What to listen for:

Living with a powerful, high-drive dog obviously has its set of challenges. That’s even more true when sharing a household with multiple working dogs. In today’s episode, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal open up about the realities of managing the day-to-day lives of dogs bred for work. They explain that drive expresses itself in dogs in a lot of ways owners don’t expect. But no matter how messy or even violent the expression, we must avoid judging our furry friends by the standards of human morality.

Our hosts share how they’ve been able to maintain a happy household where their dogs feel safe, and how they’ve navigated days in which almost everything seems to be going wrong. A lot of the work, they found, comes down to taking pressure off of yourself and refusing to slap a label on your dog (ex. “She’s an angry dog/He’s a nervous dog, etc.”).

They remind us that the human-dog dynamic is ever-changing by the day, and that we must be aware and adaptable as owners in order to stay in control. Finally, we have to be willing to commit to a regular schedule of care, play, and training, because “it’s not all happiness all the time. It's a daily crate and rotate. It’s a routine and a responsibility.”

Key Topics:

• Managing the day-to-day life of a dog bred for work (04:28)
• Caring for elderly dogs (09:31)
• Fulfilling your dog’s needs (15:42)
• Seeing fights between dogs as teachable moments (19:44)
• Training, not running, your dogs every day (35:27)
• Setting boundaries for yourself (37:31)
• The importance of rest and having a support system (41:20)
• Knowing which combination of dogs don’t work well (45:11)
• Acknowledging how a dog feels (49:05)
• Our takeaways (51:09)

Resources:

• Michael Shikashio
• Predatory drift in dogs
• K9 Detection Collaborative Episode 56: Talking K9 Fitness with Bobbie Lyons
• K9 Detection Collaborative Episode 54: Canine Handler Fitness with Liz Joyce

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Jingle by: www.mavericksings.com Instagram: @mavericktastic

Audio editing & other podcast services by: www.thepodcastman.com Instagram: @the_podcast_man

What to listen for:

What’s keeping me from training on a regular basis? What’s keeping me from unlocking my dog’s full potential? These are questions that almost every handler asks themselves at some point in their career, often many times! Today, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal unpack these common pain points on the path to progress in the K9 world by drawing on their own experiences.

Listen in as our hosts discuss why we lack purpose, consistency, and confidence. Their first and most important challenge to trainers everywhere: “If this goal is important enough to you, can you find just five minutes a day to dedicate to that goal?” Many times what’s holding us back from progress is intimidation around the amount of time and effort we need to put in to see any sort of improvement. But as our hosts remind us, five minutes a day regularly is always better than an hour irregularly.

They also explain that it’s often hard to recognize the good that we get out of the shortest of training sessions only because the gains are not immediate. But as we stay consistent with those little pockets of training time and take care to stack habits, we’ll wake up one day amazed at how much we and our dog have grown.

Our hosts assure us that these obstacles are just part of the K9 detection game. You may feel totally alone as you deal with these challenges, but know that you’re absolutely not alone! According to Stacy, “Your problems may feel huge, but they are solvable!”

Key Topics:

• Why you need to train the non-sexy stuff regularly (02:02)
• What’s keeping you from changing your unproductive habits? (07:15)
• Habit stacking and why short, frequent sessions are always better than longer, infrequent sessions (13:06)
• How doing leads to motivation (18:55)
• The importance of downtime to prevent burnout (25:31)
• Paying attention only to the person in front of you (32:52)
• The limitations of training your dog without blind hides (34:32)
• Creative ways to regularly train with blind hides (37:18)
• Lack of purpose and training just to train (41:16)
• Developing dutifulness, consistency, and confidence (47:38)
• Our challenge to listeners (52:26)
• Our takeaways (53:39)

Resources:

• OSU Dog Hip Replacement
• True Chew Natural Dog Treats
• Pure Dog Talk episode: AKC's New Genetic Testing Program to offer Expanded Insights
• SWDI 
• K9 Projekt 
• Calm the F*ck Down (book - affiliate link)
• K9 Detection Collaborative Episode 54: Canine Handler Fitness with Liz Joyce 
• K9 Detection Collaborative Episode 11: The D's of Detection Work 

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

What to listen for:

Today, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal reflect on their biggest takeaways from speaking with previous guests Liz Joyce, Bobby Lyons, and Melissa Stagnaro, where everything from self-care to physical fitness to search-and-rescue sport was covered.

Listen in as our hosts highlight the value of making incremental progress in our fitness and skill development, and how the right coach can help us instill the habits we need to maintain our progression plan.

