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 229 episodes available.

K9 Conservationists episodes:

November 16, 2021Communications, Travel, and Conservation with Brooke Mitchell-Norman
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Brooke Mitchell-Norman. They talk about tourism, communication, education, and how all of that relates to conservation!
Episode suggestion: Don't sacrifice what you want now for what you want most of all.
Call to action: Support a local small business that donates or shares some of its profits with a cause you care about.
How does travel benefit conservation?
When it is done right, it puts an exact value dollar on a live and thriving wildlifeWhen your favourite species is a top predator, it is in your genes to want to kill it to protect yourself
There are very few things in conservation that places monetary value on wildlife, nature, and intact ecosystems

A significant number of people are directly and indirectly supported through tourism
Can you tell us about some of the ways that travelers can not just support local communities and put value on live animals but also directly contribute to community science?
Do your research

Check the websites; can you tell if the business is locally owned or not?If so, your money will be for the local community

How are they interacting with wildlife?If there are advertisements of people directly touching and interacting with wildlife, such as cubs, that is a red flag

If something makes you uncomfortable, you do not have to do it
Are there any countries with regulations on these things?
The Galapagos

Africa

Be wary of Asia, research elephant tourism
Why is communication and education so important for conservation?
Connection

We have to change the message from doom and gloom to storytelling and showing what we are fighting for

If you connect with someone on a deeper level, they are more likely to listen to what you have to say and support you
What are some misunderstandings?
That it is “bothering” wildlife, but there are always many layers to the reason for it. If it wasn’t for tourism, a lot of ecosystems would not have continued to thrive

There are a lot of tourism places that give a bad reputation to the reputable ones
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Lekker Coffee in Rino, Colorado

Rhino Film: The Last Horns of Africa
Where to find Brooke: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube
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 23min
November 09, 2021The Great Big Data Nerdfest with Dr. Charles van Rees (Part 2)
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Charles Van Rees about data. They discuss the ins and outs of working with data and how to turn data into information scientists can use.Episode suggestion: Take the time to see, smell, and notice things outside!
Call to action: Check out ebird, inaturalist or seek!
What is/are data?
Information that we can use for inference and for learning things

Data doesn’t necessarily “teach you things” but it helps you learn an answer to something you’re looking for
Examples of data for conservation science
Occurrence data: evidence of the occurrence of a species in a specific area

Abundance data: identifying and counting every individual of every species in a given sector

Time series data: a series of data points indexed in time order

Monitoring: the process of watching the changes and patterns in the species
Challenges in data collection
Biases in both humans vs dogs

Dogs have less of a visual bias than humans as they rely on olfactory vs sight to find data

Important to consider if the questions you are asking from the data are going to be worth it to have dogs involved.

Sample size: you have to have enough data in order to be able to work with the data

Trying to collect data in a cost effective way

You can’t control the data you collect
What happens to the life-cycle of data?
Analysis

Publishing

FAIR principles

Meta-analyses and reviews

Policy!

Or if not, advocacy! Action! Management!
What are ways to collect data?
Conservation detection dogs

Radio collars

Camera traps

eDNA

Drones

Audio surveys

Netting
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Mirror test (Kayla got this slightly wrong - dolphins spent extra time head circling, which may indicate recognition)

Dogs self-recognition with scent

Wolverine Way book
Where to find Charles: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Nature Guys
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
50min
November 02, 2021Data Nerdfest with Dr. Charles van Rees (Part 1)
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Charles Van Rees about data. They discuss the ins and outs of working with data and how to turn data into information scientists can use.
Episode suggestion: Take the time to see, smell, and notice things outside!
Call to action: Check out ebird, inaturalist or seek!
What is/are data?
Information that we can use for inference and for learning things

Data doesn’t necessarily “teach you things” but it helps you learn an answer to something you’re looking for
Examples of data for conservation science
Occurrence data: evidence of the occurrence of a species in a specific area

Abundance data: identifying and counting every individual of every species in a given sector

Time series data: a series of data points indexed in time order

Monitoring: the process of watching the changes and patterns in the species
Challenges in data collection
Biases in both humans vs dogs
Dogs have less of a visual bias than humans as they rely on olfactory vs sight to find data

Important to consider if the questions you are asking from the data are going to be worth it to have dogs involved.

