K9 Conservationists

By Kayla Fratt

Welcome to the K9 Conservationists podcast, where we’re positively obsessed with conservation detection dogs! Join us every week as we discuss detection dogs, ecology, conservation, dog behavior, trai... more

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FAQs about K9 Conservationists:

How many episodes does K9 Conservationists have?

The podcast currently has 239 episodes available.

K9 Conservationists episodes:

November 01, 2022Getting Published 101
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Charles van Rees, our conservation correspondent, about getting research published.
Science Highlight: None
How is getting published in academia the same, or different from other publications?
There are two major misconceptions:

1) that it’s the same as other kinds of publishing,

2) that is different than other kinds of publishing (in being somehow infallible)
What’s next? How do you find partners to co-author a paper? How do you assemble your Avengers team?
How do you target a journal? How do you know who’s a good fit for your paper? Do you write to fit their style?
How long should it be? Like do you know ahead of time, or is it just ruthlessly edited later?
How do you submit? Can you just submit cold?
Can you do this without a master’s or will you just get rejected immediately?
How do you deal with peer review?
What happens after acceptance?
What’s normal for self-promotion and sharing?
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Dogs, Personality, and Breeds Podcast
Data Carpentry

Where to find Charles: Website | Blog | Instagram | Twitter
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
1h 18min
October 25, 2022 Preventing Wildlife Chasing with Alisa Healy
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Alisa Healy from Dog Forward Training about wildlife chasing.
Science Highlight: Training methodology for canine scent detection of a critically endangered lagomorph: a conservation case study
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Episode with Esther Mathews
Where to find Alisa: Website | Facebook | Instagram
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
1h 1min
October 18, 2022 Invasive Species with Dr. Charles van Rees
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Charles van Rees, our Conservation Correspondent, about invasive species.
Science Highlight: None
What makes a species invasive?
Generalists
Fast-reproducing
Behavioral flexibility
Lack predators/pressures
Harmful to the ecosystem in general
Why do they matter?
Conservation implications
Economic losses
(statistics)
How do they work?
Arrival
Propagules
Establishment
Secondary spread
How do people deal with them?
EDRR & related surveying
Tier system from PRISM

Tier 1 – Early Detection/Prevention – Highest level of survey efforts. Should conduct delineation surveys and assign to appropriate Tier if detected. (a) inside buffer but not in PRISM, (b) outside PRISM and buffer, but close (eastern North America), (c) Far outside PRISM and buffer (not in east NA) but introduction pathway exists.
Tier 2 – Eradication – Highest level of response efforts. High impact species with low enough abundance to make eradication feasible within the PRISM. Need delineation surveys to determine extent.
Tier 3 – Containment – Target strategic management to slow the spread, as likely too widespread for eradication, but many surrounding regions could be at risk if left unattended.
Tier 4- Local Control – Eradication from given area not feasible; focus on localized management over time to contain, exclude, or suppress to protect high-priority resources like rare species or recreation assets. Be strategic when deciding if/where to control
Tier 5 (Monitor) – Species that need more research, mapping, and monitoring to understand their invasiveness. This includes naturalized species and cultivated-only species that are known to be invasive in other regions but are not yet invasive here

Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Why are invasive species bad?
Ted Talk
Where to find Charles: Website | Blog | Instagram | Twitter
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
1h 20min
October 04, 2022 Mid Season Musings
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks candidly about some mid-season musings.
Links Mentioned in the Episode: None
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
51min
September 27, 2022Predation Substitute with Simone Mueller
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Simone Mueller about Predation Substitute Training.
Science Highlight: Performance of Pugs, German Shepherds, and Greyhounds (Canis lupus familiaris) on an odor-discrimination task
What is predation substitute training?
A force free protocol to stop predatory chasing.
What are the steps?
Management/prevention: stay in contact with the dog while out, keep the dog on-path, perimeter training

Tools: calmness around wildlife, so the dog can still think and perform alternative behavior (stand and watch). The deal is you can stand/watch but not chase. All parts of predatory sequence are inherently reinforcing, so we can allow them to eye/stalk without chase/bite

Alternative reinforcement, outlet through predation games

Interrupter (recall)
What are the first signs of predation?
Observing - there is no trigger yet, but they are looking for one. This is the time to get involved.

