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K9 Conservationists

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, training, and much more.

K9 Conservationists is hosted by Kayla Fratt, CDBC and co-founder of K9 Conservationists. Along with her two co-founders, she trains dogs to detect data. Support the work we do at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
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Currently playing episode

Detection Puppy Raising Questions with Meg Barnes from Detection for Good

K9 ConservationistsJul 19, 2022

00:00
58:20
Don't Get Bitten: Keeping Yourself Safe Around Working Dogs with Ursa Acree
Mar 27, 202401:02:13
Arousal in Working Dogs Part Two with Liza Rader
Mar 12, 202401:09:50
Arousal in Working Dogs with Liza Rader
Feb 27, 202401:32:53
Long-Term Working Dog Success with Lucia Lazarowski
Feb 13, 202401:03:15
Search & Rescue Horses with Sharon Pomeroy from Highlands SAR
Jan 30, 202456:34
Jessie's Legacy with Esther Matthews & Marisa Steynberg
Jan 16, 202428:36
Safe Fieldwork While Black with Alex Troutman
Jan 02, 202401:07:17
2023 Year-End with Rachel & Heather
Dec 19, 202356:30
Tick Borne Illnesses with Dr. Brian Herrin
Dec 05, 202301:05:14
Human-Wildlife Conflict with Gabi Fleury
Nov 21, 202301:02:20
Foxtail Safety with Dr. Joe Spoo
Nov 07, 202346:56
Podcast Schedule Changes
Oct 24, 202304:05
Heat Injuries in Dogs with Emily Hall & Anne Carter
Oct 17, 202301:04:47
Search & Rescue Needs in Indigenous Communities with Shelby Homer
Oct 10, 202341:16
Multiple Alerts to Discriminate Between Targets with Jens Frank
Oct 03, 202345:33
A Day in the Life of a Conservation Detection Dog Handler

A Day in the Life of a Conservation Detection Dog Handler

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.

Sep 26, 202349:38
Dangermond Preserve Wrap Up
Sep 19, 202359:03
Snake Bites with Nick Brandehoff
Sep 12, 202301:01:52
Snake Avoidance with Ken Ramirez
Sep 05, 202301:21:57
Heat Safety & Working Dogs with Dr. Janice Baker
Aug 29, 202301:29:54
Field Safety Prep with Pine Irwin

Field Safety Prep with Pine Irwin

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Pine Irwin about field safety prep.

Science Highlight: None this week 

Classes to Consider:

Wilderness First Responder, WFR

Trap Release Workshop

Canine CPR

Before You Go:

  • Check weather

  • Check terrain for water access, gullies, cliffs, other hazards

  • Learn about wildlife - snakes, predators, big herbivores, cattle, loose dogs. What are the risks with them? What can be done to mitigate these risks?

  • Check where property lines are in case of private property crossings.

  • Nearest emergency vet

  • Nearest emergency room

  • Permethrin clothes as needed

  • Add Seresto collar as needed (we use in addition to Bravecto)

  • Spray dog with Show Sheen to reduce burr/foxtail collection as needed

  • Double-check medications and gear to ensure nothing is expired, damaged, or missing

On The Dog:

In The Hip Pack/Fanny Pack:

In The Backpack:

First Aid Kit:

In Pack:

Links Mentioned in the Episode: 

Snake Bite Support Group

Where to find Pine: Facebook | Instagram | 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

Aug 22, 202301:27:08
Safari Science & Fieldwork Experience with Dr. Stotra Chakrabarti
Aug 15, 202301:00:38
Urban Ecology with Cesar Estien
Aug 08, 202357:08
Odor Discrimination Wrapup and Personal Updates
Jul 25, 202301:03:30
Medical Alert Service Dogs with Rayanne Craven
Jul 18, 202342:50
Canine Sports Medicine with Dr. Leslie Eide
Jul 11, 202301:08:19
Progressing Your Detection Training Like a PRO with Lily Strassberg

Progressing Your Detection Training Like a PRO with Lily Strassberg

For this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Lily Strassberg about organizing training based on target behavior. 

Science Highlight: A Review of the Types of Training Aids Used for Canine Detection Training

Questions discussed:

Why does it matter to think about target behavior when training?

