We built an outdoor scent/search area. A ten by twenty pop up with a raised deck floor with astro turf. Then the storms came and the pop did well, but needed a little repair. Its now set up and we have done about two weeks of training with Trip and Task inside it. Task is […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="2020"] March Starting with an 8 week old pup [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] [accordion] [accordion_panel title="2019"] December Wishful thinking versus training An unusual training week Understanding reinforcement in detection dogs July Creating behavioral pathways March You start by getting them there! January End Goals and Building Behavior Patterns Creating working habits [/accordion_panel] [/accordion]

Consider a dog needed at a major airport- https://youtu.be/pD__EDBizj4 As the dog walks through the airport, every kiosk, vending machine, trash can, water fountain, piece of luggage, and person is a target to search for odor. As the dog searches they encounter every variety of flooring to walk on, constant distractions of overhead announcements, the […]

Earlier this month we had a prime training opportunity: a Christmas Market held just two blocks away. With pop-up stalls, crowds, lots of unusual objects, overhead announcements, music, generators, and dancing, the market provides quite a challenge for socialization and environmental stability. We knew that these two pups were not ready for that level of […]

I was watching a TSA instructor working with a student and his canine. The dog was searching passengers waiting in a moving queue through those retractable stanchions. The handler had to approach each passenger as a potential target and continue to search in this scenario for up to 20 minutes. The student was a little […]

It has only been three days with the new puppy “Trip” but here are some things that might not be second nature to everyone- Patience is my greatest ally- I have 10 to 14 months to bring out the best in this pup. I haven’t put a leash on him yet. I want independence, not […]

The other day, Molly and I were working the puppies through Tractor Supply. As I got out Pitter Patter, an older woman was in the parking lot with a German Shepherd puppy. Her puppy was showing obvious aggression toward the Malinois puppy, so I moved quickly and got the pup in a routine of following […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="2020"] July Now what do I do? Looking for what is next for your dog June Obedience or no? May What makes a successful detection dog? Dog Sales Overview, Part II Dog Sales Overview, Part I February State, regional, national, and international police canine groups [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] [accordion] [accordion_panel title="2019"] October Dog Vendors […]

In 2014 the TSA surveyed their detection dog handlers to find out what traits in their canine partners the handlers considered important to their success as detection dogs. The goal of the study was to determine whether the traits assessed by the staff of the breeding program during the dogs’ development (using standardized assessment tools […]

In 2014 the TSA surveyed their detection dog handlers to find out what traits in their canine partners the handlers considered important to their success as detection dogs. The goal of the study was to determine whether the traits assessed by the staff of the breeding program during the dogs’ development (using standardized assessment tools […]