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Welcome to The
National Nosework Association

The National Nosework Association (NNA) is a UK-wide community created by passionate scentwork professionals to support and celebrate every dog and handler team, at every stage of their nosework development.

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At the NNA, we believe canine scentwork is more than just a sport – it’s a partnership, a powerful training plan, and a celebration of your dog’s natural ability.

“It’s more than just a trial,

It’s a training plan”

Our nosework Trials and Odour Recognition Tests take place year-round in exciting, real-life environments across the UK – offering a wide range of detection-style searches that are fun, dynamic, and designed to grow your skills.

 

For dog trainers and scentwork professionals, we offer structured opportunities to become ORT Assessors, Trials Officials, and NNA Judges – helping you expand your services and support your clients within a respected national framework.

 

Join the NNA community, and discover how nosework can bring focus, confidence, and joy to both ends of the lead.

Odour Recognition Tests

The Odour Recognition Test (ORT) marks the beginning of your NNA scentwork journey. Designed to confirm your dog’s understanding of target odour and your ability to handle with precision, it’s a true test of teamwork.

 

With 8 progressive stages, the Odour Recognition Test (ORT) provides a clear and effective training plan for you and your dog to refine skills and develop as a scentwork team. While an ORT is required for trial entry, it can also be taken as a standalone progression test, allowing both members and non-members to assess skills and track development.

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Trials

NNA Trials are dynamic scentwork competitions designed to challenge and reward your dog’s natural abilities while strengthening your partnership.

 

With progressive stages, increasing complexity, and diverse search environments, trials develop precision, stamina, and teamwork.

 

Judged on confidence, coverage, and indication, these events highlight real progress and celebrate harmony between dog and handler, offering a unique and rewarding journey through the world of competitive nosework.

Membership

Becoming a member of the NNA gives you access to our nationwide scentwork trials and is your first step into a supportive, passionate community. With annual membership, you can enter competitions, track your progress, and connect with like-minded handlers who share your love for nosework and dog sport.

We asked our members what they love about the NNA,
here's what they had to say:

We love the NNA trials because for us they have been a structured, but fun way of starting with absolutely no scentwork competition experience in Foundation level and slowly building our team confidence & experience with the help of friendly & experienced judges, in some amazing, challenging & at times weird places to search! With the unexpected added bonus of making lots of new friends along the way!

Jane Hanson

​Love that each search can be transferred to a training. If a dog is finding the search difficult it gives them an opportunity to still be successful.

Basia G. Olczak

NNA Shop

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Opportunities for
Scentwork Professionals

Are you a trainer ready to take the next step? Become an NNA ORT Assessor, Trials Official, or Judge and play a key role in shaping the future of UK nosework. Support teams, grow your expertise, and join a national community of scentwork professionals.

The National Nosework Association (NNA) is a leading UK organisation dedicated to canine scentwork, providing dog and handler teams with clear progression through Odour Recognition Tests (ORT) and competitive scentwork Trials. Known for its exciting venues, structured pathway, and welcoming community, the NNA offers a supportive environment where participants can grow, challenge themselves, and enjoy the sport of nosework. The NNA also provides opportunities for scentwork professionals to develop through official roles such as ORT Assessors, Trials Officials, and Judges, helping to maintain high standards across the UK competitive scentwork community.

© The National Nosework Association 2026. Website by Effortless Websites.

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