K9 Detection Collaborative

15/02/2025

Don't say you weren't warned!

Class registration for Stacy's Nosework classes CLOSE today!! Yep, you CAN still have 24/7 access to those lectures and sample videos... and have access for at least a year... pretty cool! And totally affordable at $65.

Lots to choose from.... heads up... NW370 and NW465 don't come around very often in the rotation....

NW101 Introduction to Nosework: If you are interested in the sport, I will get you started off with solid foundations. Avoid the mistakes from Day 1!

NW370 Hide Placement for Powerful Training: Learn about Scent Theory and how to make it work for you to support Intentional Training and Search Area Analysis.

NW465 Making the Inaccessible Hide Easy: Start from scratch or fix your existing problems... or just make your dog stronger! Deep Hides, Contained Hides, High Hides. Systematic training!

Registration Links:
NW101: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/13342
NW370: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/4897
NW465: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/31922

https://scentsabilitiesnw.com/online-classes/

14/02/2025

The Key to the High Drive Dog

Reflecting this morning and thinking about puppies, my mind went back to when I dipped my toe into the world of the high drive dog... I realized not only that the drive, when channeled, is a feeling like no other, but also how much work (and mistakes) it takes to get to the point of being effective with these incredible animals.

We can't underestimate the importance of the handler with these dogs because they will push us in ways that we didn't know existed and their world is truly sink or swim. And even when we eventually rise to the occasion, our blunders and mistakes can follow us with behaviors that might drive us a little crazy!

Is there a formula? Yep! There is... but there is no recipe. Ultimately we need Engagement and Focus though those two things can be like swinging at the moon with a golf club to the uninitiated.

1) PLAY. You HAVE to play with these dogs. Play makes you valuable. It makes you worth their time and helps them to decide that whatever you are doing is more important then the other options. BTW, this takes skill... in part because of #2.

2) CONNECTION. This is the hardest part of the Engagement Equation. Without connection, your dog might as well be playing by themselves. This is the YOU that you need to bring to the table. This may be voice, eye contact, facial expression, body postures.... this is what makes us reinforcing. BTW, this is hard to learn.

3) CRITERIA. When we train, we have to have a clear understanding of what exactly we are trying to reinforce and how to split that down into the parts that the dog can successfully understand. Of course, this is nothing without #4.

4) CONSISTENCY. Our dogs are smart but frustration or confusion can come out in detrimental ways with the high drive dog. With lower drive dogs, you get quitting. With high drive dogs you get at best creativity you don't want, and at worst, well... with some breeds that is where the ouchy parts might come in.

5) BOUNDARIES. Dogs need to understand how to dog in our world. What we can put up with in a less self motivated dog, a high drive dog will just make living with them difficult. Practicing self control and reinforcement for good choices turns into an easier to train dog who wants to work with you in general. This is hard too sometimes but every moment is a potential training moment!

6) LEARNING THEORY. Yeah, you need to know all about reinforcement and how it differs from rewards. And you need to be able to see and adjust arousal. And you need to know what increases desired behaviors and decreases unwanted ones. And you need to know how to adjust those within your own philosophical training approach, whatever that might be (this is NOT a training approach post!)

There are probably a smattering of other things but these are the things that I have learned.... and recognizing that when I started with high drive dogs I really didn't have any clue about what I needed to be successful. However, I am a good observer, a curious learner, and an intuitive trainer. That probably saved my bacon! I am still learning too!

These dogs are challenging. The trouble is, that when they come together they look so darn smooth... like on autopilot. Not.

13/02/2025

Thoughtful Thursday: Just Grow

Being seen can be seductive. Getting those clicks, likes, little heart emoji's and all that jazz. Did you know some of the highest employers of behavior analysts are the social media companies? They are trying to figure out how to keep all of us glued to our screens. Any one who is trying to sell you something is trying to figure out how to keep your eyes on their page, screen, or reel for more than three seconds. (BTW, thanks for reading this far!)

I found that limiting my screen time has been really important. I have more time to train my dogs, a lot more time growing and developing my training chops, and working on skills that I had let become rusty.

A lot more time refining how I think about training, and teaching, not only my dogs, but my students.
A lot more time reading, thinking, and watching trainers more advanced than I am train. Because we can always be better.

Reaching out to old mentors and cultivating relationships with new ones.

A lot of growth, even when watching videos of myself is not fun.

