Seek K9

Dog trainer specalising in detection dogs

15/09/2024

Just wrapped up three days of learning with the incredible . I’m so lucky to have had a working spot learning how to be a better handler for the dogs I work with.

Over the three days we covered:
Play and Motivation
Advanced Markers
Behaviour Modification

I’m looking forward to consolidating everything I learnt over the three days and applying the concepts to training moving forward.

Now it’s time for me to slow down, and stand up while playing with my dog!

Thank you to and for bringing Michael out to Aus 🦘

Thank you to for the incredible venue 🤩

05/06/2024

Keen to start training with our new balls from Beefy Gear!

Having two of the same is great for engagement work and for teaching an “out.” We also love supporting Aussie businesses 🤩

19/04/2024

Meet Johnny Rocket 🚀 Seek K9’s newest detection family member!

Johnny Rocket is a gorgeous older gentlemen who has just started his detection journey for enrichment and fun. At Seek K9, we love seeing all dogs having fun using their nose 😍

09/03/2024

Great day at ! From watching Flyball and Dock Diving to connecting with rescue groups, breeders and equipment suppliers, it’s always nice to meet people in the dog community

24/12/2023

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays from our family here at Seek K9 to yours 🎅🏼🎄

07/12/2023

Protect your pup from the summer sizzle! ☀️Heat stress in dogs can be serious. Keep them cool by limiting exercise in the heat, providing plenty of water, and never leaving them in a parked car. Learn the signs of heat stress – early intervention saves lives! 🚑❤️

05/10/2023

Recently we helped golden boy Cruise with his greeting manners and reactivity towards other dogs on walks. He and his family worked hard and are moving toward a more cruisey life together 😉

Reach out to us at Seek K9 if you’d like a hand with your furry friend too! 🐾

26/08/2023

Happy International Dog Day! We hope that all of our doggy friends have had a great day 🐾

14/07/2023

Earlier this week we worked with the gorgeous Zaidy and her family. Zaidy is working on sitting when greeting people rather than jumping as well as learning other manners including loose leash walking and going to be bed when she’s told. Well done to Zaidy’s family and keep up the great work!

24/06/2023

Fresh faces for Seek K9’s puppy class this weekend! 🐾

Great work from Roxy, Chloe, Sheeka and Pumpkin.

08/06/2023

Unlocking the power of dog socialisation! 🐶

It's more than just dog-to-dog interactions; it's about positive exposure to people, sounds, surfaces, sights, smells, environments, and animals. By creating a well-rounded socialisation experience, we help our furry friends develop crucial life skills. They learn to be confident around different people, adapt to various sounds and environments, navigate different surfaces with ease, and appreciate the rich tapestry of sights and smells in the world.

Let's nurture their social confidence and create pawsitive connections every step of the way! 🌟🐾

28/05/2023

Our group class participants working on their “sit” at distance.

We tailor our classes so that dogs at all levels of training can join in. Contact us if you are interested in bringing your dog along 🐾

25/04/2023

Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Did you know that the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation (AWAMO) introduced the purple poppy to Australia; it is sometime referred to as the “Animal Poppy”. Purple poppies are designed to be worn alongside the traditional red one as a reminder of their bravery and that both humans and animals served together.

You can purchase a purple poppy through the AWAMO website. Proceeds from these sales establish memorials, fund training of support animals to help soldiers with post-traumatic stress, and provide care packages including paying for care for war animals retired from service due to illness, injury and old age after active service.

23/03/2023

A great research paper looking into the characteristics of successful biosecurity detection dogs (BDDs). While it focuses on BDDs it can be generalised to other detection dog disciplines. Evidence from this paper suggests that search motivation, emotional stability and food motivation had stronger correlation to working success. Dogs that performed well overall in detection scored highly in search arousal and search motivation. These are all characteristics to be considered when selecting your next detection dog.

Seven characteristics were mentioned in the paper:

👉🏻 1. Search Motivation- The dogs’ desire to search for trained target odour is one of the most important qualities for success. The dog should seek and investigate odours. The dog should be curious or inquisitive and have an underlying strong hunt drive.

👉🏻 2. Emotional Stability- “Dogs should be free from excessive nervousness or anxiety while working and off duty.” Poor emotional stability was identified as the most common cause of early retirement.

👉🏻 3. Search Arousal- This can be an indicator of a dog’s “willingness to work.” Dogs that have high arousal behaviours such as excitement and energy are typically selected for detection work. However, a dog cannot be over-aroused as it impacts their detection and training ability.

👉🏻 4. & 5. Reward motivation (Food and Play)- The dog needs to have a strong desire for a given reward. This could be a consistent desire to eat food (food reward) or to “grab or chase an item” (play reward). This desire can be increased with training, but it is preferred that the dog is naturally motivated for reward.

👉🏻 6. Search Independence- There should be a balance between obedience to handler and independence where the dog wants to interact with the environment rather than people.

👉🏻 7. Search Focus- Dog’s with a strong desire to search were also labelled as focused. Meaning that they were able to stay on task and searched with more effort.

