to actively train, compete, and mentor dog-handler teams while sharing her expertise through workshops, speaking engagements, and educational programs.
Whether working with professional detection dog teams, conservation organizations, or dedicated dog owners, Lauralea is committed to developing skilled canine teams through science-based, reward-focused training methods that honor the dog’s natural abilities and enthusiasm for scent work.
Credentials & Certifications
- Ecological Detection Dog Trainer
- CPDT-KA
- CNWI
- NACSW Trial Judge and CO
Heather Long – Associate Trainer & Handler
Heather’s lifelong passion for animals began in Ohio, where she grew up riding and caring for horses. By age 12, she had rescued and trained her first horse, and throughout high school and college she remained deeply involved in horse training and stable management.
After relocating to Southern California, Heather built a successful career in music industry marketing and promotion while continuing to dedicate her time to animal welfare. She volunteered with rescue organizations and served as a volunteer zookeeper at the Los Angeles Zoo, further expanding her experience working with a wide variety of species.
Inspired by a lifelong interest in African wildlife and conservation, Heather completed an Animal Husbandry and Training Program in 2001 and began working professionally as a studio animal trainer and animal keeper. Her work provided hands-on experience training and caring for animals ranging from domestic species to exotic wildlife.
Heather’s introduction to scent work came through her rescued collie mix, Cash, who struggled with anxiety and limited socialization. Looking for a positive way to build his confidence, she discovered K9 Nose Work®. Watching Cash thrive through scent work sparked a passion that ultimately led her into the world of detection dogs.
In 2022, Heather joined the k9inSCENTive team as an Associate Trainer, bringing together her lifelong interests in animal training, wildlife, conservation, and canine behavior. Today, she works as an ecological scent detection dog handler and has participated in field projects surveying for rare plant species in Arizona, helping support conservation and research efforts through the power of canine scent detection.
Jennie Kiefer – Training Affiliate
Jennie Kiefer is a Certified Nose Work Instructor®, Trial Judge, Certifying Official, and experienced detection dog trainer with more than 15 years of involvement in the sport and profession of canine scent work.
Introduced to K9 Nose Work® in 2009, Jennie quickly developed a passion for channeling dogs’ natural hunting and searching instincts into rewarding, confidence-building work. Since then, she has trained and competed with multiple dogs at the highest levels of the sport, earning numerous advanced titles and gaining extensive experience as both a competitor and instructor.
Jennie achieved Certified Nose Work Instructor® (CNWI) status in 2011 and has spent years teaching students ranging from beginners to advanced competition teams. In addition to her instructional work, she serves in multiple leadership roles with the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW®), including Trial Judge, Certifying Official, and educator for future officials.
Her interest in scent detection naturally expanded into conservation work, where she has trained dogs to locate wildlife targets including coyote scat and western pond turtle nests. Through her work with k9inSCENTive, Jennie combines her expertise in canine scent detection with a passion for conservation and environmental stewardship.
Today, Jennie continues to train, compete, teach, and support ecological detection dog projects throughout the western United States, helping canine teams develop the skills needed for both sport and real-world conservation applications.