Stalking - they are focused on the prey, tense and arrow shaped body language, creeping forward

Chase - high level of arousal, hard to train anything here

Capture & consume - ideally you will never get to this point
Links Mentioned in the Episode: None
Where to find Simone Mueller: Website | Facebook | Instagram
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
1h 4min
September 20, 2022Breeding Functional Working Dogs with Dr. Jessica Heckman
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Jessica Heckman from Dog Zombie about Breeding Functional Dogs.
Science Highlight: Advancing Genetic Selection and Behavioral Genomics of Working Dogs Through Collaborative Science
What is functional breeding?
The population is no more at risk of X disease than the dog population as a whole.

Also prioritizing behavioral wellness over looks or closed stud books. No elevated risk of separation anxiety, etc.
What are common pitfalls breeding programs can run into?
Not bringing in dogs from outside of the population

You aren’t going to get to the goal and sit there - you have to keep working at it while you have it

“It's not about the first generation, it’s about the population and the direction you are moving the population towards” - Dr. Jessica Heckman
What tests are mission critical?
It depends on the breed/mix

The very first step would go to the breed club and see what tests they recommends

Then start talking to other breeders in the breed and learn about what issues the breed has

For mixed breeds, you should test for everything each purebred parent should be tested for, but it’s hard to say
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Pet genomics medicine runs wild
Where Do Good Dogs Come From
Where to find Dr. Jessica Heckman: Website | Functional Dog Collaborative
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
1h 12min
September 13, 2022Airports to Moors: Invasive Species Mitigation with Grant Blackley
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Grant Blackley from Orkney Native Wildlife Project about transitioning from airport screening detection dogs to working with conservation detection dogs.
Science Highlight: Olfaction-based Detection Distance: A Quantitative Analysis of How Far Away Dogs Recognize Tortoise Odor and Follow It to Source
What is similar between airport detection and conservation detection?
Dog care is the same; health checks, etc.

Training foundations are similar

Educating the public is the same for both
What things are different?
Quick controlled rewards in the airport vs toy rewards for conservation

Dogs on leash at all times in the airport, can be off leash for conservation

Taught to speak a lot to airport detection dogs, but not for conservation

Overall search styles are different

Small differences in training elements

All airport dogs are trained the same, conservation dogs trained individually

Different hours of work, different work environment

More human sided work with airport detection vs conservation

There is more work and funding for airport detection
Links Mentioned in the Episode: None
Where to find Grant Blackley: Website | Facebook
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
54min
September 06, 2022What are Getxent Tubes? Gregory Herin
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Gregory Herin from Getxent to discuss Getxent tubes.
Science Highlight: Noninvasive Identification of Herpetofauna: Pairing Conservation Dogs and Genetic Analysis
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
University of Otago Graduate Thesis

Getxent Product Sheet
Where to find Getxent: Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
...more
48min
August 30, 2022Thinking Bigger with Meg Parker
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Meg Parker from the Center for Large Landscape Conservation to discuss thinking bigger in the world of conservation detection dogs.
Science Highlight: Factors That May Affect the Success of Scent Detection Dogs: Exploring Nonconventional Models of Preparation and Deployment
What does it mean to be “thinking bigger” in the field of conservation detection?
Work with academics more; ask more questions

Get more precise and better sampling

Look into better study designs

Continue expanding the field

Improve relationships with study designers, scientists, veterinarians, etc.

Improve welfare and training

Think beyond what is easiest and the way things have always been done

Where are you in the world and what are the issues there?

What can you do to help?

Think with a direction in mind and not just always going in and counting.
Where to find Meg Parker: Website
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
22min
August 23, 2022 Top 2 Questions Part 2: How Did You Select Your Conservation Detection Dog?
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla hosts multiple guests as they answer one of the top questions conservation dog handlers get: how did you select your conservation detection dog?
You can find our guests online here:
Jo Lock:     Website | Instagram | Facebook
Lindsay Ware:    Website | Instagram | Facebook
Conservation Dog Collective: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Rachel Hamre:   Instagram
Arden Blumenthal   Website | Instagram
Abby Smith     Instagram
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
...more
38min

FAQs about K9 Conservationists:

How many episodes does K9 Conservationists have?

The podcast currently has 239 episodes available.

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