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

Canine Conversations

Selecting a Conservation Detection Dog

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

Off-Leash Etiquette and Ethics

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!

Too Much "Structure" Compromises Your Working Dog's Welfare

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!

Working with a Teenage Detection Dog

In this episode, we discuss a day in the life of a conservation detection dog handler on a variety of projects that Kayla has worked on.

A Day in the Life of a Conservation Detection Dog Handler

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

Signal Detection Theory with Dr. Simon Gadbois

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

Lengthy Searches with Dr. Nathan Hall

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla Fratt speaks with Laura Holder to introduce Laura’s Conservation Dogs Collective! Discussed in this Podcast: How did you get into conservation detection dog work? What spurred the change to Conservation Dogs Collective? What are your goals with CDCI? What upcoming or recent projects have your finder-keeper teams worked on? What work are you doing to engage the dog-loving community and educate the public? I’d love to talk a bit about dog selection and training methods. Links Mentioned in the Episode: None Where to find Laura Holder and CDCI: Conservation Dogs Collective | Instagram | Facebook You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website Go Fund Me

Introducing the Conservation Dogs Collective

Today I have the joy of talking to Kim Brophey about ethology. If you listen to dog podcasts the way I do, you’re probably already a bit obsessed with Kim. Today we’re going to dive into how we can use ethology to better select and meet the needs of our working dogs. Links Mentioned in the Episode: Dopamine Article Pop Psychology Podcast Beyond the Operant with Dr. Simon Gadbois Texas hounds that chase down poachers National Geographic, Gene 7R and Restlessness Jaak Panksepp TED Talk Where to find Kim Brophey: Website Meet Your Dog Facebook You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website Go Fund Me

Ethology and Working Dogs with Kim Brophey

Today I have the joy of talking to Dr. Susan Friedman about the hierarchy of behavior change for dog training. This is so central to what we do - ensuring that our dogs are excellent at the work they do while maintaining the highest quality of life possible for them. I am SO excited to get to this interview, but first I have to remind you all that our field vehicle repair fundraiser is ongoing. As I record, the van is getting repairs for several damaged cylinders as well as fuel injectors - costs will total around $16,000. Find that link in the show notes on K9Conservationists.org. Patreon plug but no reviews. Dr. Friedman intro What is the hierarchy of behavior change? What drove you to outline it? How can we use this in working dog areas? Why does it matter? How do you address questions about efficacy, especially with working animals? Can this actually enhance the quality of work that our dogs do, aside from just enhancing their quality of life? Thank you so much for listening. I hope you learned a lot and are feeling inspired to get outside and be a K9 Conservationist in whatever way suits your passions and skill set. You can find show notes and extra information on this episode at K9Conservationists.org and support our field vehicle repairs at our GoFundMe page. Until next time! Show Notes Here In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Dr. Susan Friedman discuss the hierarchy of behavior change with dogs. They discuss what it is and why it matters! What is the hierarchy of behavior change? Hierarchy of Behavior Change Outline Why does it matter? It creates an effective outcome with the interventions being as unintrusive as possible to the learner. Can this actually enhance the quality of work that our dogs do, aside from just enhancing their quality of life? Short answer; YES! An enhancement in quality of life will lead to an enhancement in quality of every aspect in their like, including quality of work. Links Mentioned in the Episode: The Hierarchy & Trainer Skills Effectiveness is Not Enough: this is a PDF on BehaviorWorks, just Google the phrase and you'll find it. We can't link it. Where to find Dr. Susan Friedman: Behavior Works You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists WebsiteGo Fund Me

Hierarchy of Behavior Change for Working Dogs with Dr. Susan Friedman

Today I have the joy of talking to Esther Matthew about training conservation dogs for a critically endangered South African lagomorph: the riverine rabbit. Questions answered by Ester: : What was the goal of this study? What other measures had been attempted? Why did you have to use roadkill? How did you measure specificity? Can you describe the 3 phases of the study? Some other trainers hesitate to use off-target species in proofing for training, which always seemed odd to me. You decided to use negative targets in training here. Can you explain why and what results you got? You didn’t reward on unconfirmed hides. Did you do any training to help prepare the dog for the variable reinforcement? How did the dog respond? Where to find Esther Matthew: Youtube:   Jessie’s Story Facebook:  Jessie the Border collie Instagram:  jessiethebc | estherexplorer You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website Go Fund Me