Crystal talks about her journey to overcoming stress eating and how paying attention to her own body during training translates into how she assesses her dogs’ movements and behaviors. She also discusses the importance of taking the pressure off of yourself and your dog, and why search-and-rescue sport is a great demonstration of the power of fun training sessions.

Finally, they share how just three minutes of stretching a day results in a domino effect that allows you to grow holistically in your physical fitness and capabilities as a trainer.

Key Topics:

• Habit stacking, “feeling” progress, and having a driving force behind the habit (04:05)
• The importance of having the right coach at the right time (07:12)
• Body awareness (12:21)
• Getting your nutrition in order (16:10)
• Training alongside your dog (24:37)
• Compensating for physical limitations (28:44)
• Taking the pressure off (38:16)
• Helping your dog feel more confident in themselves (49:00)

Resources from Bobbie’s Episode:

• Pawsitive Performance (where you can go to book private sessions with Bobbie)
• Bobbie Lyon's Canine Campus
• Bobbie's Personal FB Page
• Bobbie's Border Collie Litter group
• Bobbie's FB Group

Resources from Melissa’s Episode:

• Learn more about ARSA at www.searchandrescuesport.org
• 23rd IRO World Championship for Search and Rescue Dogs (video)

Resources from Liz’s Episode:

• CanineHandlerFitness.com (free webinar & resources here!)
• Canine Handler Fitness on Instagram 
• Canine Handler Fitness on Facebook

K9 Detection Collaborative Past Episodes:

• Episode 56: Talking K9 Fitness with Bobbie Lyons
• Episode 55: Talking Search and Rescue Sport with Melissa Stagnaro
• Episode 54: Canine Handler Fitness with Liz Joyce

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

What to listen for:

Today, Stacy and Crystal sit down with Bobbie Lyons. She owns and operates Pawsitive Performance LLC which offers dog training, fitness training, and trick training around the globe.

Bobbie is the lead instructor and program director for the Certified Canine Strength and Conditioning Coach program that is offered through North Carolina State University and North Carolina State University Veterinary Medicine.

For every training session, she kicks things off with the question: "How can I set the dog up for success and give them the best information they need to successfully complete the behavior?”

Listen in as Bobbie explains how a regular, personalized fitness routine goes a long way in as little as a few weeks. She speaks on the importance of teaching your dog to be in charge of the movement you’re training for mastery, rather than trying to impose a behavior only in the way that you as the handler see fit.

Bobbie gives her best advice on solidifying foundation behaviors in puppies without being prescriptive nor stifling their natural urge to move and explore at their own pace. She discusses how we can find the most appropriate exercises for our dog, from puppy to all the way to senior.

Finally, Bobbie talks about building those neurological pathways that result in what most people refer to as “muscle memory.” It comes down to exposing the body to a particular movement, then improving upon the movement by exposing the body to the pieces that strengthen it.

Key Topics:

• Bobbie’s background as a dog fitness trainer (01:52)
• The benefits of private lessons and tailoring training to your dog (06:02)
• “It’s not just about the dog, but the handler as well.” (09:02)
• Working with puppies (15:21)
• “What you practice is what you get.” (19:35)
• Bobbie’s recommended exercise frequency (26:15)
• Letting your puppy tell you when they’re done training (32:16)
• Why puppies should be exposed to every surface (34:57)
• Strengthening breathing and sniffing (42:40)
• What to do if your dog is thrashing as a form of self-regulation (50:40)
• Keeping your senior dog fit (58:37)
• The right way to warm up and cool down (1:11:34)

Resources:

• Pawsitive Performance (where you can go to book private sessions with Bobbie)
• Bobbie Lyon's Canine Campus
• Bobbie's Personal FB Page
• Bobbie's Border Collie Litter group
• Bobbie's FB Group

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

What to listen for:

Today, Robin and Crystal sit down with Melissa Stagnaro, Vice President of American Rettungshunde Sport Association.

She’s here to discuss “sport” search and rescue, or RH: an FCI-sanctioned sport that has many similarities to IGP (Schutzhund). RH is recognized as an ideal supplement to IGP as well as AKC tracking, obedience, and agility. Trials consist of two phases: a search phase and an obedience and dexterity phase. There is no bite work involved in the sport.

Melissa describes how tracks ranging from the beginner to the advanced level are designed for different scenarios, from rubble, avalanche, and water search all the way to man trailing. She also gives her thoughts on training your dog to strike the right balance between obedience and independence.

As Melissa illustrates in today’s discussion, even if you have no plans to compete in search and rescue sport, training RH involves challenges that, more often than not, lead to improvement in your ability to thrive in your operational setting.

