Detection Dog School

07/08/2023

This is the last five of the seven dogs from the last of my posts after two have gone out to their detection placements. This was a day when we had a big storm and I had the dogs on their mats for training. When we produce working dogs for detection, they can’t have any fears or phobias as they must work under all conditions. Sometimes we have to work on desensitisation to some environmental effects and unusual situations as there is a big difference between a quick reaction to an unusual sharp noise or action and then quickly regaining composure and being willing to work on, or having a reaction without regaining composure enough causing impacts to work focus, desire and vigour which affects best work efforts.

05/08/2023

This was when I trained seven detection dogs at the same time for the government back in 2011 or 2012. You’ll note we like to start all training from a calm base, this we have done for a long, long time. We want calm, and once we commence the searching in any phases of search that we utilise, we want the dogs to explode with drive & desire. Seven dogs at the one time was a huge commitment for one person.  Sorry for no stabilisation on the camera.

06/07/2023

Part 3 of the Ziggy rock wall search. Ziggy now is off lead and still asked to continue on the systematic search strategy. Due to this being early in his training I have chosen to employ a structure as shown in parts 1 & 2 to get to this section of working off lead. This is where it is critical that the dog is ultimately only interested in locating their target odour and not cued of the handlers movement, positioning or even being static. Teaching good function & form in all phases of all search strategies is truly imperative for instilling great foundation. Foundation is the platform for operational success and longevity.

05/07/2023

This is part two from the Ziggy video that was posted a couple of days ago. Part three still to come. This is Ziggy making his find and he has been rewarded for his indication. Then I ask him to return to odour origin and re-locate and indicate exact origin for me. Sometimes he is rewarded and sometimes bridged without reward. This is a technique I developed many years ago when I was working the Backpacker Murders investigation for NSW Police with my cadaver dog at Belanglo State Forest. When any of my dogs are doing bushland or farming land, I prefer them to have a return on them just in case we have not seen exactly where our target was. We can always rely on the dog to take us back and show us absolute origin correctly. It is especially useful on extremely small targets such as all our invasive species detection dogs that have absolute minute amounts of odour as their target origin. Naturally, you have to assess whether having returns to odour origin on your dog is beneficial or possibly unnecessary, and in some cases even destructive.

04/07/2023

Entries are open for the next Odour Recognition Test , for those Teams that are wanting to compete in ACSW trials this is what you need to pass to get to enter future trials …. Happy sniffing

ORT – 30 July 2023 – QLD ORT – 30 July 2023 Palmwoods, QLD Hosted by Ultimate K9 Odours being tested – Birch , Anise & Clove All handlers and dogs must be current members of ACSW Cost is $35 per odour per dog – Only 1 dog per handler per odour entries close 23 July 2023 at 8 pm EST Please ...

03/07/2023

This video is of Ziggy whom has now been operational for over 2 yrs as an Electric Ant Detection Dog.  This video is the 1st part of 3 parts displaying a single rock wall search when he was in the mid phase of his training. In this first part, you’ll note he is working on lead and I am teaching him systematic searching of rock walls. I am also using a K9 cannon as his reward delivery on his indications. Note how we get our dogs to focus on the searching and indicative behaviour rather than looking to the handler for information. We purposely move at times and at other times purposely stay still around interest of odour recognition so all is normal and everything is possible rather than having the dog focus to the handler to be successful.

30/06/2023

This is Icon early in the the beginning of his training to be a cane toad Detection Dog. For his job he would need to traverse all types of environments and obstacles, which includes having to climb on top of freight of all sizes and types. Great Detection Dogs do not happen by accident.  Professional Detection Dogs like Icon face constant challenges and changes of work environments, including around extreme, power tools and large and unstoppable machinery. So possessing genetically inherited traits that are best suited for the job and receiving correctly timed and targeted social exposure to ensure the greatest level of resilience is key to success. 

29/06/2023

Last chance to grab tickets to Cameron Ford's Puppy Cognition Seminar. Only a few tickets left.

3 Day Seminar - $450
8th- 10th August 2023
Sunshine Coast, QLD

For full details please send an email to [email protected]

Ford K9 LLC. NV. PILB #2914 K9s Talking Scents Discussion

27/06/2023

This video was taken around 4 yrs ago and is Fury who at the time was in training to be a Yellow Crazy Ant detection dog. She is doing a large grassland search on longline. The entire search was about 12+ minutes long and the video is drone footage edited to just over 2 minutes long. There are sections where the video is in double speed and the sections of Fury first locating the odour cones and working through to odour origin and making her indication. She has been working now for 4yrs in Far North Queensland with the Wet Tropics Management Authority - Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program.

24/06/2023

This Morning we worked with Young Oli Who is currently in Foster Care with Hear No Evil, Australian Deaf Dog Rescue. She had her first session today 1 on1 and did really well in a new environment and her confidence built throughout the session.

We look forward to seeing Oli's progress with DDS and her scent journey and hope she can bring this new game to her new home.

The beauty of this sport is seeing the full range of dogs that can play this game - Have Fun With Your Dog

16/06/2023

Last weekend at advanced Detection Dog School  all of our participants did a really nice job on a challenging and unusual search. We had a great situation happen when one of our newest members who has been working on challenges (as we all do) was the best on the day and the handling and dog handler relationship was fantastic. Whilst everyone did really good for Lottie and Norbert, they really excelled and stood out on the search that I put out for them. I was so pleased for them. Sorry for the late mention, but I was away on Monday and I’ve been sick all week. I included a blast from the past for you all to look at which is a picture of eight of the Red Imported Fireant Detection Dogs, that I trained well over a decade ago. Note our cat practising his circus routine, jumping over the top, one of the dogs. Who says professional detection dogs have to be crazy.

09/06/2023

Spencer one of the Electric Ant Detection dogs we have trained. He is now working in Cairns in the National Electric Ant Eradication Program. This was his 1st ever off lead scent wheel search whilst he was in training. We like to promote methodical systematic search practices in many of his search strategies.