Devoted to our ongoing docu-project, "Under The Vest: Inside the World of Police Dogs"
When's the last time you walked up to a stranger, introduced yourself and asked their name, simply because you saw them?
When's the last time you walked up to a stranger because they had a dog and you wanted to meet it?
We'll make this real simple: K9s are walking, wagging, community-relations building wizards.
We got to meet this team back in April, at annual certifications in Escanaba, MI - an event focused on proficiency and performance. As expected, such a level of activity, action, and stress provides a less-than-ample amount of face time. Over the last few months, we've been able to work together more extensively. While K9 Kam is a detection machine, they also exhibit the highest level of that one factor that intrigued us to take on this project in the very first place - "bond."
As two halves of a whole, neither can work efficiently unless they can trust one another. So, the next time you see a K9 team out there crushing it, look past how they work, and pay attention to how they work "together."
We've been out of the area for a while, but finally got to hang out with yesterday! This big lug loves at 1000mph.
It’s pretty difficult to photograph air, but we’ll try our best to explain what’s going on.
This is Antrim County Sheriff K9 Bricko and one of his jobs is to locate hidden narcotics. In this training exercise, the odor was hidden high up on the beige wall, behind a clock. That device he’s propped himself up on is an industrial heater/fan, designed to warm up and circulate air in a large room (in this case a very sizable classroom). The important takeaways are: 1 – The fan is running and blowing a jet of hot air directly up into Bricko’s face. 2- Bricko knows EXACTLY where the hide is (he’s staring directly at it, as he was taught to do).
Let’s break down why this scene is straight up mind-boggling. When K9s search for hidden substances, they are using their nose. Skipping the intricacies, the 3 steps K9s use to locate odors are as follows:
1 – Determine if the desired odor is identifiable in the environment.
2 – Identify where the odor is more prevalent.
3 – Follow the strength of the odor to locate the source.
Think of it like the old Looney Toons cartoons, where the smell of a fresh-baked apple pie drifts through the house to the main character, who then follows the whisp of “smell” back to the kitchen. While humans tend to assume the smell of food normally originates from the kitchen, dogs are a lot more analytical. To a dog, the easiest way to locate the source of a smell is to determine where the smell is the strongest, and keep narrowing in on the highest density of that particular odor.
In a room with little to no air movement, the scent might drift down to ground level, or “pool” in lower areas (much like low-laying fog or “mist” from dry ice, resting in divots and the lowest points).
What’s remarkable about this scene is that the odor had been in place for nearly an hour, and continually drifted down into the path of a very powerful fan, which then heated the molecules, blew them every which way in the room, and caused them to rise on the hot air current, then settle elsewhere as they cooled again.
Here’s another analogy: Imagine being in a 20 foot X 50 foot room, for the very first time, in which someone has hidden a rotten potato (we all know that smell and the first thing anyone wants to do is find it and throw it away). The catch is that it could be absolutely anywhere, the smell has permeated the entire room on hot air currents, and someone is shooting you in the face with a hairdryer.
K9s are amazing.
Fun and (kind of disgusting) dog fact: Humans average up to 9,000 taste buds, depending on age. Dogs only average about 1,500. So, if you've ever taken a good long look at a K9's well-loved tug toy... things start to make a bit more sense.
Bonus facts! Dogs have special taste buds on the tip of their tongue that can taste water. They also have taste buds waaaay back on their tongue and even in their throat, meaning when your dog inhales their food like they've never eaten before, they're actually tasting it more than you might think.
SCIENCE!
Nuke's an explosives-detection K9.
Last week, on training day, we were in charge of placing the scent hides. We actually, truly, seriously didn't even notice this until he alerted on the source.
We're so funny we don't even realize we're doing it....
BTW - Don't forget to follow Nuke's adventures at Decoy Sammi & K9 Nukeand D & D K9 Dynamics
Here's some post-work K9 snuggles with K9jace to help get you through your week.
You know dogs are smart. They have a ridiculous amount of skill sets and a list of working applications that’s so long, humans haven’t even figured out just how extensive it actually is. The question is: Just how smart are they?
