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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
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.
Macy working on Electric Ants with Carla her new government handler for the Electric Ant Eradication Program. Macy took to Carla very quickly and happily showing great team work so early in the journey. I love seeing our specialist dogs going into the jobs they were bred, raised and trained to do! We are now over 60 dogs into specialist working positions with governments & corporations. I would also like to acknowledge Graham Reading for co raising and preparing Macy.
This is Macy, whom is starting her transition training tomorrow with her new Handler as an Electric Ant Detection Dog team. She is working a scatter search/scent discrimination. There is out over 200 objects and some of the objects are exactly the same construction as what is used for her scent target. We have out many things that are used within her normal working life for target mediums, or in the process of capturing target as well as a multitude of vessels used within our working, training, and maintenance programs, so they are not significant.  There are also several native species in this area for her to also discriminate against. The entire area is completely contaminated. 
Icon in training to be a CaneToad detection dog. He is now on Groote Eylandt working full time. There are well over 100 steps we employ to produce our detection dogs. I started my first government detection dog contract in 1995.
We trust you've been using the time over the weekend to spend some time with your dogs! Our dogs are enjoying the airconditioning and getting to have a chilled out relax :-). Feel free to post pics of your dogs hanging out this weekend!
This is Brodie Yellow Crazy Ant Detection Dog in training. She is searching rock walls which is one of the prime YCA colony habitats. We target all high probability YCA environments that occur in the Northern Wet Tropics with our training. After we do handler transition & handover then independent scientific validation trials the dogs are feild ready and commence working with their new partners and the Wet Tropics Management Authority - Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program
This is a story from channel 9 news yesterday on Yellow Crazy Ants. There is a small section on dogs being utilised to detect YCA. Our current YCA detection dog in training is Brodie and she is the dog featured working the scent wheel. Very soon she will go through handler transition & independent scientific validation of her abilities before commencing working full time on eradication efforts to rid the World Heritage Wet Tropics of YCA.
This is the new Yellow Crazy Ant detection dog handler working her new dog Pretzel for the second time on scent wheel. She is also working current in training YCA dog Brodie for the very first time on scent wheel. They are here in Brisbane doing their handler course with Craig and are doing a great job.
This is Icon working a live target and more importantly working on teaching him to return to target to show his handler after the initial reward for successful find.
The Golden Flash - Busting A Move
Now on her last odour - Looking forward to seeing her develop in the introduction to elements now she is on all 3 odours ….. we like build and motivate create desire , introduce distraction below is unknown hides to handler and dog - The Open Box Maze
Music: Dayspring
Musician: Firefl!es
Site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoplw2Cc3xc
Running towards the weekend like Lottie The Golden Retriever buttttttt wait *insert head kick* Turn back there’s Odour here !!!!
Lottie ❤️’s scent detection - Can you Tell 😬😁
We love watching Lotties Journey and can’t wait to see her to continue to develop. Lottie started with detection dog school level 1 and has progressed through nicely and with ease !!!
To start your detection dog school journey our next level 1 class starts soon and has single spot left , all dogs , all breeds great fun with your dog. We give you the option do it as a hobby , do it to compete , do it to just have fun with your dog we will assist you with your goals with scentwork with your dog
www.detectiondogschool.com.au/booknow
StingRay The Singaporean Stray Dog
Meet One Of Our Pet Detection Dogs StingRay aka Dingy ( A unique Case not a dog you get to meet everyday)
StingRay was found at 4wks old at Pasir Ris Beach in Singapore he was covered in ticks and had sores over his body. He was rescued at that point from his now owner Jessica.
Our trainer Cass first visited Stingray & Jessica in private behaviour consults through Craig A Murray Dog School . You couldn’t get close to Stingray he has very high suspicion and those natural instincts kick in and it was like an audition for Who’s the scariest dog award. Cass decided to build stings confidence with Scentwork initially Sting would be cautious of anything new and his suspicion so high he wouldn’t be able to complete the new tasks in new surroundings , new objects or people around Jessica worked hard and would come back the next week accomplished and ready to learn the next task. Boxes and objects he would rub into and spring himself in the air that it made noise or touched him like the spider under the rug. That was him then and this is him now
This is over 12 months of work Sting is on all 3 odours and searching multiple different areas objects and elements learning in the moment with the class on the day.
Well Done Jessica & Stingray we are proud of your journey and look forward to his confidence growing more and more as it already has and you should be super proud he is never letting you down on finding the odour. The snippet of Stingrays Story aka Dingy , The Wild Dog
Look at Stevie Go !!!
We have been lucky enough to be entrusted on the journey of furthering Stevie’s Training .
Stevie came in with trainer Cass for a Detection Assessment to test her suitability for which course suits her best given their previous training.
Since then Abi & Stevie have a Great working partnership and are keen beans together, dedication hard work fun and enjoyment for them both and you can see the work they put in every week
Well done Guys !!!!
