About The National Nosework Association (NNA)
Welcome to The National Nosework Association (NNA) – the UK’s leading provider of scentwork trials, built by passionate trainers for dedicated teams. Whether you're just starting out in nosework or you're aiming to sharpen your skills at the highest levels, the NNA is here to support your journey.
“It’s more than
just a trial,
It’s a training plan”
At the NNA, we believe scentwork is more than a sport - it's a partnership, a shared journey, and a powerful way to build confidence and communication between dog and handler. That’s why our trials are designed to be part of a wider training plan, with progression routes that are both challenging and fun.
We host nosework trials and odour recognition tests in a variety of exciting, real-world environments, ensuring that every search presents a new opportunity for growth. From bustling urban settings to quiet rural venues, our aim is to keep both you and your dog engaged, motivated, and thriving through dynamic canine scent detection challenges.
Who we are
The National Nosework Association was founded by Jo Crosby-Deakin and Nikki Thorpe, two long-standing figures in the UK dog training and nosework scene. With years of experience and a shared passion for learning, Jo and Nikki have trained with a wide range of experts in the field of dog scentwork and detection dog sports.
Their vision for the NNA was clear:
"We wanted to bring you so much! Different challenges to enhance your skills. Varied venues to keep the fun alive for you and your dog. A route of progression that’s both fun and rewarding."
At the heart of everything we do is the goal of giving handlers and dogs the chance to succeed, learn, and enjoy every step of the scentwork journey.
Nikki Thorpe
Sport Scentwork Trainer & Co-Founder of the NNA
With more than 30 years in dog training (yes, she started young!), Nikki Thorpe brings knowledge, empathy, hands-on practical training skills, and a deep respect for the canine-human partnership to everything she does. She shares her life with a Border Collie, a Papillon, and a Labrador, who continue to teach her as much as she teaches them.
As Co-Founder of the National Nosework Association, she is passionate about helping dogs and handlers learn and enjoy scentwork through purposeful training and progressive, structured trials. She is committed to strengthening connections with other scentwork trainers and helping create something the whole community can enjoy.
Nikki spent many years training assistance dogs, helping to build life-changing partnerships, and her role progressed from there to working for Sense, the Deafblind charity. There she worked more on the people side of support as a Community Support Manager, alongside qualifying in Level 3 British Sign Language and as a Deafblind Communicator Guide.
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Although the work was incredibly rewarding, Nikki’s heart remained with the practical, hands-on work with dogs. This led her back into canine roles through a pilot project with Dogs for Good, working as a School Dog Handler in a special needs secondary school.
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After starting a family, Nikki returned to running classes, teaching everything from puppy foundations to tricks. Then she discovered scentwork - and was hooked! The chance to let dogs do what they are brilliantly designed to do, it’s such a privilege to be a part of that.
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Nikki is known for her love of the detail in training - the tiny changes, the thoughtful handling, the bits in between. Her practical skills are evident whatever the breed in front of her, from the smallest toy dogs to working breeds. At the heart of her training are the qualities she values most: building confidence, creating clarity, and searching with joy.
Jo Crosby-Deakin
Co-Founder, National Nosework Association
Jo Crosby-Deakin is a highly respected figure in UK scentwork, with close to 30 years’ experience across dog training, behaviour, and canine sport. She is the Co-Founder of the National Nosework Association (NNA), where her vision has been to create a clear, accessible, and rewarding pathway into scent detection for dogs and handlers nationwide.
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Jo owns and operates multiple canine businesses, including hydrotherapy and grooming services, and is the founder of K9 Solutions Dog Training & Behaviour - a business established in 2003 that has supported thousands of dogs and owners through force-free training and behaviour work.
Her primary focus today is K9 Scent & Search UK, where she specialises in developing scent detection teams from complete beginners through to confident, advanced performers. Through structured courses, workshops, and one-to-one training, Jo helps teams reach their full potential with clarity, consistency, and a strong understanding of the search.
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A NASDU-qualified tobacco and drugs detection handler, Jo brings operational experience and real-world detection principles into her teaching. This professional background underpins her approach, allowing sport scentwork teams to benefit from robust foundations without losing enjoyment or ethical integrity.
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Known for her clear, supportive, and no-nonsense teaching style, Jo works with pet dog owners, competitors, and trainers, and regularly travels across the UK as a guest trainer. She is particularly passionate about building confident handlers, strong final responses, and teams that genuinely understand their dog’s search behaviour.
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At the heart of Jo’s work is a commitment to raising standards while maintaining accessibility - supporting a national nosework community built on good training, shared learning, and a genuine love of the search.
Why scentwork?
Dogs experience the world through their noses, and scentwork is one of the most rewarding activities you can do together. It provides mental enrichment, builds confidence, and strengthens the bond between dog and handler - all while being accessible to dogs of all breeds, ages, and abilities.
