Join Kayla Fratt (K9Conservationist) for a enlightening conservation with Kyoko Johnson and Marlee Monahan (Conservation Dogs of Hawaii), Sally Dickinson (Virginia Tech), and Arden Lumenfall (New York-New Jersey Trail Conference) as we learn about how organizations across the USA are engaging with their communities and using the power of volunteer detection dog teams to help further research and initiatives. Come along as they discuss how volunteers have helped further their causes, how they select dogs, and some of the challenges of using volunteers in the field.

This episode also features a science highlight on hard ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) and the effectiveness of detection dogs vs traditional tick drag survey methods

https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-024-06519-8 



Sally Dickinson - Virginia Tech

Sally’s publications 

https://data.lib.vt.edu/authors/Sally_Dickinson/11235291 

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/vtcals?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MW5kN2puMzY1MDQ2bg==  



Kyoko Johnson and Marlee Monahan - Conservation Dogs of Hawaii 

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/conservationdogshawaii?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MTIyOTljbzF6bjJ3Yw== 

Website 

https://www.conservationdogshawaii.org/volunteer/ 



Arden Lumenfall - New York-New Jersey trail conference 

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/nynjtc_conservationdogs?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=YWQ5Y3VjcjlsdGs= 

Website

 https://www.nynjtc.org/conservation-dogs/ 



How volunteer conservation dog teams are making a difference

In this episode K9 Conservationist co-founder, Kayla Fratt, continues her story about her PhD research and Alaskan field season with a raw and honest look at what “ugly training” really means and why it matters. Kayla shares the realities of working detection dogs in unpredictable weather, adapting when field plans fall apart, and facing the heartbreak of realizing that not every talented dog is a fit for every project. From rough and rain-soaked boat rides to joyful breakthroughs in the field, this episode dives into the art of balancing research, intuition, and compassion in conservation detection dog work.

Alaska Storytime 02: When Dog Preparation Goes Sideways

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, co-founder Kayla Fratt speaks about her PhD research. This episode covers background on the Alexander Archipelago wolf, some past research done by other biologists, and how dogs fit into the picture. She then discusses dog selection, onboarding, and training for this project. This episode ends with Kayla and her field technician Grace missing the ferry to Alaska.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Genetic Gobeldygook with Ellen Dymit https://open.spotify.com/episode/5oIRUv2sGmVXUYifn7vKee?si=b1b871f994534492

Detection dogs afraid of wolf scat (Vervaecke et al., 2021): https://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/zootehnie/article/view/14092



Alaska Storytime 01: Preparing for Fieldwork

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Ruan and Tina De Flamingh form Green Trax about incursion dogs.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Science Highlight: Domestic Dog Scent Marks Trigger a Behavioural Response in Wild Wolves [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/393516154_Domestic_Dog_Scent_Marks_Trigger_a_Behavioural_Response_in_Wild_Wolves]

Where to find Ruan and Tina:   Website [https://www.greentrax.org/] 

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]
K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]

Incursion Dogs with Ruan & Tina De Flamingh

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Crystal Wing about toy play to modulate arousal. 

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Previous Crystal Wing podcast [https://k9conservationists.org/play-pivoting-and-positivity-with-crystal-wing/]

The Moving Canine [https://themovingcanine.com/about/]

Science Highlight: Wildlife detection dogs effectively survey a terrestrial amphibian, but differ among individuals, weather and habitat [https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2688-8319.70062]

Where to find Crystal: Linktree [https://linktr.ee/cbwing?fbclid=IwY2xjawMasH1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFOQ0V4YkVnZUpORVRWek9IAR6MSjvL01x5mZNuBa_ulDhTI-TuKwoDljSD7oAUV-XS3d4HhO2lTKQDJ2YO5Q_aem_nVM9KiTDG-tCGTil8jOrVw] | FDSA [https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/37500] 

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]

K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]


Toy Play to Modulate Arousal with Crystal Wing

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Ryan Tate about Phytophthora and pigeons. 

Links Mentioned in the Episode: Evaluating scent detection dogs as a tool to detect pathogenic Phytophthora species [https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/csp2.12997]

Science Highlight: Should the cocktail training method cause a stir? Training frog generalist detection dogs with combined species samples [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159125001790]

Where to find Ryan: Website [https://www.tateanimals.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/tateanimals/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tateanimaltraining/]

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]

K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]

Phytophthora and Pigeons with Ryan Tate

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Sarah Jackson from New York-New Jersey Trail Conference about sticky sage.

Links Mentioned in the Episode: None

Science Highlight: Impact of variations in training schedules on dogs’ acquisition and retention of an odor detection task [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124003228]

Where to find Sarah: Website [https://www.nynjtc.org/conservation-dogs/] 

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]
K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]

In the Weeds: Sticky Sage with Sarah Jackson

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Jo Laurens from The Force Free Gun Dogs about gundogs.

Links Mentioned in the Episode: None

Science Highlight: Switching to marine prey leads to unprecedented mercury concentrations in a population of coastal Alaska wolves [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725011830#:~:text=Switching%20to%20marine%20prey%20leads,of%20coastal%20Alaska%20wolves%20%2D%20ScienceDirect]

Where to find Jo: Website [https://www.forcefreegundog.com/] | Force Free Gundog Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/forcefreegundog/]

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]

K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]

Gundogs and Conservation with Jo Laurens

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Lauren Wendt from Momentum K9 about large search area strategy. 

Links Mentioned in the Episode: None

Science Highlight: Comparison of mechanical sorting and DNA metabarcoding for diet analysis with fresh and degraded wolf scats [https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.3557]

Where to find Lauren: Website [https://momentumk9training.com/] 

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]
K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]

Large Search Area Strategy with Lauren Wendt

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla is back for part two with Sage Gustafson and Tiff Shao about the challenging topic of life with high-energy, high-drive, and/or high-arousal dogs who are injured or sick or otherwise cannot physically perform the behaviors that their brains want without causing pain.

Links Mentioned in the Episode: None

Where to find Tiff: Website [https://www.victoryroaddogtraining.com/about-me] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/victory_road_dog_training] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086366314331#]

Where to find Sage: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/STSDogs/]

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. [https://www.patreon.com/k9conservationists]

K9 Conservationists Website [https://k9conservationists.org/] | Course Waitlist [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8FN33997GHCAIderq8rjymC39FhEAptanI5PjAZii9cXkuw/viewform] |  Merch [https://www.bonfire.com/store/k9-conservationists/] | Support Our Work [https://k9conservationists.org/support-our-work/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/k9conservationists] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/k9.conservationists/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@k9.conservationists?lang=en]


Part Two: When Your Dog's Body Can't Keep Up with their Brain with Tiff Shao and Sage Gustavson

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.

Kayla fratt

Shows