K9 Conservationists

By Kayla FrattScience Natural Sciences

K9 Conservationists episodes

March 15, 2022James Davis on Field Safety, Mentorship, and Dealing with Charismatic Invasive Species
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with James Davis about his work with Padfoot
Science Highlight: Detecting Small and Cryptic Animals By Combining Thermography and a Wildlife Detection Dog
What is some advice for someone hoping to jump into the industry?
Be realistic about your expectations

Don’t rely on this line of work to hold a steady income or to sustain you financially
How do you keep your dogs safe in the field?
Use snake avoidance training - teach the dog to avoid snakes by rewarding the behavior of them stepping away from the snake
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Paul Bunker Book

Cadaver Dog Handbook
Where to find James Davis: 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
39 min
March 08, 2022 Do Our Working Dogs Owe Us Work?
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Sarah Stremming and Erin Jones regarding what we owe our working dogs, and what they owe us.
Science Highlight: Buzzing with possibilities: Training and olfactory generalization in conservation detection dogs for an endangered stonefly species
Where to find Sarah Stremming: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast | TikTok
Where to find Erin Jones: Website | Facebook | Twitter | 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 17 min
March 01, 2022Conservation Dogs of Hawaii with Kyoko Johnson and Dr. Charles van Rees
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Charles speak with Kyoko Johnson about her work at Conservation Dogs Hawaii.
What are some threats that Hawaii is facing?
Hawaii is in the middle of the pacific ocean. One of the major principles of conservation is island biology, which is how species and organisms are not able to easily get there from other places

It cannot be “fixed” by just allowing other species to arrive, as they would be considered invasive species and the island is much more sensitive to those
Is there anything unique about Hawaii’s wetlands?
There are some unique wetlands due to orographic rainfall from the volcanic activity

Because there is a lot of water and a lot of sun, it’s so quick for invasive plants to take over

80% of the coastal wetlands were lost due to development
Why are invasive species so dangerous to Hawaii?
The island struggles more than other places with invasive species

On the plus side, it can be easier to square off invasive species and make safe zones
Where to find Charles: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Nature Guys
Where to find Kyoko: Website | 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
1 hr 6 min
February 22, 2022Difficult Dogs Part 2, Shelter Stress, and More with Ursa Acree
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla is back with a bonus part two episode about difficult dogs in conservation work. She is joined by Ursa Acree, previous co-host on the retired podcast Canine Conversations!
What are some environmental factors in the shelter or in the home that can make behavior problems worse?Change in environment is stressful, especially when going to a shelter
Shelters are usually loud, stinky, and have a lack of enrichment
The same can happen in the home if there is a lot of overstimulation but no adequate outlets for the dog
Lack of exercise can be a factor, but adding exercise is not a magic fix. Generally speaking, exercise is not enough to fix behavior issues.

Some dogs may have a future in detection work but no other working field. This is because depending on the behavioral issue and the context in which it appears, conservation work may be completely suitable

Some conservation dogs may have behavioral difficulties such as:Noise phobia
Handling sensitivities
Dog-dog reactivity or aggression
Car reactivity
Stranger danger
Separation anxiety

Many organizations look for dogs with drive and simply manage the rest

Some Conservation Detection Dog organization do behavior modification training for those kinds of behaviors, but many do not

Many, but not all, behavior issues stem from unmet exercise/enrichment needs that may be satiated by this job.

It is also difficult to “fix” these behavior issues if the dog’s needs aren’t being met

Fears, phobias, anxieties, and aggression may also reduce due to increased behavioral wellness, management, and a change in environment

Why are these behavioral difficulties improved?Reduction in triggers (reduce stress, lowers ability to “practice,” fewer opportunities for mistakes)
Out of the shelter/stressful home environment
Often away from city life
Careful management from skilled handlers: crate-and-rotate, leash skills, even fully kenneling dogs
Increased exercise and enrichment
Many arousal/frustration behaviors improve with this alone

Other troublesome behaviors, like dumpster diving, pulling on leash, jumping on guests, barking, etc, might simply not be an issue for your average conservation detection dog

Some minor behavior problems do not need to be addressed, but if they do, it’s important to modify the issues in a way that will be beneficial to the dog using modern science-based methods. Often times, older out-dated punishment based methods lead to worsening the behavior or creating new problem behaviors

Sometimes management isn’t enough; both for the welfare of the dog and the risk of your business
1 hr 21 min
February 15, 2022Difficult Dogs and Conservation with Rogue Detection Teams
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks to Jennifer Hartman and Heath Smith from Rogue Detection Teams about working with behaviorally “challenging” dogs for conservation dog work.
Episode suggestion: Pay attention to your bedtime routine.
Call to action: Go for a walk somewhere new.
Once dogs are able to work at a job, a lot of the behavior problems melt away.