Key Topics:

• An introduction to Melissa Stagnaro and ARSA (00:58)
• Bringing RH into the United States (07:57)
• How to learn more about search and rescue sport (15:20)
• Physical requirements for training and trialing RH (17:32)
• How Melissa got interested in search and rescue sport (21:34)
• The surprising speed of progress experienced by dogs training RH (26:15)
• Obedience and dexterity elements in different scenarios (33:43)
• Differences between beginner, intermediate, and advanced tracks (36:51)
• Training your dog to have the right balance of obedience and independence (44:42)
• Potential new club locations in the U.S. (49:09)
• Our takeaways (52:05)

Resources:

• Learn more about ARSA at www.searchandrescuesport.org
• 23rd IRO World Championship for Search and Rescue Dogs (video)

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Jingle by: www.mavericksings.com Instagram: @mavericktastic

Audio editing & other podcast services by: www.thepodcastman.com Instagram: @the_podcast_man

What to listen for:

Today, Stacy and Crystal sit down with Liz Joyce of Canine Handler Fitness. Since 2016, she’s worked closely with dog sport handlers of all fitness levels to improve their transferrable strength, athleticism, agility, and speed.

Listen in as Liz shares why it’s vital to keep up our level of fitness just as much as we want the same for our furry partners. “We focus so much on our K9 conditioning,” agrees Crystal, “that we fail to focus on our handler conditioning.”

The second half of our conversation focuses largely on the often-overlooked importance of injury prevention. Liz explains why she often opts for a mobility-first approach to training, her go-to stretches for staying injury-free, and deciding when it might be time to dial down the intensity of your training.

Key Topics:

• Liz’s athletic background (01:45)
• Getting people wired to be physically fit (07:51)
• The secret to motivation (13:21)
• Finding what motivates you (20:03)
• Why begin with mobility (26:34)
• Self-compassion (38:17)
• Injury prevention stretches (35:00)
• The case for doing less (39:34)
• Addressing knee injuries (43:00)
• Mobility exercises for handling large dogs (48:38)
• The only piece of equipment you need to get started (50:58)
• Our takeaways (53:39)

Resources: (may contain referral links)

• CanineHandlerFitness.com (free webinar & resources here!)
• Canine Handler Fitness on Instagram 
• Canine Handler Fitness on Facebook 
• Stacy's Courses on Fenzi 

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Jingle by: www.mavericksings.com Instagram: @mavericktastic

Audio editing & other podcast services by: www.thepodcastman.com Instagram: @the_podcast_man

What to listen for:

In this special Valentine’s Day episode, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal do a deep dive into the topic of self-love. They kick things off with a discussion of “conditional” words: those “buts,” “althoughs,” and others that creep their way into our thoughts and speech without us even realizing it, pretty much negating whatever we just said.

Our hosts explain why it’s important to give ourselves grace in a world that frequently exposes our faults, to avoid chasing perfection, and to be grateful for the opportunity to grow and become better people through every adversity, big or small. Our hosts encourage K9 handlers everywhere to strive to become the best version we can be—just as we see the best in our dogs—and not let our knowledge or skill gaps influence our aptitude for self-compassion.

They refer to the three components of self-compassion, according to Dr. Kristin Neff: 1) Observe what is going on right now. 2) Actively develop and build a healthier self-perspective. 3) Connection with others—our common humanity. “If we can be kinder to ourselves, we can be gentler with others.” Kindness to yourself will help you achieve your personal and professional goals, deepen your relationships, and help you traverse this crazy world with more grace.

It’s time to be fiercely compassionate with ourselves!

Key Topics:

• Catching “conditional” words (04:04)
• Why it’s important to be able to read your dog’s emotional state (08:35)
• What people who lack self-compassion say to themselves (13:43)
• What do you want to hear, ideally, in self-critical moments? (19:57)
• The three components of self-compassion, according to Dr. Kristin Neff (25:53)
• How to have fierce compassion for yourself (38:42)
• Why to set “feeling” goals, not just outcome goals (46:15)
• Actions we can do to show ourselves compassion (56:43)

Resources: (may contain referral links)

• Awesome Citation Note Pad
• The Brave Athlete
• Maritza Parra: Doodle Your Emotions
• Who is Susan Garrett?
• Episode 42: Words Matter in Dog Training
• Episode 48: Setting Goals based in Gratitude
• Episode 47: Gratitude for 2022
• Episodes 29, 30, 31, 32 with Jo-Rosie Haffenden

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

What to listen for:

In the second part of this two-part series, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal share their biggest takeaways from previous episodes of the podcast, covering everything from Odor Hygiene to Incentive Salience Theory to imposter syndrome in K9 training, and more!