There have been and always will be opinions that they simply replicate trained behaviors in order to receive a reward. While that might be somewhat true early on in their training, at the point they “figure out the game” and begin accomplishing more complex tasks, we can see that they are processing situations well beyond the thought process of “If I do the same exact thing as last time, I’ll get the reward.”
That’s because they aren’t actually trained to “perform a task.” They’re trained to “achieve a result.” In the real world, the same result will always be achieved through a different process. That might seem a little convoluted, but luckily K9 Ernie is here to help us explain.
In this photo, Ernie has just located a stash of hidden narcotics and is letting his handler know where they are. So, what’s so unique about this situation?
Ernie was never trained to do this.
We’ll explain – Ernie is an “active alert narcotics detection K9.” It means that when he locates hidden narcotics, his job is to focus on that area and scratch and paw at the source of the odor. The problem is, in this instance, the narcotics are hidden in the ceiling and there is no physical way he can reach the hiding spot. So, if one were to limit his abilities to the specific actions he was taught, it would be impossible for him to actually do his job.
Now, we aren’t saying this training exercise wasn’t a curveball for him. Before this image was captured, we watched him walk around the room for a while, with his nose in the air, trying to get closer to the odor. Even jumping on tables didn’t work because he still couldn’t reach the ceiling. His solution? Get as close as possible, stare directly at the source of the odor, and start pawing at a different surface.
To understand the thought process, we need to consider 2 separate factors of his training.
1 – As dogs are the masters of non-verbal communication, they use body language to convey messages and information. One of the most important commands he was taught is “show me.” It essentially means to use his face and muzzle to point at an area he deems to be important.
2 – As an “active alert K9,” simply staring at the location of a hidden item is not enough. To get his reward, he has to scratch at it.
If we were to combine those 2 training factors, things start to make sense. Ernie knows to point with his face, but he ALSO knows that scratching is the final signal for confirmation that he’s located the source of the scent.
In this instance, even though he had always been trained to do both tasks at the same time, at the source of the odor, it was simply not possible. So, he did the next best thing – He pointed at the source with his face, while simultaneously finding a surface to scratch at. “Look, it’s right there. Yup, I’m sure.”
While K9 Ernie had initially been taught those 2 actions happen at the same time, he understood that each component sent a separate message and figured out a way to make it happen, even though it went against the basic training concept of “If I do the same exact thing as last time, I’ll get the reward.”
In humans, we call that objective reasoning. The real question is why so many people tend to assume dogs can’t do it too…
A brief moment with Dep Christian and K9 Lincoln of the Bay County, Michigan Sheriff's Office - and a literary reminder that this duo rolls paw-in-hand all day, every day.
A special easter egg for all our friends at the Westside and Eastside Training Groups in Metro Detroit.
We’ve met very few (if any) K9s that have undergone as much exposure and de-sensitization training as K9 Bricko, from Antrim County Michigan. We could drop some examples and make an argument for its importance, but this picture really says it all. At this morning’s training, Bricko had to find the scent hide in a room full of chairs, and this is how he chose to accomplish it. No second guessing – no hesitancy – he just did his job and simply couldn’t care less about the chairs in his way. The more comfortable a K9 is in any given environment or situation, the more efficiently and effectively they can do their job.
Be sure to stop by and give the team a follow at Antrim County Sheriff K9
It’s kind of surreal to look at this photo and consider our mindset half a decade ago, when we met K9s for the first time. We would have thought about it the same way most of society would probably view it: “Oh, look. That dog is laying down and smelling something.”
Today, we took the time to really consider the backstory to this image.
Here’s a dog that’s been bred to have the genetic ability to focus, detect, search, keep searching, and search even more. A dog that has the disposition to work alongside a human partner, both in the public and in high-intensity situations. Training to learn to identify over a dozen scents. Training to learn how to communicate a find to his handler, through body language. Training to learn not to touch the source of the odor. Training to learn how to detect and source an odor inside, outside, in the open, hidden in object, or in a car. Desensitization to become comfortable with varying surfaces, tight space, loud noises, distracting smells, other dogs, and other people. Building focus to maintain body position until his handler rewards him or calls him off. Daily training to keep up all of his skill sets. Weekly training scenarios to present new situations to ensure future comfortability. Daily exercise and activity to maintain muscle and stamina to keep working long events and back-to-back shifts. Constant socialization to make sure he’s comfortable around the public, to provide education and participate in demonstrations.