Making sure their needs are met can change the behavior.
Links Mentioned in the Episode:

None
Where to find Rogue Detection Teams: Website | Instagram | Facebook | 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
1 hr 2 min
February 08, 2022Errors, Mistakes, and Failure in Conservation Dog Training
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks about mistakes, failure, and errors.
This week’s science highlight: You Are Not My Handler! Impact of Changing Handlers on Dogs’ Behaviours and Detection Performance.
Everything is just data; it’s just information
Now we have all sorts of interesting questions to dig into - was it search conditions? Target odor? Study design? Time of year? Training sample quality? Dog-project fit? Criteria? Splitting? Timing? Stress or exhaustion? Handler interference?

While applied behavior analysis isn’t always the answer to all training issues, it’s a great place to start.

Remember the ABCs of applied behavior analysis: antecedent, behavior, consequence. If you’re seeing behavior in your dog that you consider an error, there’s likely an antecedent or a consequence that’s cueing or reinforcing the behavior somehow.

There are so many ways to frame the concept of failure, errors, mistakes. As much as possible, strive to set your dogs up in training for low-frustration-learning. Rather than teaching my dogs to deal with failure, build up their resilience, enthusiasm, endurance, and problem-solving skills consciously through training.

When you select ultra-high-drive dogs for a job, frustration is never far away. These dogs are desperate for their reinforcer, and that can be problematic by creating aggressive behaviors towards the target or handler, difficulties in toy play, off-target alerts, and more. Clean training is SO important.

Of course we can’t completely cut frustration and errors from real life: but our training plans don’t intentionally introduce adversity. Instead they focus on building the dog’s skills so the dog has the tools and the confidence to deal with long, hard, difficult searches.

In training, sometimes the dog doesn’t find the target. Video is really helpful with this, but the next question is whether or not the dog actually caught the odor at all. In other words, is the problem that the dog completely missed the odor, or that the dog couldn’t source the odor completely?

Challenging searches often scare people because they’re worried about failure. Blind searches, blank searches, or long searches can make handlers’ palms sweat. That’s ok! Getting used to a search that’s more like an “operational” search is an imperative part of training and field prep. While we never want to demotivate the dog or the handler, embrace challenge in a safe and progressive way.

Most of these minor mistakes can be addressed through teaching the dog specific cues to help direct them in the field and returning to foundational search skills.

Safety is always the first concern. Whether it’s a dog investigating a snake, a handler getting lost, or a predator getting too close for comfort, now is not the time to think about training. Act to keep or get you and your dog safe. If you’re really stressed out, angry, afraid, or otherwise really shaken, take a break from surveying or even consider ending the survey early.
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
28 min
February 01, 2022What to Know Before Hiring a Conservation Detection Dog Team, Part 2
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla is back for part two with Kyoko Johnson from Conservation Dog Hawaii and Jennifer Hartman from Rogue Detection Teams to continue their talk about things to know before hiring a conservation detection dog team.
This week’s science highlight: How Behavior of Nontarget Species Affects Perceived Accuracy of Scat Detection Dog Surveys.
Covered in this episode:
What hazards might the dog-handler team be facing in the field? How can these be mitigated or avoided? What levels or types of risk are unacceptable?

How does the use of CDDs compare to other methods in its level of acceptability to the local community, esp. Indigenous cultures?

Where are samples going to be sent/analyzed?

What ancillary data, in addition to detections, should be collected by the handler (e.g., time, weather conditions, related field samples of vegetation or soil)?

Can the dog teams access the study area to train and/or do risk assessments prior to project start?

Is there funding secured for the project?

Are the teams you're hiring experienced enough for this job?

Consider cross-training dogs on multiple target species

What is the timeline for this project?

Have you found the dog team that's the best match for your project?

Do you need input from the team on project design?

Have you considered weather/ terrain/ climate/ schedule through the lens of a dog team?

Will the dog teams work alone or accompanied by a researcher?