Each time I train I watch the video. Most of my training videos never see the light of day because they don't meet my standards. I missed a behavior, I set a problem poorly, my body language was off, my timing was slow and so on. I think this may be one of the reasons I spend a lot of time breaking things down into such thin slices, so that I limit the number of factors where I can possibly make a mistake. Thereby setting my dog up for success.

At the end of the day, dog training is not a competition with someone else. It is actually about how well you communicate with your canine partner.

One of the best compliments I have ever received was after a routine training day someone I didn't know well said to me, "the relationship you have with your dog is amazing, you were so in tune." That feeling of being in sync and mind melded with your dog is like a drug.

In a time where there is so much focus placed on what other people think, focus on your own growth.

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Join the K9Sensus Coaching Community for more growth opportunities! https://www.k9sensus.org/k9sensuscoachingcommunity

12/02/2025

Episode 131: "Reflections on Chatting with Denise Fenzi"

We had so many takeaways and ideas from chatting with Denise, we wanted to share them with you as well. Please let us know what you thought about the 2 part interview with Denise and if you resonated with any of our takeaways from this episode.

“Learning is a fragile place. Being correct is a reward in itself.”

Denise is a staunch advocate for finding your compass—a guiding principle that does wonders not just in your career as a handler, but in your personal life as well. This, along with understanding that learning requires humility, is key to navigating the chain of complex behaviors your dog goes through in the field.

“If you want your dog’s behavior to change, you have to change yours first.”

Self-reflection was another key theme with Denise, who explained that successful handlers see vulnerability as a superpower when training their dog. That’s why it’s important to track progress not just by skills learned but by demeanor as well. And as you monitor that progress, Denise encourages going for slow, gradual tweaks to prevent overwhelm.

Finally, we give our take on Denise’s philosophy around repetition and rewards. In particular, we break down the power of structuring training around five repetitions, and why it pays to embrace creativity and pattern interrupts when training hits a slump.

Listen to this episode on any podcast player or our website to see the show notes and special links:
https://www.k9detectioncollaborative.com/post/reflections-on-chatting-with-denise-fenzi

Check out k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

Stacy can be found Scentsabilities Nosework Training on Facebook or on Instagram
Robin can be found K9Sensus Foundation on Facebook and Instagram
Crystal can be found on Facebook CB K9 or Evolution Working Dog Club or Instagram

09/02/2025

There are a few working spots left the K9Sensus 2025. This is for human remains detection dogs only.

This all inclusive seminar rotates you through six learning stations with six nationally known instructors, exposing you and your K9 to a variety of sources. All of the sites will include large, very fresh composite specimens. We are including some crime scene based scenarios as well.
Students will be able to make informed decisions for running their dogs. Some sites will be scenario based, others will be designed to help provide attendees with exposure to rubble or new environments, all will meet students and dogs at their level.

This is an instructional seminar. Each station not only has lead instructors but also includes incredibly knowledgeable assistant instructors to provide attendees with plenty of opportunities for feedback. The Round Table Discussion held on Sunday morning has turned into a student favorite where we talk about ongoing industry trends, proposed standards, and provides excellent networking opportunities.

AND, Crystal Wing will be in attendance for nightly Play Diagnostics which is always an amazing opportunity!

For more information, and to grab the last few spots, go here:
https://www.k9sensus.org/events/k9sensus-mutc-2025

09/02/2025

One of the most powerful mindset shifts in dog training is learning to adjust focus—yours and your dog's—like shifting gears on a bike.

Imagine riding a bike up a steep hill. If you stay in a high gear, you’ll struggle, pushing harder than necessary. But if you shift to a lower gear, suddenly, the climb becomes manageable. Training is the same way. Staying stuck in one mode—whether it’s high intensity, strict precision, or constant play—can make progress feel frustratingly slow. But shifting gears at the right moments? That’s where the magic happens.

A dog struggling to focus in a new environment might need a lower gear—more engagement games, simpler tasks, or even just a break. A dog that’s checked out during training might need a higher gear—more energy, excitement, or a challenge to bring them back in. The key is knowing when to shift.

For handlers, this means reading the moment and adjusting your approach instead of forcing what’s not working. The simple shift from frustration (“Why isn’t my dog listening?”) to curiosity (“What does my dog need right now?”) can change everything.