Key Topics:

• The Dames of Detection answer questions from the K9 community (01:19)
• Distraction Camp 2022 (12:38)
• Training your detection dog with a purpose (17:33)
• Incentive Salience Theory with Jo-Rosie (24:43)
• The importance of odor hygiene (29:41)
• Competitive tracking and confidence training with Emily Lawrence (32:05)
• Our hosts answer more questions from the K9 community (38:20)
• “Dreamers, doers and self-care” from the surprise ambush episode (40:40)
• K9 cross-training and what our hosts do with their dogs outside of traditional training (43:27)
• Why words matter in K9 training (44:51)
• Amy Herot: Co-founder of K9 Nose Work (48:53)
• Being intentional in K9 handling (50:58)
• Setting goals based on gratitude (54:09)
• Imposter syndrome in the K9 training world (58:51)
• Remembering episode 50, the highlight episode (01:03:07)

Resources:

• See web post for list of previous episodes mentioned in this episode
• K9 Sensus Distraction Camp 2023

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Jingle by: www.mavericksings.com Instagram: @mavericktastic

Audio editing & other podcast services by: www.thepodcastman.com Instagram: @the_podcast_man

What to listen for:

In the first part of this two-part series, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal share their biggest takeaways from previous episodes of the podcast, covering everything from training best practices to the importance of mindset and relationships to your success as a K9 trainer!

Key Topics:

• Our hosts’ best advice for all trainers (01:49)
• Taking pressure off of yourself and paying attention to your dog (05:04)
• Building a relationship with your dog (10:05)
• The D’s of Detection (16:40)
• Getting clear on your definition of success and on who your dog is and isn’t (17:38)
• The woes and joys of transitioning K9 partners (20:22)
• Knowing what motivates your dog by knowing what DOESN’T motivate them (24:00)
• Training for balance and consistency (28:43)
• MUTC 2022 Cadaver Dog Training reflections and revelations (32:04)
• Training yourself to notice the minutiae of your dog’s behaviors (35:35)
• Finding your tribe by honoring your dog and being a good human (38:11)
• Thinking of “engagement” as a skill that needs to be built (46:15)
• Expectations, relationships, and gratitude (47:36)
• Managing your adolescent puppy by managing your expectations, and environment (52:01)
• Creating value in your hunt (54:30)
• The importance of reflection and relationships (59:35)

Resources:

• See web post for list of previous episodes mentioned in this episode

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Jingle by: www.mavericksings.com Instagram: @mavericktastic

Audio editing & other podcast services by: www.thepodcastman.com Instagram: @the_podcast_man

What to listen for:

Carrying on along the same lines as last week’s discussion on gratefulness, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal sit down to talk about K9 Detection Collaborative’s greatest hits so far - this time in celebration of 50 episodes of the podcast!

Our hosts look back on previous episodes to single out those lasting “ah-ha” moments, both from each other and from guests. They also highlight the ideas and topics that have garnered the best feedback from listeners.

Finally, they give their thoughts on the future of the podcast, capping off with, “If we can continue to have productive training conversations, the dog world will be much better off!”

Key Topics:

• When our guest Tabitha emphasized the importance of having a relationship with your dog (03:29)
• Dr. Lauryn DeGreeff’s comments on odor soaks: molecules stick to cotton better than they do to polyester (06:17)
• Holly’s camera metaphor (09:27)
• Jo-Rosie’s greatest hits (11:02)
• Emily’s tracking lessons (12:27)
• Amy’s inspiration behind Nose Work (14:28)
• Our favorite moments from “The Ds of Detection” (17:09)
• Words matter: fluency and soft (power) skills (21:38)
• Celebrating our social media followers (24:40)
• Don’t trust your dog; trust your training (31:14)
• Our K9 gear episode (35:58)
• Having your own “board of directors” (37:35)
• How our “why”s have changed since starting the podcast (41:41)
• What’s next for the podcast? (46:26)

Resources:

• GoDog Furballz (affiliate link)
• Distraction Camp Level 1
• Distraction Camp Level 2
• NW330: Bulletproof Skills for Both Ends of the Leash
• See web post for list of previous episodes mentioned in this episode

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Jingle by: www.mavericksings.com Instagram: @mavericktastic

Audio editing & other podcast services by: www.thepodcastman.com Instagram: @the_podcast_man