📊 Motivation characteristics and descriptors associated with work motivation among BDDs

📊 Emotional stability traits and descriptors in BDDs

Read the full paper at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030504

02/03/2023

Is your dog showing signs of confusion during training?

Signs of confusion can be a body shake, yawning, disengagement, offering previously learnt skills and more.

If your dog is confused or uncomfortable just take a break and reflect on your training plan. Consider your objective and what you can alter to achieve this.

For more help contact us at Seek K9 🐾

04/02/2023

A great weekend of training. Pictured is beautiful Finn working on obedience under distraction. A special shout out to sweet boy Maple who worked extra hard to improve his reactivity in cars. I can’t wait to see how these two boys progress with their training journeys.

04/02/2023

Calling all Border Collie and Shetland Sheepdog owners! If you can assist with the study below please do. Dr Dayna is looking for dogs that do and do not show the behaviours below. This type of research is so important in assisting us to understand our doggy mates 😊

03/02/2023

‘Sit’ is usually the first behaviour new owners teach their dog.

This behaviour is simple to teach and can be used for a range of purposes.

By teaching your dog to sit you can utilise it to create boundaries like waiting to be greeted or being invited onto household furniture. It can also be used to teach impulse control like waiting for food. ‘Sit’ may also save your dogs life by preventing it from running onto the road.

We recommend teaching your dog basic obedience as a part of its mental enrichment. Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise!

Stay tuned for a Seek K9 reel demonstrating how to teach ‘sit’

26/01/2023

Seek K9 offers a range of pet services. One of these is a walk and train, where a trainer will walk your dog and teach some basic manners at the same time. Contact us today if you’d like to know more!

19/01/2023

A best buddies behaviour session today!

Zali and Narla are best mates but still have a few rules to learn. These pals have great owners who are dedicated to keeping them on track and guiding them through a happy doggy life.

13/01/2023

All smiles for Seek K9’s first Detection Fundamentals Workshop tomorrow!!

Contact us on 0405 089 562 for information on upcoming workshops or one on one sessions

05/01/2023

Brisbane workshop!

04/01/2023

Need a hand with your pooch’s behaviour? Contact us at Seek K9

03/01/2023

Happy New Year! Our services are now up and running.

31/12/2022

Welcome to Seek K9! We are a small business based on the Gold Coast who offer canine detection training, train the trainer workshops, behaviour modification and pet services. Please contact us via direct message or 0405 089 562

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Gold Coast, QLD

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http://www.seekk9.com/

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Videos

Just wrapped up three days of learning with the incredible @michael_ellis_school. I’m so lucky to have had a working spot learning how to be a better handler for the dogs I work with. Over the three days we covered: Play and Motivation Advanced Markers Behaviour Modification I’m looking forward to consolidating everything I learnt over the three days and applying the concepts to training moving forward. Now it’s time for me to slow down, and stand up while playing with my dog! #IYKYK Thank you to @refineyourcaninedogtraining and @canineevolution for bringing Michael out to Aus 🦘 Thank you to @unleasheddogtrainingqld for the incredible venue 🤩 #seekk9 #dogtraining #labrador #learning

Watch as Johnny Rocket nails the detection fundamentals using the dopamine box 🚀 It’s only the second session, but already you can see the promising progress and the hard work his owner has put in. #detection #nosegames #dogtraining #detectiondog #enrichment #dog #seekk9

Always a cheeky time with this fella 🐾 #GSP #detectiondog #seekk9

A small recap of Seek K9’s Detection Workshop! A big thank you to everyone who attended. If you’re interested in joining our next workshop please contact us, we would love to have you there! 🐾

We love being a part of each puppy’s learning journey! Well done to all of our puppies who successfully finished their first training block. 🐶

A snapshot of Artemis’ intensive training weekend with Seek K9! One step closer to becoming a conversation detection canine. Keep up the great work @holyscatdogs 🐾 #dogtraininggoldcoast #dogtraining #dogsofgoldcoast #detectiondogs #dogbehaviour #dog #workingdogs #seekk9

Really proud to see Jack and his owner progressing with their detection skills. Jack has been working with Seek K9 to become a deer detection dog. We look forward to assisting Jack with his working dog career. #dogtraining #dogsofgoldcoast#goldcoast #GSP #workingdog #detectiondog #seekk9

Here’s a quick clip on how to teach your dog to “sit” using treats 🐾 #dogtraining #dogsofgoldcoast#goldcoast #seekk9

A snapshot of Seek K9’s first Detection Fundamentals Workshop. Can’t wait to see everyone’s progress and looking forward to welcoming new faces at the next workshop! #dogtraining #dog #detectiondog #dogsofqueensland #seekk9

So much improvement after one session with Monte. Book a session with Seek K9 if your dog needs some help. #dogtraining #dogsofgoldcoast #dog #recall #goldcoast #seekk9

Assisting Quinn and her mum become a conservation detection dog team to help wildlife. Contact Seek K9 if your dog enjoys sniffing too #dogtraining #dogsofgoldcoast #detectiondog #workingdog #scentdetection #conservation #conservationdog #dog #goldcoast #seekk9