k9sensus

Today, Crystal, Stacy, and Robin take a deep dive into motivators, or the things that drive your dog to do the things that it does, and they explore different ways to harness those motivators. Stacy explores how she makes activities intrinsically motivating, so that the work itself is interesting and not just reward driven. In doing so, something that they coin a “positive addiction” emerges. Stacy then introduces her ultimate sourcing game, where she created a course in her crate room that was so engaging for the dogs, they’d be eagerly waiting for their next turn.
They discuss the positive psychology of flow state, more commonly referred to as being “in the zone,” where one is so immersed in their focus that they feel energized by and enjoy the process of the activity. They then explore how to utilize that flow state with dogs. They discuss the balance of optimizing the level of difficulty set for a dog in a way that maximizes the challenge without completely wearing the dog out. 

Robin divulges one of her pet peeves: when people say “reward your dog” instead of “reinforcing behavior” within the context of training, which leads into a conversation about behavior chains. They introduce how behavior chains work before getting into its pieces that make it up and the factors involved, such as timing. 

They give a more in depth break down of motivators, explaining how they work scientifically. They discuss the importance of not overworking a dog before competition, or as Robin says, “Don’t train until it’s ugly.” They explore how to prevent distractions from interfering with training. Crystal shares a trick for getting a dog to sniff on cue, using Hannah Branigan’s tips of training. They discuss the value of the “victory pee” and how to handle your dog’s inner omnivore.

They explore the importance of changing mindsets, and how changing your own mindset can impact a change in your dog’s mindset. Crystal explains how she thinks of what would cause problems in reinforcing a behavior as a means of figuring out what the dog’s motivation is. 

Key Topics:

• Making activities intrinsically motivating (2:26)
• The ultimate sourcing game (4:58)
• Flow theory (7:10)
• Finding the right amount of challenge (8:38)
• Rewarding versus reinforcing (14:20)
• Behavior chains (18:39)
• Motivators (23:59)
• Avoiding overworking (33:28)
• Distractions (40:52)
• Sniffing on cue (43:51)
• Victory pees (48:40)
• Eating grass (50:51)
• Changing mindsets (51:53)
• Reversing motivation (55:32) 

Resources: 

• Flow Theory
• Craig Schulz - K9 Behavior Consortium
• Simone Mueller - Hunting Together! Predation Substitution Training
• Drinking From The Toilet Podcast with Hannah Branigan
• The School of Canine Science
• 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.

Today, Crystal, Stacy, and Robin discuss the 4 Ds of detection work: distractions, distance, difficulty, and duration. Then they add a few more Ds of their own, like diversions and discrimination. Robin breaks down how she uses the Ds to shift her criteria by making a hierarchy of Ds. She breaks down what bridges are and how she uses them in training. Stacy explains how she uses the 5 Ds, and adds in her sixth D, discrimination. 

They outline the definitions of each of the 5 Ds and dive into the differences between them. Distraction is the unintentional component of the environment that takes your dog’s focus away. “Dogs are Goldilocks of the animal kingdom,” and they have a sweet spot of how close they want their handler to be, that is distance. Duration is the amount of time the hunt takes as well as the length of the trained final response until it is released. Diversions are the intentionally placed items that take your dog’s focus away from the desired task. Difficulty is the level of complication that the hunt entails. Discrimination is recognizing the differences between scent/odor in the hunt. 

However many Ds you choose to use, they are an important aid in detection work. “If you think about those Ds, it will help you to make your training decisions in a way that splits that out into small enough increments, that then makes learning very easy for the dog,” Stacy explains.

Key Topics:

• 5 Ds of Detection work (00:50)
• The hierarchy of Ds (4:43)
• Bridges (5:53)
• Defining distraction (9:58)
• Defining distance (23:31)
• Defining duration (24:04)
• Defining diversions (27:01)
• Difficulty (31:42)
• Diving back into duration (38:05)
• Defining discrimination (39:39)
• How many Ds should you actually use (44:49)
• Splitting versus lumping (50:38)

Resources:

• ICRWDA Firearms Detection Dog Training & Management w/HITS K9 Training Co-Founder Jeff Meyer (video)
• The bridge as a keep going signal (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

Today, Stacy, Robin, and Crystal reflect on their interview with police K9 officer Tabitha. They discuss their biggest takeaways from the conversation, including the bedrock of engagement and building a relationship with your dog, as well as the power of using imagination as a training tool.

They also talk about the differences between working with a “hard” dog as compared to a “sensitive” dog, practical tips on earning the trust of a difficult dog, avoiding the pitfall of using “the leash as a substitute for the relationship,” and giving your dog enough attention every day.