Can you give a few examples of training scenarios that you may use based on their target?

How does the odor behavior itself affect this?

Why is it important to plan to train (not test) our dogs as we prepare to be deployment-ready? 

What other factors may come into play when planning your progression/training plan?

Links Mentioned in the Episode: 

None 

Where you can find Lily: 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

Jun 27, 202301:07:18
Safety and Inclusion for Queer Ecologists with Jamie Coon and Nathan Alexander
Jun 20, 202359:16
Odor Discrimination Part 6: Generalization with Paul Bunker from Chiron K9
Jun 13, 202301:04:31
Odor Discrimination Part 5: When Odor Discrimination Has Hone Wrong - A Case Study
Jun 06, 202349:28
Odor Discrimination Part 4: Moss Discrimination with Caroline Finlay
May 30, 202343:47
Odor Discrimination Part 3: Mud Snails with Conservation Dogs Collective and Auburn University
May 23, 202352:38
Odor Discrimination Part 2: Training an "All Clear" for Detection Dogs with Paul Bunker

Odor Discrimination Part 2: Training an "All Clear" for Detection Dogs with Paul Bunker

In the second episode of the odor discrimination mini series, we revisit an older episode of K9 Conservationists where Kayla speaks with Paul Bunker of Chiron K9 about all clear procedures.

Science Highlight: ⁠An assessment of the effects of habitat structure on the scat finding performance of a wildlife detection dog⁠

What is an all-clear response?

  • The dog’s formal response to let the handler know there is no odor to alert to

What is a go-no-go response?

  • The dog’s NON-formal response to let the handler know there is no odor to alert to

What’s a situation we may want to teach this for?

  • Odor recognition tests
  • Teaching them that they can still get rewarded for no odor, which reduces stress
  • Good to check for contamination
  • Teaches them to be confident in leaving a search area with no target present knowing they will still be rewarded

What components make for a successful all clear?

  • Ensure it is maintained and refreshed
  • Prepare your training session in advance. Progression plans are extremely important.
  • Variable reinforcement with your dog’s reward hierarchy
  • The dog must 100% understand target before learning all clear
  • Don’t use jackpot rewards for an all clear

What other options do we have for reducing stress and reducing false responses (go-no-go)?

  • Teach odor separately from systems of searching so they are not codependent
  • Train blank sessions
  • Train longer sessions (within the abilities of your dog) so that it is similar to long working days
  • Develop independence early

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Where to find Paul Bunker:  ⁠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

May 16, 202301:02:15
Odor Discrimination Part 1: Signal Detection Theory with Simon Gadbois
May 09, 202301:07:30
Canine Olfaction and Detection Science Conference with Lauren DeGreef
May 02, 202328:56
Dogs Detecting Insects Carrying Diseases with Rachel Curtis-Robles and Devin Christopher
Apr 25, 202349:34
Imposter Syndrome with Jay Gurden

Imposter Syndrome with Jay Gurden

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Jay Gurden about imposter syndrome! 


Science Highlight: You Are Not My Handler! Impact of Changing Handlers on Dogs' Behaviours and Detection Performance


Why is imposter syndrome so common in the dog world? 

  • We care about what we do

  • Extra pressure

  • Young industry

  • Success is related to our dog’s behavior

  • No path to success like law school

How do you combat imposter syndrome? 

  • Make objective appraisals about what you do know, what you can do, what you’ve proven. If you compare those to your imposter syndrome thoughts, you can see that these are just fake thoughts trying to hold you back 

  • Dunning-Krueger effect plays into it 

What are the 5 types of imposter syndrome and how do we combat them?

  • Perfectionist: people make mistakes. Mistakes help us learn.

  • Superbeing: what does success actually mean? Can you find success in doing your best? 

  • Natural genius: learning is normal and can take work. You bring things to the field even if you’re not a natural on day 1.

  • Soloist: we don’t have to do this alone. We can build community.

  • Expert: it’s about making boundaries with your learning. 

  • Everyone: try to create objective appraisals of what you’ve already done and how far you’ve come. Journaling on the good stuff. 

What can we do as mentors/colleagues/mentees to celebrate their worth?

