Peta Clarke Workshop

The Doggy Lady will be hosting the FANTABULOUS Peta Clarke 15-17 May 2026 in Lesmurdie. Tickets at present are ONLY available for The Doggy Lady clients (please contact us at woof@thedoggylady.com.au if you want to be on a waitlist if any spare tickets are available). We want all attendees to have an amazing learning experience so we are capping numbers. 

Peta is one of Australia’s most legendary animal trainers - and a phenomenal presenter who is generous in sharing her wisdom whilst also creating a fun, safe and enjoyable learning space. Seeing Peta present is a one of a kind experience! 

It’s easier to list what Peta hasn’t done… cos she’s worked with so many different species of animals in so many different environments - but is probably best known for her work in film and television -  Legally Blonde The Musical, Babe 2, Wolverine, Hacksaw Ridge, Runt and Top End Wedding and in zoos (have you seen that free flight bird show at Taronga? It’s pretty cool).

But in recent years, Scentwork has captured her heart like it has for many of us. Her route was via nosework, different to many of us in the west, and I love that different perspective. But in true Peta fashion, she continues to question why and how we do things, always striving to do better by our dogs. She is also blessed by a special sparkle of a dog called Robin who, as our special dogs tend to do, has inspired her to learn more, be more.

This event will intially be offered to Doggy Lady regular first by way of a discounted 3 day pass. This pass will enable audit (without dog) access to all three days of workshops and the opportunity to put an application in for a working dog spot. This offer is exclusively for those who have completed a class or lesson with The Doggy Lady in the past 12 months. Once the regulars have their places booked, any remaining tickets will be released.

Limited Day Tickets have now been released for Doggy Lady Clients (even if its been a while!) 

EARLYBIRD DOGGY LADY THREE DAY EVENT PASS: $350 (audit only)
Approved working spots will be invoiced an additional $100 (per day per working spot).
 
So, let us see what the program brings us!

Day 1: Friday 15^th May
9am to 4pm
 
The Art of Scentwork Handling with Peta Clarke

Handling is one of the most challenging—and often misunderstood—aspects of scent work. In this workshop, Peta Clarke will guide you through the essential skills that form the foundation of effective communication between you and your dog during a search.
 
Discover how subtle shifts in your body language, lead handling and movement can influence your dog’s performance—often without you even realising it.
 
Learn to interpret your dog’s behaviour accurately, develop and maintain a dog driven search, and develop a unique “language” that strengthens your partnership.
 
Through practical exercises and expert insights, you’ll gain the awareness and techniques needed to:

✔ Understand the impact of your own behaviour on the search
✔ Recognise and respect your dog’s natural cadence and decision-making
✔ Avoid unintentionally taking control of the search
✔ Make subtle, effective suggestions without creating false alerts
 
Whether you’re new to scent work or an elite competitor looking to refine your handling style, this workshop will transform the way you and your dog work together.
 
Join us and elevate your scent work handling to the next level!
 
Days 2 and 3: Saturday 16^th May and Sunday 17th May
9am to 4pm
 
What’s your Wobble Workshop with Peta Clarke
 
Join Peta Clarke for two full days of hands-on, practical scent work training designed to tackle the common “wobbles” that challenge even experienced teams!
 
This workshop is designed to help teams understand how to analyse your training sessions to identify potential miscommunications between you and your dog during a search and develop training plans and strategies to address these.
 
We will ask for working dog applications so we can cover these common “wobbles”, but I’m sure there will be a few “extras” that teams bring to the table.
 
It is time for real-world problem-solving (and plenty of fun and maybe a touch of swearing) as we work through common issues such as:

✔ Environmental distractors
✔ Biting hides
✔ Inaccessible hides
✔ High hides (especially for the shorter statured dogs!)
✔ When to call “Finish”
✔ Converging hides (same or different odours, varying strengths, etc)
✔ Dogs that “fly by” and then check everything before committing
Ready to smooth out the wobbles and elevate your scent work game? Join us for two days of learning, laughter, and breakthroughs!
 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS / FAQs
 
Tickets are non-refundable but can, with advance notice, be transferred to another eligible person (please advise The Doggy Lady if this is to be the case, providing the new attendee’s name and contact details).
Early Bird 3 day passes are for use by regular Doggy Lady clients only  - and one attendee per ticket for the entire course. Individual days cannot be transferred to another attendee.
Morning and afternoon tea will be provided, attendees are asked to provide their own lunch and additional refreshments (no kitchen access available - its a search area people!).
Once you have booked an early bird 3 day pass, you will receive an email with a working spot application. Please note, spots will then be allocated and successful applicants will receive an invoice for an additional $100 which will need to be paid within 7 days to secure the booking. A working spot is not guaranteed - they will be allocated to ensure the workshop gives the best all around experience for all attendees.
Working with animals involves potential risks, on booking this course, all attendees accept that they interact with any animals in attendance at their own risk.
Videoing is not permitted without the express permission of Peta and The Doggy Lady.
The Doggy Lady reserves the right to change the content, timing, date, venue or presenter of the course in order to provide a high-quality service or where it is necessary for reasons beyond our control. The Doggy Lady reserves the right to cancel a course up to and including the date of the course and will strive to give as much notice of this as possible. The Doggy Lady will not be liable for any losses or expenses arising from amendments to the course or cancellations. Given our presenter does have senior dogs, we have considered the possibility that she may not be able to travel. In this situation, a scentwork weekend will still go ahead with your regular Doggy Lady Trainer and a partial refund may be made. 
 
The presenter, Peta Clarke, remain the owners of all intellectual property in course materials. No part of the materials may be copied, recorded, or reproduced without permission.