Sample size: you have to have enough data in order to be able to work with the data

Trying to collect data in a cost effective way

You can’t control the data you collect
What happens to the life-cycle of data?
Analysis

Publishing

FAIR principles

Meta-analyses and reviews

Policy!

Or if not, advocacy! Action! Management!
What are ways to collect data?
Conservation detection dogs

Radio collars

Camera traps

eDNA

Drones

Audio surveys

Netting
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
- Mirror test (Kayla got this slightly wrong - dolphins spent extra time head circling, which may indicate recognition)
- Dogs self-recognition with scent
- Wolverine Way

Whatever thing you were talking about at 22 minutes, gulo?
Where to find Charles: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Nature Guys
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
45min
October 26, 2021When Your Dogs are Your Coworkers - And Work is Hard
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Marissa Martino get personal discussing the woes of conservation work when handling your emotions while working! They discuss ways to balance how you’re feeling while trying to make the job as positive as possible for your K9 partner!
Episode suggestion: Just train the dog!
Call to action: Follow us on social media! Reach out to Kayla if you’d like to volunteer with helping put together a scentwork course!
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
None
Where to find Marissa: Website | Book | Podcast | Connection Summit | Instagram | 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
1h 1min
October 19, 2021Selecting a Conservation Detection Dog
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla Fratt talks about considerations when choosing a conservation detection dog, sourcing a dog, and screening a dog.
Episode suggestion: “Don't sacrifice clarity at the altar of generosity”
Call to action: Join pateron!
Discussed in this Podcast:
Considerations:
Make a list of your must-haves from a lifestyle perspective to help which type of dog works best for you. This can be anything from breed type, grooming requirements, size, etc. You should also make a list of “nice to have” and “bonus points”. These are types of things that aren’t a must have, but are still of some importance to you. These are usually aesthetic type desires.

You also need to consider your work lifestyle, whether your dog can handle being off leash around wildlife, water, other dogs, people, etc.

Consider if you’d want to do outreach work at events with your dog. Would a social dog be more ideal, etc.

Travel is something to consider. A dog that thrives on routine may not be best for conservation work.

Most trainers in this field prefer dogs that have a high drive for toys

Consider what kind of dog you like to work with; high drive, low drive, preference for food reinforcement, preference for toy reinforcement, low energy or high energy personality, etc.

Consider the detail level of the work you want to do

It’s very important to consider your skill set and experience with dog handling
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Pandemic Puppy - Where to Get a Puppy

Pandemic Puppy - Picking a Breeder

Pandemic Puppy - Picking a Puppy from a Breeder

Pandemic Puppy - Picking a Shelter Puppy

Test for Detection Dogs
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website
Go Fund Me
...more
38min
October 12, 2021Off-Leash Etiquette and Ethics
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla Fratt talks about off-leash etiquette in order to keep your dogs, yourself, others, and the environment safe.
Discussed in this Podcast:
Off-leash is a privilege and owners carry a responsibility when utilizing that privilege

Ensure your dog has solid recall, especially around distractions

Look for signage; follow the law - if the trail or area is on leash, there’s a reason for it

When you arrive at a trail, observe your surroundings
Are there lots of cars indicating lots of people? Do the cars have bike racks? If so, is your dog reliable around bikes?

When in doubt, use a long line

Not only do you have to think about the safety of other people and dogs, you also have to think about the environment

Your dog should not chase any wildlife; even if they don’t catch it, that is undue stress on wildlife

Do research on what animals live in the environment you’re in to ensure yours and the wildlife’s safety
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
None
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website
Go Fund Me
...more
26min
September 28, 2021Too Much "Structure" Compromises Your Working Dog's Welfare
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla discusses the structure and welfare of a conservation detection dog! This episode is heavily inspired by Sarah Stremming’s Cog Dog Radio Podcast Episode titled “Drive, Deprivation, and Desperation”.
Be careful to not label desperation or deprivation as drive

Limited your dogs access to toys or other fun in order to “build drive" is a welfare issue

Try not to build up an obsession with the reinforcers to best avoid desperation and deprivation

Welfare is appropriate food, enrichment, exercise, and anything that would meet the dog's needs. Just because your dog is working doesnèt mean they shouldn’t get these needs met. They still need to “just be a dog”.

