About Jill

Jill Marie O’Brien, CPDT-KA
Co-Founder of National Association of Canine Scent Work, LLC® (NACSW™) & K9 Nose Work®

Jill Marie has been working with and training dogs since 1987. As co-founder of the National Association of Canine Scent Work® and K9 Nose Work Jill Marie has focused her attention on the development of K9 Nose Work, as a philosophy, activity and sport. Her work has taken her to almost all the States of the Union, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and most recently Sweden.

In 1996 Jill Marie joined spcaLA and developed the agency’s first Animal Behavior and Training Department since its inception in 1877. During her time at spcaLA she created the HEAL program (Helping Enhance Animals’ Lives) to improve and enrich the lives of the animal clients in the shelter, developed the Standards Program for enhanced assessments, behavior modification and placement recommendations and wrote the dog training curriculum for the TLC program designed for at-risk youth. Jill Marie’s tenure working in the shelter environment has given her a unique insight into how successful dog/human relationships are developed and sustained.

Jill Marie’s years of dog training experience includes developing a behavior assessment protocol for use in the shelter environment, agility instruction and competition, tracking, Animal Assisted Therapy, Schutzhund and canine detection training along with many hours of K9 Nose Work development and instruction. As one of the founders of the sport of K9 Nose Work and the National Association of Canine Scent Work, LLC she is a strong believer in activities that enhance and cultivate teamwork between dog & handler.

Along with her involvement with the NACSW and K9 Nose Work, Jill Marie operates her own dog training and consulting business in the Los Angeles area. She shares her life with her son Aedan and husband Jim and two dogs Raven & Grip.