Instructors

Wendy Krehbiel, CNWI is the owner of Tell a Tail Dog Training and offers K9 Nose Work classes in Livermore, CA.

Prior to starting her career in dog training in 2002, she earned her Computer Science degree at Michigan State University and worked as a software engineer until 2001.

Wendy got involved in K9 Nose Work in 2009. She started teaching nose work classes at that time and also became involved behind the scenes with NACSW. She helped grow NACSW from its first California trials into an organization with trial opportunities around the country. She also helped grow NACSW’s Certifying Official Training Program and was an approved Certifying Official until the end of 2022. She became the NACSW Trial Director and served in that role until the end of 2022. Wendy is now prioritizing teaching K9 Nose Work classes at Tell a Tail and spending more time with her own dogs and family moving forward.

Wendy currently lives with Carbon a 8 year old Border Collie, and Element a 1 year old Golden Retriever. Carbon has earned his ELT3 title in nose work and had lots of success in his competition agility career. Element is just starting her competition career in Agility and Nose Work. She has earned her NW1 and L1I titles and looks forward to a bright future. Wendy’s prior border collie Coal earned his ELT3 title in nose work and his PDCH in agility before passing away. Her previous four Golden Retrievers also trained and competed in nose work and agility.

Gwen Marshall teaches K9 Nose Work classes for Tell a Tail.

She has competed in NACSW trials with her Corgis Hayley, Myka and Fletcher.

Stephanie Jones has loved animals her entire life. As a child growing up in a small town in Maryland, she would bring home stray dogs, turtles, frogs, and orphaned or injured rabbits. She especially loved spending time with and training the family dogs.

It was with Wilbur that she discovered the sport of nose work. Initially, she never considered competing, however, she soon became hooked on the absolute joy that the sport brought to her and her dog. After retiring from a career in marketing, she decided to turn her passion into a second career as a K9 Nose Work® instructor and is now a certified instructor. Team Wilbur earned their “NW3 Elite” title in May 2019. Wilbur passed away in July of 2022 at the age of 14 1/2.

Fast forward to March 2023, when Rolo  joined the family. Rolo keeps Stephanie on her toes. Stephanie and Rolo are learning about Toy Reward for nose work and they are currently enrolled in a professional dog trainer course. Team Rolo looks forward to an exciting future in nose work.

Carol Wilson is an Certified Nose Work Instructor and teaches K9 Nose Work classes for Tell a Tail.

She has successfully competed in NACSW trials and earned several titles with her dogs Maya and Dodge.

Karen Wenzel has had dogs her whole life, but in 1991 she and her husband got their first dog, a Rottweiler named Heidi. Karen was soon hooked as Heidi was eager and fun to train, and in a few years, earned her AKC Utility Dog title. Since then, she had two more Rottweilers and four Labradors. Early on, she embraced positive methods over the more traditional force based training methods popular at the time.

It was in 2022 that Carol Wilson convinced her to try Nosework with her then 4-month-old energetic lab puppy Rocky. And she also convinced her that her other labs would enjoy it too. She was right. Rocky is currently working on his NW3. Before retiring from trialing, her now 14-year-old lab, Kodi, earned his NW2, L2C, and L1V. But he still loves to play the game. Sadly, her 8 year old lab Zadie had just earned her ORT in December 2025 and was looking forward to a fun career in Nosework before passing away suddenly in March 2026 from an autoimmune disease.

When she isn’t training her own dogs she enjoys helping others train theirs to achieve their goals. She taught group Obedience and Rally classes for the Del Valle Dog Club of Livermore for 19 years and is currently teaching Rally classes for the Fremont Dog Training Club in
Fremont. Karen retired from a career in Computer Engineering to raise her two children in 2001, but always found time to teach, train and learn from the dogs. “I never stop learning”, she says. Every dog and handler is unique with their own set of talents and challenges! Training takes time and patience. In the end, the time you spend with your dog helps you build a powerful relationship together!

After many years in a senior manager role in the financial services industry, Mary Beth elected to follow her heart by leaving that industry and becoming a nosework instructor.  She gets great joy from watching new dog and handler teams develop their skills and gain enthusiasm for the sport.

Deirdre McGrath had family dogs around her until she went into the Peace Corps. Her brother’s short-hair pointer, Victoria, wormed her way into Deirdre’s heart while she was attending college.  The result her future included dogs.  Once her law career was established, she chose Chad, a Rhodesian Ridgeback (1997-2006). He opened her eyes in all ways dog and dispelled her naïve thought that all dogs view the world in the same way. What a confident and fun loving dog who was a clown in an agility competition!

Justice (2003-2016) a friendly, confident border collie joined them in 2003. He loved being by Deirdre’s side and trained and competed in agility with her for 8 years.  Karma, an 8 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback, briefly joined Deirdre for a year before she died in 2008.  Karma kept revealing her dog secrets.

While young Zip was running the streets of Modesto, this 10-pound Chihuahua mix found his home.  Needing an outlet to focus his energy, they discovered canine nosework.  Zip loved putting his nose to work sniffing for target odor! Their 10-year nosework journey began and in early 2023, Zip earned his Elite Championship title through the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW).   Justice insisted on joining them in his senior years and earned his NW2 title before he died. 

Deirdre loves the challenge of developing her ability to read a dog’s behavior. In 2019 after “retiring” from the practice of law, she chose to put all her nosework knowledge and education to teaching to others and their dogs.  She became a NACSW Certified Nosework Instructor (CNWI) in 2021.  She continues to share the fun and enjoyment of this team sport.

Also, during 2019, Deirdre adopted Jasper as a puppy border collie mix.  Jasper unsure how to approach life used sniffing as one way.  Harnessing that instinct, his world has expanded. In later 2023, he earned his NW3-Elite title and is eager to continue his “job”.