Events
We host several events throughout the year, including local events in Montana and virtually as well!
Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate the 17th Annual Canine Classic in 2025! What an amazing weekend, and we can’t wait to see you next year. Check back for 2026 dates soon!
ANNUAL CANINE CLASSIC EVENT
Every August, with the support of the Paws Up Foundation, we host our biggest fundraising event of the year - the Canine Classic. This is a family-friendly event that welcomes dogs as well. Race options include a ½ marathon (13.1 miles), a 5-mile race, and a 2-mile run/walk, as well as virtual run and fundraising options (including great prizes!). Dogs are absolutely invited and encouraged, and can be off-leash on the 37,000 acre, trap-free property at The Resort at Paws Up. After the race, enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch and some great swag and prizes! If you’re feeling a little fancy, join us the evening before for a sit-down dinner and conservation dog demonstration for the Wine & Bitch Dinner that includes a silent auction! The Paws Up Foundation generously donates proceeds to help support the conservation efforts of WD4C.
A big thanks to our 2025 sponsors!
CLASSES AND TRAININGS
More information coming soon! Check back for updates about upcoming trainings and classes. Questions?
UPCOMING EVENTS
You’re invited! We’d love to see you at these upcoming public events we have planned. Join us!
Have a fundraising event idea you’d like to share? Reach out!
Demonstration Day at Zoo Montana
For a solid decade, Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) has partnered with ZooMontana, located in Billings, MT to receive the uniquely peculiar donation of feces - specifically mink scats and otter spraints. Why? These precious samples are used to help train their conservation detection dogs to find these deposits in the wild as part of monitoring for environmental contaminants and ecological and human health monitoring efforts. Thanks to these samples and this partnership, WD4C has now trained two generations of mink-otter dog teams who have deployed far and wide.
Come meet Amanda Ott, WD4C’s Team Training Coordinator, and Leo, one of their conservation canines! Amanda will talk about how Working Dogs and this work came about, why dogs are so good at this work, the kinds of dogs they use, and some of their fascinating and impactful conservation projects – including mink, river otter, and now sea otter, too. They will also give a live demonstration so you can see the dogs in action!
When: Friday October 17, 2025
Time: 12pm and 2pm in the amphitheater
Where: 2100 Shiloh Rd, Billings, MT 59106
Cost: Zoo Montana admission fee- https://www.zoomontana.org/visit
Elevate Your Impact! Planned Giving Webinar
Your generosity is already making such a difference for conservation - join this webinar and learn new ways to make it go even further.
You'll gain a broad understanding and introduction to planned giving and donor-advised funds, with content designed for those who want to maximize the impact, effectiveness, and longevity of their giving. This is a perfect opportunity to gain fresh insights and practical resources as you plan your charitable contributions for the end of the year and beyond.
SG Long Financial Advisor, Kelly R. Brunger, and Charitable Consulting Director at DAFGiving360, Nathan Falker, will be presenting this webinar. SG Long Financial is a proud sponsor of many community charities and events, including the Canine Classic event supporting WD4C.
Sign up today to get the link for this webinar. If you can't attend live, but would still like this information, please still register and a recording will be sent to you afterwards.
What: Introduction to Planned Giving
When: Thursday, October 23rd at 2pm (MDT)
Where: Virtual, no charge
Dog Days of Summer Webinar Series
This dates for this webinar series have passed, but you can view the recordings on our YouTube Channel.
Want to volunteer to help with some of our in-person events? Email events@wd4c.org with your interest!
Want to Bring WD4C to Your Event?
Whether you're planning a conference, classroom visit, community gathering, or something in between - we’d love to share the incredible work of our conservation detection dogs! From inspiring talks to engaging demonstrations (yes, we can bring the dogs!), we’re happy to explore ways to be part of your event.
Availability depends on our fieldwork schedule, but we’ll do our best to make it work or find a creative alternative. To support the time, travel, and preparation involved, a speaker or demo fee or donation is greatly appreciated to help support this work. Reach out to us at events@wd4c.org with a little bit about your event, your ideal date, and what you’re looking for and we’ll see if we can connect!