K9 Groot dropping by to pass along some nifty canine biology info!
Dogs: pretty much the epitome of "teach by example."
Proprioception – the body’s awareness of its current positioning. If you are reading this on your phone, you are aware your arms are bent at about a 90 degree angle and your hand is closed, holding your phone. Similarly, kinesthesia is the body’s ability to sense movement (as a whole or as an individual body part). An example would be when you’re walking – you are aware your body’s doing a task and that your feet and legs are moving in a rhythm. While we are aware of our body movement and positioning, we tend to ignore them most of the time. You rarely walk consciously, instead muscle memory takes over and you go about other business while your body takes you from one location to another.
In certain instances, however, you are actively aware of your body’s movement and position. Gymnasts, body builders, and anyone else focusing on moving their body in a very particular way, need to consciously tap into their proprioception and kinesthesia to ensure accurate positioning.
But, as with many things, dogs are on an entirely different level. In the wild, it wouldn’t do to step on a stick or pile of dry leaves when hunting the next meal. A mother wolf, protecting her pups, is always aware of their positioning as well as any threat, so she can position herself between the pups and the antagonist. When it comes to K9 training, proprioception is actively utilized every day.
When a K9 alerts on an odor, such as explosives or narcotics, their job is to position their body a specific way every time. It might be sitting, laying down, etc. The point is the alert needs to be recognizable to the handler, so they know when their partner has found something. Training to reinforce this alert is where the proprioception comes in. We’ll use a “sit” as an example. When learning to give the alert, the handler waits for the dog to sit before rewarding – not squatting, or sitting briefly before standing, but fully sitting, with their rear contacting the ground. The dog learns that the way to get the reward is to locate the odor and fully place their rear on the ground. Hovering just off the floor doesn’t cut it. It’s those extra 2 inches further down that gets them the toy. Because of the K9’s heightened proprioception, they pay attention to this specific position, understand it results in a positive outcome, and are able to repeat it in the future.
As with so many other skills, dogs’ genetic abilities make them incredible trustworthy partners. The handler’s job is to work within those ingrained communication channels, like their K9’s incredibly refined proprioception and kinesthesia
The holes in those bricks are just about the right size for K9 Murphy's paws, but he's not having any trouble - and that's all by design. On the job, K9s are going to encounter all kinds of obstacles, unstable surfaces, and treacherous terrain. Because these curveballs could hinder efficiency on a track or when chasing suspect, it's essential they're exposed to as many variables as possible during their training.
Precarious footing today, loud noises tomorrow - they're just like professional athletes. The more variations they have in their playbook, the more they can knock it out of the park when it's game time.
Dependability is essential. In this case, K9 Havoc depends on Ofc. Box for love, companionship, safety, structure, and all good things. Ofc Box depends on have Havoc for backup, detection, partnership, and affection.
As far as we're concerned, these two are always dependable for a photo that hits you right in the warm-n-fuzzies.
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Bloomfield Township Police Department
If the phrase "That'sagoodboooOOOYYYYY!!!!!" was a picture.
An established lineage.
The right drive.
The right personality.
Paired with the right handler.
K9 academy.
Training.
The bond.
Training.
The trust.
Training.
Training.
Training.
K9 Lonzo scented, located, and marked a hidden explosive in a training exercise. After he successfully locked on, his handler tosses in the reward. This fraction of a second between a job well done and unrestrained excitement - a staggering, incredible amount of time and effort went into this fraction of a second.
The first dictionary published in the United States (the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) was created by George and Charles Merriam. Still used today as a baseline for the English lexicon, the definition of the word "love" has 3 essential meanings. Each of them specifically references an emotional connection between humans.
Obviously George and Charles never owned a dog.
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Dep King and K9 Alger (of Alger County K-9) certainly know a thing or two about connection.
The first dictionary published in the United States (the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) was created by George and Charles Merriam. Still used today as a baseline for the English lexicon, the definition of the word "love" has 3 essential meanings. Each of them specifically references an emotional connection between humans.