Training isn’t about staying in one gear—it’s about knowing when to shift. What’s one moment you realized a simple adjustment made all the difference?
-Crystal

07/02/2025

Could repetition be hurting your training?

As I come to the end of week 1 of my Intro to Nosework class, I find myself telling folks to keep their training sessions shorter and do fewer repetitions... I say this so frequently that I decided to write a post because it really does have valuable impact to training in general.

Keep in mind that when we are TEACHING, we are NOT PRACTICING. Repetition is about Practice. Teaching is about correct criteria.... My students in NW101 are Teaching their dogs to hold their noses in a switch box with odor this week. This is step one of understanding source and building appropriate behaviors at source. This week, the dogs start to learn "Nose Not the Feet", and for some dogs who have very high drives, this might be a good point to lay the foundation for a Trained Final Response.

When we TEACH a dog, they are learning what to do and also what not to do. We can shape their behaviors and reward what is correct. When we break those behaviors small enough (called "splitting") the criteria can be very easy to achieve. That is where my students currently are and the dogs are doing great!

The trouble happens when we get SO excited that our dog is doing "the thing" that we ask the dog to do it over and over... Our criteria was initially carefully split in a way that the dog can easily be successful in just a couple of repetitions.... but as humans it can be hard to stop and we ask the dog to do it over, and over, and over, and... well you get the idea!

Since the dog is in Teaching mode.... this is where repetition becomes the enemy. Dogs are smart.... and they want to earn their reinforcement! So when we repeat the same thing with the same criteria over and over, they will start to throw extra behaviors. The thought process might be "I have done this behavior over and over so I must be doing something wrong... how about this instead?"

Extra behaviors in THIS particular case, might include pawing, perching on things, mouthing, etc.... and these are all things we DON'T want! Depending on what you are training, extra behaviors might vary.... but they DEFINITELY happen! In the case of a low drive dog, instead of extra behaviors, you might just get quitting.... ugh, that is no fun because now your motivation is damaged!

Instead.... I encourage you all to think about when you are in TEACHING mode, to keep your reps small... did you get your criteria? Yes? Great! Take a break and do something else!

Too much Repetition when teaching ADDS undesirable behaviors to your behavior chain and will muck up your criteria if you are not careful!

This isn't meant to be an advertisement post... but.... Intro to Nosework is still available for registration... if you are curious about my methods, you can get access to the course at:
https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/13342

06/02/2025

Thoughtful Thursday: Training Vocabulary

Clear communication is one ingredient to being a great trainer. So in this vocabulary post, we are going to talk about the definitions of different types of conditioned reinforcers (markers, bridges, etc.). I even have a graphic! There is a lot of slang with this term. And I'm sure some of you will disagree with me. That's okay!

We do serious work with our dogs and need to have robust and respectful conversations about training, deployments, and capabilities. When the conversation stakes are high, having a common vocabulary reduces confusion.

Which version of this term do you use?

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Here are the definitions from the terms used in ASB 025 which is the terms and definitions document!

bridge or bridging stimulus
A signal (conditioned reinforcer) that marks (reinforces) a desired behavior. Often called a bridge because it bridges the gap in time from when the animal performs the desired behavior to when it receives the reward. An example would be the use of a clicker.

conditioned reinforcer
A previously neutral stimulus that has become reinforcing because of its association with a primary reinforcer. A stimulus that becomes a reinforcer because it is paired with another reinforcer, usually a primary reinforcer. If conditioned reinforcers are not maintained by periodically pairing them with primary reinforcers, they will lose their reinforcing value.

Here's a link to the full document:
https://www.aafs.org/asb-standard/crime-scenedeath-investigation-dogs-and-sensors-terms-and-definitions

Here are some additional terms, with definitions that are NOT in the ASB document, but do fall into the 'bridge' category.

Secondary Reinforcer

Marker

Location Specific Marker

Keep Going Signal (Duration Marker)
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The 16 week hybrid learning environment of the K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer Academy is accepting applications for Fall 2025. Make sure to get your application in: www.k9sensus.org/ddta

01/02/2025

Here's a nice webinar from Dr. Nathan Hall based on a study that helps us understand the concepts of training to understand stimulus control and generalization. Three training paradigms were compared: Sequential (dogs were trained to one odor at a time), Mixture (dogs were trained to a mixture of four smokeless powders), and Inter-mixed (dogs were trained to four unmixed smokeless powders within a session).