Using Dogs to Count Critically Endangered African Rabbits with Esther Matthew

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Michael Shikashio from The Bitey End of the Dog discuss muzzling. They cover why conservation detection dogs might need muzzles and the best way to acclimate your dog to wearing one. Why is a muzzle a good idea for a CDD based on their work? Muzzles aren’t just for biting, they can also protect the dog from ingesting things they shouldn’t. Types of muzzles and what sort is best for a working dog wearing it long-term Three things to look for are comfort, safety (biting, ingesting things, etc.), and function of the dog’s normal behavior Materials are important to consider Leather Biothane Hard/soft plastic Metal Vinyl Rubber Consider the construction of the muzzle Does it have a safety strap? Brands to consider are: Baskerville Jafco Dean & Tyler Bumas (custom fit biothane) Trust Your Dog Introducing the muzzle/Acclimating a dog to muzzle for long term wear Create positive associations Take your time Go at the dog’s pace Use positive reinforcers with your muzzle to create positive associations Gradually increase the time Careful with dogs that resource guard Break down the steps slowly with the straps Once the muzzle is on, start moving and reinforce Slow and steady wins the race After acclimation, always work with your dog in a level they can tolerate Set your dog up for success, especially while wearing the muzzle Links Mentioned in the Episode: Muzzle Up Project Pre-muzzling handling prep Muzzle training 101 How to feed a dog through a muzzle Where to find Michael Shikashio: Website The Bitey End of the Dog You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website Go Fund Me

Muzzling for Wildlife Safety with Michael Shikashio

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Stacy Barnett discuss sourcing. They cover what sourcing is and all you need to know about sourcing and nosework. Links Mentioned in the Episode Fenzi Courses: Scent Theory & Dynamics, Introduction to Nosework, Nosework Games Where to find Stacy Barnett: Scentsabilities Nosework You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website Go Fund Me 

Sourcing Odor with Stacy Barnett

For the final episode of Canine Conversations before we transition fully to K9 Conservationists, we're talking about consent with Erin Jones. We cover what consent is, why it is important, and how you get - and maintain - a dog’s consent to participate in training or a behavior treatment plan. Links Mentioned in the Episode Genealogy of Obedience Erin’s website, Instagram, and Facebook You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website Go Fund Me

Consent in Training

Hello and welcome to the K9 Conservationists Podcast! We've got a new name! As our loyal listeners know, we recently lost my beloved cohost Ursa. After giving it a LOT of thought, I've decided to pivot the focus of this podcast. Rather than focusing broadly on dog behavior, the K9 Conservationists podcast will focus on the field of conservation detection dogs. We'll interview wildlife biologists, community scientists, dog behavior researchers, and handlers throughout this amazing field. I hope that you decide to stick along for the ride. I plan to bring the same level of enthusiasm, nerdiness, and dog-centric thinking to this endeavor. I've got episodes in the works: on the humane hierarchy with Dr. Susan Friedman, the body language of scentwork with Steve White, a fascinating episode on combining thermal imaging and scent detection dogs, and SO MUCH MORE. I really, truly want to thank all of our listeners for the support thus far. I dearly love Canine Conversations and will miss producing it, but my long-term career goals are firmly oriented towards conservation detection dog work. Journey Dog Training will still be here to provide support in the form of phone calls, courses, webinars, and free blogs, but more and more of MY time will focus on conservation detection dog work. To that end, I'm thrilled to announce the launch of the K9 Conservationists nonprofit. We just filed for 501(c)3 status and hope that you'll continue supporting this podcast and the nonprofit through Patreon. This will help us cover the costs of not only this podcast, but also our new field vehicle that lets Barley, Niffler, and I do our important work. Once we've paid off the vehicle, supporters of the nonprofit can expect to help us offer subsidies on our consultant services. That will help us get involved in amazing projects that might not have been able to afford conservation detection dogs otherwise! So with all those announcements out of the way, let's do a quick refresher. What the heck IS a conservation detection dog? How do you get involved? What's the work like? How do you select a dog for this work? We'll cover all of this in much more detail going forward, but I'll get the basics out of the way here. https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-the-k9-conservationists-field-vehicle-repair?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Introducing: K9 Conservationists

Welcome to the Canine Conversations Podcast: where we’re positively obsessed with behavior. Join certified dog trainers as we discuss case studies, explore training concepts, and interview experts in the field of behavior. The hosts of this show include Marissa Martino, owner of Paws and Reward Dog Training in Boulder, CO, Ursa Acree, a co-owner of Canis Major Dog Training in Denver, CO, and lastly, Kayla Fratt, the owner of Journey Dog Training, a remote, online business. Canineconvos.com

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Canine Conversations

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