K9 Conservationists

By Kayla FrattScience Natural Sciences

K9 Conservationists episodes

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
1 hr 20 min
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
51 min
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
1 hr 4 min
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
1 hr 12 min
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
54 min
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.
48 min
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
22 min
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
38 min
August 16, 2022Roundtable: How Did You Get into the World of Conservation Detection?
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla hosts multiple guests as they answer one of the top questions conservation dog handlers get: how do you get into the world of conservation detection?
Jo Lock's reply begins at 4:27

Lindsay Ware's reply begins at 10:48

Laura Holder starts at 18:19

Rachel Hamre's reply begins at 26:55

Arden Blumenthal starts at 29:55
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
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
34 min
August 09, 2022 Growing as Consultants for Scat Dog Teams: A Co-Founder Conversation
In this episode, we sit down with Heather Nootbaar and Rachel Hamre, cofounders of K9 Conservationists. We dive into the work we did in Kenya, especially what Heather and Rachel worked on after Kayla went home. We also discuss what we found surprising, inspiring, challenging, and fun about working with Action for Cheetahs in Kenya. We talk about our future hopes for the team with Action for Cheetahs and what we're hoping to do better next time we're hired as outside consultants for a scat dog program.
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
44 min

About K9 Conservationists

From the publisher's feed

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, training, and much more.