Mixture and Sequential trained dogs did not differ in their generalization rates. Although Inter-mixed training led to higher rates of generalization, it did not produce proficiency in detection of all novel variants, with many variants (double and single base) producing < 75% response rates. Explicit training with some variants is still required with Inter-mixed training.

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/xeAqbN0Pn1E?si=dSHgzKfsK2Jhe0J4

Here's the paper! https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106527

Here's the link to the researchers talking about it on a podcast: https://www.dhs.gov/medialibrary/assets/audio/58200

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Dr. Nathan Hall from Texas Technical University discusses the findings from a study jointly conducted with Auburn University on training paradigms of detecti...

01/02/2025

🔥 Final call - join us at the FREE Dog Enrichment Summit for 2 Bonus days to view ALL presentations! 🎯

Feb 1st & 2nd – Enjoy 48 hours of access to all the 2025 Summit interviews!

If you’d like year-long accessto the summit presentations, grab your VIP Pass now for just $57!

Important: After the replay weekend, VIP Passes will only be available for three days at the increased price of $77.

https://summit.enrichdogs.com/robin

31/01/2025

This is a great article by Simon Prins talking about critical thinking in dog training. I really enjoy good thoughtful discussion by trainers AND learning about where some of the history of where current methodology comes from.

I experimented with the Kong protocol for a bit, them moved to using a bottle cap to pretrain the behavior I want to dog to do so I can make all the mistakes on that particular stimuli. Then once the behavior is somewhat reliable, we move to NOTA (Novel Odor Training Aid). I was lucky enough to be a beta tester for this product along with Simon and others. (If you want to read the paper, here's the link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/allergy/articles/10.3389/falgy.2024.1366596/full

Check out Simon's post here: https://detectiondogshop.com/nl/blogs/news/kong-as-a-detection-odor-are-we-thinking-critically?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR084EpcBOBiGTXZ058HmguOTado1v58l7Y1IMpP3PbbwZzcaFv_B84CRAY_aem_tdeaNZddMGtuR0sQoXf05g

31/01/2025

Stacy here... Let's talk about Reward vs Reinforcement in a searching context.

The difference matters! And it matters because one is something you give and one and something that can actually improve your dog's performance. A Reward is something in your pocket that you give your dog when they find the hide. (This also includes food on the hide if you choose to "pair" though that is not the context I am referring to).

A Reward can be food or a toy. It is what the dog receives. It's odd thinking about a toy in this way but we will get to that!

Reinforcement is something that increases the chance of a behavior or outcome in the future. Translated, this means that a Reinforcement makes my odor obedience and performance better. Reinforcement builds MOTIVATION. The trick is that reinforcement is more difficult because you have do something that the dog finds reinforcing.... which means that you actually have to engage with the dog and not just be a walking treat pouch. That takes Skill... and it is something that so many instructors just don't teach (I do by the way if that isn't clear!)

Reward is a WHAT. Reinforcement is both a WHAT and a HOW.

When we "Food Reward" which is in parenthesis because that is what it commonly is called.... even though what we REALLY want is "Food Reinforce", it's easy to get hung up on WHAT you give your dog. When you try to get better performance you can end up in the Arms Race of Nosework where you are constantly trying to give your dog something better. This is one of the greatest fallacies of the sport! Why? Because it's only half of the equation.

This becomes obvious when we swap the words to "Toy Reward". Would you ever just hand your dog a ball or would you PLAY with it? Unless the dog TRULY just wanted to hold the toy it becomes a kind of a silly picture because we generally and naturally gravitate to playing with the dog with the toy.... Playing with a Toy is actually "Toy Reinforcement" even though it's incorrectly often called "Toy Reward".

But yet.... people so often hand a single cookie (or something else in their Arms Race of Nosework) to their dog and say "Find More". And because handing a cookie (or hot dog or steak or whatever) is just a "Food Reward"... there is no real potential for increase in performance. You MIGHT get a blip up with a newer and more interesting treat... because in the Arms Race of Nosework, the dog feels a fleeting sense of excitement at something new and better... but don't be fooled because it's not sustainable. You will always be in an arms race. And it's NOT about quantity... 1 treat or 4... because that is still about the WHAT and you will STILL always be escalating... because you are rewarding, NOT reinforcing.