Are dog teams the right choice for your project goals?
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 21 min
January 27, 2022 BONUS: Called to the Wild: Kayla and Barley on National Geographic and Disney+
In October 2020, Kayla and Barley flew to Maine to compete in a dog human survival challenge now published on National Geographic and Disney+. The show is called Called to the Wild and depicts dog human teams competing to thrive in the wilderness. In this episode Kayla talks about her experience on the show and tells you where to find the show online.
24 min
January 25, 2022What to Know Before Hiring a Conservation Dog Team with Conservation Dogs of Hawaii and Rogue Detection Teams
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks with Kyoko Johnson from Conservation Dog Hawaii and Jennifer Hartman from Rogue Detection Teams about things to know before hiring a conservation detection dog team.
What are some things scientists should consider before hiring a conservation detection dog team?
Lower density finds are easier for dogs

Dogs are often used near the end of a project vs the beginning or brought in to target a more specific area

It is important they have their question ready and prepared in order to figure out if dogs will be useful to the project or not

Conservation detection teams are understaffed, so sometimes it’s best to consider other options that are more feasible
Pros of detection dogs?
They can be used in tandem with other methods, which can be very successful

Detection dogs are non-invasive

They are not biased

Dogs can narrow down species easier
How to know if the dog will be able to successfully collect data?
It’s not possible to guarantee that it will work

Known target types in which dogs have been successfully used in other projects

Go with an experienced team to ensure best accuracy if it is something new
What is the importance of training samples beforehand?
Reliable training samples is important for the dog to be able to detect for your project

It is important to have a sample from the location you are working in

Variety in samples is important (sexes, different individuals, etc.)

The fresher the sample the better, but sometimes it's not possible

It is important to note samples will always differ from live odors when on the job
Why is it important to let teams know about past difficulties with projects?
Some previous difficulties may not be relevant to a dog’s work, but it is good to know to ensure that the teams are able to help with the project
Why are realistic timelines so important for researchers to understand?
It takes time to train a dog on a new odor

Projects may have various limitations

There are travel considerations - vaccines, etc.
Why do some scientists think detection dogs dont work?
Study design may limit teams

Expecting the method to perform the same way other methods do

Patience is needed as it takes time to get the dogs ready on a scent

Limited funding for teams
What are the risks of the dogs being invasive?
The standards the dogs have when working are high

Dogs could not do their job if they were a risk for chasing wildlife
What are some preventative measures to take for both the dogs health and the wildlife’s health?
Vaccinations

Ensuring your dogs have everything they need - fresh water, proper food, etc.

Daily checks to ensure they are healthy

Be prepared to stop work if they are sick or injured
1 hr 12 min
January 18, 2022Fringe Alerts with Stacy Barnett
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks to Stacy Barnett about fringe alerts in detection dogs.
What is fringing?
When a dog alerts to odor outside of the preferred range of where the indication should be, aka too far away

The final response begins where sourcing ends, so with fringing, the sourcing ends prematurely, making the alert farther away from the scent than is preferred
Why does it happen?
The behavior chain of sourcing and alerting is off balance
Over-enthusiastic for the search

Over emphasising the alert/not enough emphasis on sourcing the odor

Different kind of setting with work/trial vs training
For a trial or working a job, you are under different stressors and you aren’t able to control the environment and set up

When under pressure, your behavior may be different which can be difficult for your dog to work with

Differentiation of odor concentration
If working in a situation with different odor concentrations, they may start to conclude a certain concentration of odor and start alerting to only that strength of scent

It may be too easy or too hard

Genetics is a big deal, but training is a bigger deal
What are ways we can fix it?
More balanced training sessions - both sourcing and alerting

“Show me” cue

Ignoring fringe alerts and encouraging them to keep working/”keep going” cue

Working to get the “show me” cue or the “keep going” cue out of the behavior chain
What are the downfalls of the “show me” cue?
Can cause your dog to rely on the handler to source

Can become a prompted cue to alert

It is important to make sure it doesn’t become part of the behavior chain
How do we build sourcing into our training?
Set up for success
Smaller and shorter puzzles easy for them to source

More complicated puzzles to get them back into the sourcing mindset

Increase the challenge level for the dogs skill level to keep the flow going
Too easy may be boring, too challenging may be too frustrating

Hide placement is important in training sessions
The training doesn't come from the human, the training comes from the hide

Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Sourcing Odor with Stacy Barrett

Signal Detection Theory with Dr. Simon Gadbois
Where to find Stacy Barrett: Website | Podcast | 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 6 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.