  • Talk about having the same thoughts regarding imposter syndrome.

Where to find Jay: Website | Good Guardianship 


Links Mentioned in the Episode: 

Dunning-Kruger Effect

Four stages of learning

Valerie Young's 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome

Dr. Pauline’s Test

The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women

Conquering Confidence 


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

Apr 18, 202353:46
Wood Turtles with Kristine Hoffman and Julia Sirois
Apr 11, 202356:24
Wood Turtles with Scott Buchanan
Apr 04, 202349:24
Patreon Q&A with Caisa Persson Werme

Patreon Q&A with Caisa Persson Werme

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with our patreon Caisa Persson Werme to answer questions about training and alerts.


Science Highlight: Back to the basics with conservation detection dogs: fundamentals for success


Questions asked: 

  1. During the search he might stop after a while and look at me. If I don't acknowledge it in any way he takes off to search again with the same intensity as before. Is that the right approach on my part? Is he looking for guidance or just to check in/ see where I am? 
  2. When the search happens to be too long he comes back to me and sort of stares at me,or jumps at me and isn't as excited if I tell him to keep searching for the toy. What should I do in those situations?
  3. How much help can/should I give in the sense of walking closer to the toy, calling him to get closer or to stay at a closer distance to the toy, say if he's running in the opposite/wrong direction? But I feel like that might get him to think that I know where it is? 
  4. How do you know/determine how long a search will be?
  5. How do you determine which way the wind blows?
  6. How do I know if something is too much for him?
  7. I should probably start working with a long line, but I'm afraid that it might interfere with his searching. How do I best introduce it without causing frustration or a drop in motivation? 
  8. How do you know it’s time for a break? Is it on cue?
  9. I'm not confident that my rewards are good or exciting enough. Like he does seem to love it when I tell him to search and he has this look of anticipation when he hopes for it, but when he finds the toy he's more of like "yeah here it is..". We do play with it and he gets chicken or ham or similar and I mean we are improving when it comes to length of search and his enthusiasm is the same…but shouldn't he seem more excited to find the toy?
  10. How do you go about placing the hide without making your trail/footsteps part of it?
  11. When training an alert, how much should I care about the position like stand, sit or down?
  12. How do I know if/when it's the right time to start to ask for a propper alert?
  13. How do I go about incorporating the alert into the search?
  14. I have not yet trained Kenai on any blank searches, which maybe I should have started with much earlier? So how do i go about it now?
  15. Somewhat on the same topic, how would you handle the frustration that comes with ending a search session?
  16. Any advice for a current or future trainee? 


Links Mentioned in the Episode: 

Choice VS Structure

K9 Talking Scents 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

Mar 28, 202301:11:22
Using Dogs for Pest Eradication with Melissa Houghton
Mar 21, 202348:35
Post Guatemala Fieldwork Discussions with PhD student Ellen Dymit
Mar 14, 202328:31
Pre Guatemala Fieldwork Discussions with PhD student Ellen Dymit
Mar 07, 202334:45
Baw Baw Frogs with Chris Hartnett
Feb 28, 202338:02
Dogs Finding GPS Trackers with Sho Rapley
Feb 21, 202301:07:41
Field Work Preparation
Feb 14, 202318:57
Data Dogs Can't Detect with Toni Proescholdt
Feb 07, 202353:43
Updates from the Field and Patreon Q&A

Updates from the Field and Patreon Q&A

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla provides an update on what K9 Conservationists has been up to and answers some Patreon questions.

Science Highlight: Detection distance and environmental factors in conservation detection dog surveys

Questions tackled in this episode include:

  • How do you take into consideration your dog team and their strengths/motivators/style when deciding on projects that you want to pursue?
  • How do I reinforce the alert while helping my dog keep his nose off target?
  • In a scenario where you see that detection dogs could be a huge asset to a study or project- but the leads have never considered their use before-, how would you pitch it as a possibility?

Links Mentioned in the 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

Jan 31, 202351:05
Antiracism and Detection Dogs with Kassidi Jones
Jan 24, 202358:59
Are We Trainers? with Kim Brophy and Mike Shikashio
Jan 17, 202301:09:38