Instead, think about how Reinforcement is BOTH a WHAT and a HOW. HOW you deliver the cookie impacts future performance when you ALSO use a cookie that the dog likes. HOW could mean massive praise and connection. It could be added personal play. It could be letting the dog chase the food in your fingers or any other sort of food play. (HINT: What you do in training does NOT need to be what you do in a trial. Training is Training. Trialing is Testing.)

This concept is SO MUCH more clear with toys but when we talk about food, I usually see folks talk about WHAT to give the dog and they rarely pay any attention to HOW they do it.

Don't get into an arms race. Learn HOW to reinforce. Oh yeah.... this is how you train a dog with negligible food or toy motivation... more on that another day!

Just to prove a point, this is a demo video that I did with Why, my 13 year old Miniature American Shepherd.... because I don't just train high drive Labs! This is Food Reinforcement in a way that Why perceives as Reinforcing. He is getting a plain chicken sausage dog treat from Costco here.

31/01/2025

I want to thank Tugawaycuwin for this opportunity to connect people with their incredible toys and support education for dog handlers and trainers ❤️ I love the Radish toy we came up with. I'll make a video about it soon.

February 1st get ready for a discount just in time for the Flirtatious Fun flirt pole webinar at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Your purchase benefits you and future youth and SAR handlers to attend my upcoming seminars. This small female-owned business loves our dogs and makes outstanding toys. I'm so thankful they chose me to share their creations ❤️

We’re excited to welcome our first toy ambassador Crystal Wing!

Crystal is a dog trainer who places an emphasis on engagement and play to create solid obedience and desired behaviors. The education she provides at CB K9 is based on using motivational techniques which include markers, toys and food to train your dog.

When you shop through Crystal’s discounts, not only will your purchase be discounted at checkout; Crystal
also gets a portion of the proceeds that will go directly to scholarship opportunities for youth and SAR handlers that attend any of her seminars on topics such as play, engagement, FUNctional obedience and arousal & drive. She’s super passionate about these groups and wants to make it as cost effective as she can for these partnerships.

By using Crystal’s code, you’ll receive 10% off any tugs on Crystal’s Favorites page and Crystal will also receive 10% of each sale to build a scholarship fund for SAR and youth handlers.

🐾Be sure to follow Crystal on Facebook for information on her upcoming seminars(hint hint, she has a webinar and special discount code she’ll be revealing very soon 👀) and special tug toy discounts only available through Crystal.

Follow Crystal here ⬇️
https://www.facebook.com/share/14yJogT1Ve/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Follow Crystals training group here ⬇️
CB K9

🐾You can find all of Crystals favorite tug toys at the link below:https://www.tugawaycuwin.com/crystalsfavorites

30/01/2025

Thoughtful Thursday: The Cement of Experience

Have you ever watched a highly experienced trainer work with a dog and think that they literally were telepathic? That some how, they could read what the dog was thinking and could anticipate the actions of the dog to move the dog faster in their learning?

Here's a hint. Most of those people have a lot of knowledge (rocks and pebbles) but also have the cement of experience of seeing and training a lot of dogs.

If you have every watched concrete being poured, you have seen the larger rocks and pebbles in the mix. They are incredibly important for the strength of the concrete. In our world, that is knowing the theory of behavior. Behavior is lawful, just like any other hard science so we, as dog trainers, should know our laws and how they work.

In order to create a strong concrete, you need to have the appropriate mix of cement, sand, and aggregate. It is more than a recipe. If you have stood next to an experienced concrete person and watched them mix the concrete, they will add a little water, or a little more sand, to get the 'feel' just right. This way it spreads, sets, and cures correctly.

This equates to the 'craft' of training dogs. The understanding of the craft comes from years of experience. Dogs you have trained, teams you have watched, hides you have set, operational experiences, knowing where you came up short, dogs you have washed, different breeds you have worked, different people you have worked with, certifications you have passed, or you have failed.

Trainers who combine theory and practice know when to add a little lean to the left, when placement of reinforcement is kicking your butt, a sprinkle of Premack is needed, or a dash of variable schedule of reinforcement is required. Training plans are key for effective and efficient training, but they only get you so far.

Dog training is the combination of science and craft. Make sure you are choosing instructors, mentors, and coaches who have the combination of experience and knowledge to take you where you want to go.
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Check out the K9Sensus Coaching Community. The K9Sensus Detection Dog Academy Fall 2025 Cohort will begin in September.