“If your dog doesn’t want to work anymore just because you’re giving them a good life off duty, you need to reassess both your training plans and your welfare plans for your dog.”

Modifying incentives isn’t bad, structure can be important to your dog’s health and safety
Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Cog Dog Radio - Drive, Deprivation, and Desperation
Dr. Susan Freidman Episode
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
A HUGE thank you to an anonymous donor who donated enough to cover the remainder of the van repairs! Thank you to ALL of our supporters who donated, shared, and supported K9 Conservationists through this time!
...more
21min
September 14, 2021Working with a Teenage Detection Dog
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla discusses what it is like working with a teenage dog and gives tips and tricks to get your young dog in the world of conservation work!
Start small. Niffler searches in small plots, each search only commencing around 15 minutes at a time.

While conservation detection can be unpredictable, it’s best to find work that will be highly rewarding. If there aren’t as many finds as expected, make sure you are prepared to look after your dog’s welfare to make it a good and rewarding experience for them.

Keep it extra fun!

Don’t be afraid to call it off! Whether it’s cutting a search or day short, or just deciding it’s time to go back to training and start work at another date, it’s okay to call it off and take steps back or take breaks when needed.

“Don’t prioritize success today at the expense of your dog’s long term career”

Watch for changes over time, and expect them to happen

Not all teenagers are going to be ready to work

Use “gimme’s” as needed if there aren’t a lot of finds

Watch your dog’s enthusiasm levels

Don’t ruin your dog’s career for the stake of starting it early
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
A HUGE thank you to an anonymous donor who donated enough to cover the remainder of the van repairs! Thank you to ALL of our supporters who donated, shared, and supported K9 Conservationists through this time!
...more
22min
August 17, 2021Signal Detection Theory with Dr. Simon Gadbois
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla Fratt speaks with Dr. Simon Gadbois to talk about signal detection theory and his conservation work!
Discussed in this Podcast:
Dr. Gadbois work in Nova Scotia

What is signal detection theory?
Signal detection theory is a means to measure the ability to differentiate between information-bearing patterns and random patterns that distract from the information.

It has been around for a long time

Mostly used for physical stimuli vs olfactory stimuli

It wouldn’t be useful for clear distinctions or errorless data

However, signal detection theory needs a clear yes or a clear no

What’s the potential problem with proportion or percentage correct data as performance?

What’s the problem with our basic lineup for training and testing detection dogs as it relates to SDT?

How can trainers at home put this to use with their dogs?
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Signal Detection Theory Paper
Memorial University d’Prime Calculator
Where to find Dr. Gadbois:
Website | Lab Facebook Page | Lab Facebook Group
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists Website
Go Fund Me
...more
1h 6min
August 03, 2021Lengthy Searches with Dr. Nathan Hall
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla Fratt speaks with Dr. Nathaniel Hall to talk about lengthy searches for conservation dogs!
Discussed in this Podcast:
How does a dog’s sensitivity to scent affect their work?
All sensory systems are learned behaviors, so there will be genetic differences and learning history differences. Because of this, what one dog smells will not be the exact same as what another dog smells.
It depends on the concentration of the odor on how sensitive your dog will be to the odor. Their threshold of detection of a certain scent will increase if the concentration is reduced over time.

Motivation for long searches?
Performance is strongly dependent on the frequency in which targets appear
Reinforcing “all clear” signals can help with motivation in the event that there aren’t going to be a lot of targets for them to find.
It is important to not over-reward for “all clear” because then “all clear” can start to become more rewarding than finding the scent.
Make your “all clear” as equal effort as an alert response
If your dog is pre-prepared for not finding targets over a long period of time, it can help avoid an extinction burst and frustration
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
The Canid Genome - 2012 Paper

Where to find Dr. Hall:
Canine Olfaction Lab | Facebook
You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
K9 Conservationists WebsiteGo Fund Me
...more
53min

FAQs about K9 Conservationists:

How many episodes does K9 Conservationists have?

The podcast currently has 229 episodes available.

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