Our Instructors

Dennis George, Laura Denison 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 Case of the Year Award
    • Received National Case of the Year Award

2000 – present: 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)

 

Rhonda Stuhrenberg

More info to come!