Obviously George and Charles never owned a dog.
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Dep King and K9 Alger (of Alger County K-9) certainly know a thing or two about connection.
General rule of photography: Get close.
General rule of decoy work: Game face.
This duo is collecting accomplishments like they're notches on a belt. First dual-deputized handler in the company! WOOT WOOT!
Yesterday Nuke and I had the honor of being sworn in as reserve deputies for the Menominee County Sheriff's Office. With this position, and being certified through NAPCH (National Association of Professional Canine Handlers) in tracking and explosives, we can much more readily provide additional canine assistance when requested for a missing person or explosives detection. In the UP there are only 3 certified explosives canines. In addition, we are also special deputized with Alger County Sheriff to provide the same assistance. We look forward to serving the local communities when called upon.🐾
MI
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We have a very special house guest this week.
This weekend, K9 Alger demonstrated how a well-rounded K9 is a well-trained K9. It was also a "full-circle" moment for us, throwing it all the way back to the second time we ever got to hang out with police dogs.
1.13 seconds. That’s what you’re looking at….We’ll back up. Today concluded the week of United States Police Canine Association, Inc. K9 certifications. It also happened to be “bite day.” Some of the trials included sending the K9s to apprehend a suspect at a distance, recalling them halfway, and ensuring they wouldn’t chase a running individual without a command. Additionally, they were tested in “handler protection.” This is an essential skillset, as – in the real world – often times a violent suspect might decide they would rather not go to jail. In the event they try to assault the officer, the K9 is there to protect the handler from harm (that’s what you’re seeing in the images). During the trial, the K9 is told to “sit and stay.” The handler then pats down the decoy, simulating a real-world event. During the pat-down, the decoy violently shoves the handler away and tries to make a run for it. Upon seeing the handler assaulted, the K9’s job is to step in and apprehend the suspect before they can cause any harm or get away. But let’s get down to the technical talk. These images were shot with a Sony a7III mirrorless camera. With the settings that were applied at the time of the event, it was capable of recording approximately 9.9 frames every second. You are seeing 11 images. That means everything in these photos happened in 1.13 seconds. To capture this appropriately, we focused on the decoy’s face. When “making a break for it,” the normal human tendency is to tense the muscles to deliver a burst of energy, so we paid attention to the face and started shooting as soon as the facial expression changed. By the time the 11th frame hade been captured, the K9 had already apprehended the “suspect.” That’s about a heartbeat and a half.
One more from yesterday's shoot. 🔊
We spent some time with the Antrim County Sheriff K9, filming content for a segment about rewards and prey drive. It's interesting to watch how much amped up a K9 is when they're chasing a moving object (in this case a ball on a rope). So much about dog work is identifying genetic traits and learning how to work with, encourage, and grow them in the K9. Not that Bricko minds - he got to spend a whole afternoon getting in some high-quality playtime. K9 Ops
** AUDIO ON - Original full clip, taken straight from the camera.** We're shooting a ton of new footage in the coming weeks, so we're reminiscing on one of the more complicated shots we've pulled off since the start of our K9 project. Over 2 years ago, we hypothesized this shot - the opening footage to our "Fur Courage" video. The handlers involved were immediately on board, saying something equivalent to: "Yeah sure - our dogs can do that." At the time, we didn't realize how signifigant of a statement that was. Now, over 2 years later and it's sunk in just how much training went into these dogs' ability to flawlessly accomplish this. Even more back story: This shot is more complex than it looks. Not only do the dogs simultaneously leave their positions to return to their handlers, the center K9 (Lonzo) has one more trick. The camera is held out of the back of a hatchback (that's how we got the "pull shot"), with Lonzo's handler riding shotgun. When he runs toward the camera at the end, he's actually jumping over the camera and into a moving car to return to his handler. High. Quality. Dog . Work.
We're working on some cool educational content, using all our K9 factoids we've been gathering during our docu-project. In the meantime, please enjoy one of our favorite series of photos - K9 Oscar getting a reward.
To 99% of people, spending time with a dog can brighten their day. When it's someone that's just gone through a tragedy - that's beyond important.
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