Building trust mainly comes down to spending an adequate amount of time simply being present with your dog. According to our hosts, “The most important person is the one standing right in front of you. Being with our dog at that moment is probably one of the most important things we can do as trainers.”

Key Topics:

• Our biggest takeaways (1:47)
• Building trust between dog and handler (7:26)
• Working with a “hard” dog versus a “sensitive” dog (15:12)
• Gaining the trust of a difficult dog (23:30)
• Giving your dog the right amount of daily attention (39:12)
• The importance of body language (48:14)
• Do you have to have a relationship to build engagement? (50:49)
• Closing thoughts (57:53)

Resources:

• K9 Detection Collaborative Episode 6: The Journey of Building Relationships with Dual-Purpose K9 with K9 Trainer Tabitha
• The Rucksack Walk created by Steve Mann (mentioned at 26:30 - 28:00 of episode)

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

Today, Robin and Crystal sit down with Police K9 Officer Tabitha. For over 15 years, she has worked for a large police department in Missouri, and has been a K9 handler for the last eight of those years. Aside from her work as a unit trainer, Tabitha is also a trainer for the American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association (AMPWDA).

Tabitha does a deep dive into the unique challenges of her role, all while reminding handlers of every stripe that the entire trainer-dog dynamic rests on: the bedrock of engagement and relationship development. Engagement covers the outward behaviors displayed when a handler and their dog interact, whereas one’s relationship with their dog is an internal bond strengthened by trust.

She goes on to speak on her various experiences training and working with her dogs Bodý (now retired) and Admiral.

Asked why nothing gives her more joy and purpose than actually being on the field with Admiral, Tabitha replies, “I like training dogs and learning and seeing what they do and learning from different handlers, but there’s just something about being at the other end of that leash.”

Key Topics:

• How Tabitha became involved in the K9 world (1:21)
• Getting into the K9 unit (5:19)
• The difference between engagement and relationship (13:35)
• The bond between human and dog (18:36)
• How Tabitha was assigned her two dogs (28:24)
• Training challenges that Tabitha did not expect (31:01)
• A typical day for Tabitha and Admiral (36:27)
• What exactly a police dog is trained to sniff for (45:24)
• Why Tabitha loves being in the field even more than teaching (51:30)
• The most important personality trait for those who want to train K9 dogs (52:32)
• What it takes to be a K9 handler (56:06)
• Tabitha’s closing thoughts (59:34)

Resources:

• Bodý and Tabitha’s song: Unspoken - Good Fight

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

Today, Stacy and Crystal chat with fellow co-host Robin Greubel. She, alongside her husband Joe, co-own and manage Dog Day Acres Land & Cattle Company. Robin also is the CEO of the K9Sensus Foundation which coaches the human end of the leash. 

Robin has been involved in detection work since 2001, yet remains an avid student who always aims to stay on the cutting edge by learning from groups that cover subjects beyond her expertise. In Robin’s own words, “Some of the most valuable information can’t be learned in my circle.”

As a certified Executive Coach, Robin understands that, “You can’t help anybody unless you’ve created a safe environment for them. Unless they feel safe, they can’t learn, they can’t explore who they need to be, and they can't ask questions.” It’s a philosophy that permeates everything that she does, whether she’s consulting with executives heading fortune 500 companies, faculty at Tier 1 research universities, or doing bucket training for her cows at the farm.

Join us for a lot of laughter and some insight into how she balances all of the different aspects of her life, along with some new puppies!

Key Topics:

• What drives Robin (1:23)
• What are “odor soaks?” (4:30)
• Robin’s work at Dog Day Acres Land & Cattle Company (6:35)
• How Robin’s cows undergo bucket training (8:06)
• Why Robin doesn’t buy into “work-life balance” and how she raises her two puppies (11:51)
• How Robin troubleshoots her training sessions (16:56)
• Helping handlers and trainers through K9Sensus (18:40)
• Robin’s upcoming initiatives and training collaborations (24:18)
• What brought Robin to give up corporate America for Niko the cadaver dog (31:23)
• About Robin’s narcotics dogs and her general love for labs (36:44)
• Robin’s career as an evaluator for search and rescue dogs (45:06)
• Setting standards for the detection dog industry (49:15)
• What Robin’s parents thought she did for a living (50:49)
• Robin’s closing thoughts (55:18)

Learn more about Robin at www.k9sensus.org.

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

Prepare for candid conversations about the reality of training, deploying, or competing with a canine partner. Each episode is a cross pollination from the professional and sport canine camps, exploring how we all want the same thing: A great relationship with our dog. 

With humor, and a big dose of theory, our trio talks practical training advice and includes interviews with top trainers and scientists. We keep it fun, honest, and rated PG 13ish. 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