Our Instructors – Midwest K9 Scent Sports

Dennis George, Laura Denison, Sara Eaton, Reagan Mann, Tiffany Mitchell, Becky Parsons, and Rhonda Stuhrenberg

Dennis George

1991-2012: K-9 Handler/Trainer, Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Served 21 years as a narcotics detection K-9 Head Trainer/handler.
Competed in annual detection K-9 certifications/competitions
- Certified in 21 regional narcotics certifications
- Certified in 2 National narcotics certifications
Competed in USPCA National narcotics detection K-9 certifications
- Placed 2nd in the country in 2 team competition
- Placed 3rd in the country in individual team competition (approx. 100 K-9 teams)
- Received Regional and National Case of the Year Awards

2000 – 2012 (Retired): Certified Judge, United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) –
Served as a judge in annual certifications/competitions for law enforcement narcotics detection K-9s

1999 – present: Owner, Midwest K-9 Detection & Consulting
Trained and placed more than 250 narcotics detection dogs with agencies across the continental U.S., as well as two in Puerto Rico, one in Brazil, and one in Hawaii. Conducted annual narcotics detection K-9 certifications and served as chief judge

2015 – present: Owner, Midwest K-9 Scent Sports
Serves as Head trainer in several beginning to advanced level Nosework classes each week, preparing participants for certification/trials.

2018 – present: Judge, NACSW

2018 – present: Judge, UKC Nosework

Laura Denison

Iowa Search and Rescue – Mission Ready K-9 handler (1996)
All County K9 Search Team – Mission Ready K-9 handler (1997–2007)
All County K9 Search Team – Team Leader (2000–2007)
American Mantrailing Association – Certified bloodhound team/member (2010–2012)
Iowa K-9 Search Team – Certified dog handler and Team Leader (2008–2015)
Des Moines Police Department (Iowa) Reserve officer (2000–present)
Nebraska Task Force 1, FEMA (Lincoln, NE) – Certified K9 Crime Specialist (2012–present)
Iowa Task Force 1, (Cedar Rapids, IA) – State resource (2013–present)
K-9 Alliance of Iowa – Co-founder/Instructor (2008–present)
Midwest K-9 Detection & Consulting (Des Moines, IA) – Police K-9s (2009–present) – Trainer (tracking, narcotics, explosives); Judge (narcotics and tracking)
Midwest K-9 Scent Sports (Co Owner) – Nosework Instructor (2016–present)
National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) – K-9 Team (trailing and area search), certified dog handler, certified SAR Technician 2
Alliance for Emergency Response Instructors and Examiners (AERIES)
- Chief Examiner, Canine Search Specialist – Disaster Live and HRD, Trailing
- Examiner, Canine Search Specialist – Area Search
National Association for Canine Scent Work (NACSW) – Judge (2018–present)
UKC Nosework Judge (2019-present)
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, Assigned K9 Handler, (2018-present)