Ascension Canine Training

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Ascension Canine Training

GAK9 Licensee -
Tracking dog trainer for Police/SAR/Civilians

08/07/2025

Double blind testing doesn't lie

I know some people believe that single blind testing is the same as double blind. That the assessor in no way could possibly influence an assessment. The only way to know though…
..Is to test under double conditions.

Only then can you truly say the dog can likely track in certain conditions reliably. Single blind testing will always have an element of doubt hanging over it.

Now, most dog sports conduct their certifications under single blind conditions. ANKC, IGP, and so on.

This is fine and sports should be respected in their own right, so long as no one makes the error of suggesting a dog with a single blind title can actually do that standard of track in reality (I'm sure some could, but if you think your dog can, then just do it double blind and see what happens!).

Some government agencies and SAR groups that use single blind testing as their certification standard, both domestically and overseas.

I'm sure many of these dogs go on to have many operational successes, and the handlers in these organisations work incredibly hard, no doubt. But I would ask why any organisation would accept such a low standard of certification when it's so easy to evaluate under double blind conditions?

Better to fail in training than in reality.

I am a believer in high standards and tracking assessments being done under conditions as close to reality as possible. Anyone who has responsibility for lives especially has a duty to ensure they have a dog as well prepared as possible for real world employment.

05/07/2025

Puppy working spots on my GAK9 workshops

I always have a spot allocated for a puppy, aged up to six months. This is because they don't take as much time to work (cheaper spot too), and they also offer an opportunity to demonstrate to attendees what the foundation stages with a puppy look like.

I still have a puppy spot available at my upcoming Bendigo workshop, 11-14 July, if anyone is looking to have a great experience with their young dog.

Enjoy the photos of some of the puppies who have attended my workshops over the years.

Which one is your favourite?

📷 O&J Wikner Photography

04/07/2025

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and gets up to some fun activities 🤙

Image context: Security K9 Apollo conducts an apprehension at the completion of a successful track earlier this year in South Africa. Please note I had SAMS approval for my activities in SA.

📷 O&J Wikner Photography

03/07/2025

I have been on a journey with tracking for a long time now.

I started in IGP (IPO/Schutzhund) originally, and learnt how to train dogs to track using scent pads and crushed grass with food placed in the footsteps. This is one way of creating a dog fixated on ground disturbance and look very stylish to get maximum points on the sport field.

I was a Vice President of an IGP club for five years, so feel comfortable to say that this style of tracking has absolutely nothing to do with real world development of a functional tracking dog.

I then moved onto article based tracking methods, and I was a huge proponent of them. I really thought I was killing it training this way, and have many hours of footage of my own dogs I developed looking like vacuum cleaners in extremely busy urban city centres tracking for hundreds of metres (go look at my YT channel if you want evidence).

Upon reflection, I was missing a lot of different elements which are needed to develop what I consider is a well trained tracking dog. Aesthetically the videos look great, but in terms of substance I can see so much is lacking in how I used to train.

Then a close friend started training with Jeff Schettler (GAK9 founder) and I was intrigued. It blew my mind that a puppy could track hundreds of metres in a handful of sessions.

Fun fact; Jeff has used videos of my first attempts at track laying as 'what not to do' videos. I have come a long way!

So what has this all taught me?

That I value a system that is efficient, and will create a highly independant tracking dog who will alert when I approach the track layer. The GAK9 system does this with ease.

Article search methods create a dog who can track, but not a dog who can handle an odour pool at the end, plus they take forever to get anywhere. It takes days to build an article indication and start back chaining it, which then has to be phased out eventually anyway.

I would encourage anyone starting their tracking journey to examine what they need to achieve.

GAK9 is no good for IGP. And in turn, footstep methodologies are not necessarily the best for dogs who need to find people in reality.

The GAK9 system is based on the principle that dogs are born able to track, and just need the opportunity to learn through self discovery to use their natural abilities.

Other methods are based on the idea that a dog must be taught to track from scratch. This requires meticulous and extremely incremental steps to show the dog exactly what you want it to do.

There are many paths to Rome. However, the journey should set you up for success for when you arrive at your destination.

02/07/2025

Klaus learning to track in urban environments 🏙️

This track was on Day 6 of the GAK9 Trailing Trainer Course in Canberra. The goal was to introduce Klaus to working closer to large buildings, whilst taking advantage of the familiar productive source of odour (grass) alongside hard surface footpaths.

He worked this track really well and learnt some valuable lessons about where he can locate odour.

28/06/2025

So proud of my boy Dirk and what he has done serving Australia 🦘

27/06/2025

This was a rare opportunity to track in the snow with Gaston.

He has been tracking since the day I got him and has tonne of experience in a multitude of settings and conditions. He is fully capable of tracking in urban environments, suburbia, bushland, beaches, swamps, rivers and more.

What we have never had the chance to do before though is tracking in the snow. This track was easy; 300m and aged half and hour. I was very pleased to see Gaston had no issues working the odour in the sub-zero temps in the snow.

I'll share the overlay in the comments 👇

26/06/2025

The boys thoroughly enjoyed their recent trip to the snow ❄️

📷 &J Wikner Photography

23/06/2025

Walk up finds 🚶‍♂️

There are innumerable ways to find people at the end of a track that must be trained. From a hidden and laying down individual to someone sitting at a cafe in a busy city, all conditions should be prepared for.

People walking towards the tracking team present a serious challenge. Especially if the dog is well versed in operating busy environments and typically ignores people walking in close proximity.

Some dogs will just keep tracking right past their quarry if not trained to expect this possibility, so it pays to be prepared.

📷 O&J Wikner Photography

21/06/2025

2016 - the day I brought Charlie home

I owe this dog my life, as well as the direction I've taken my career in the dog industry.

Without him I know without a doubt I would not have gone on to do any of the things I've done in the dog world.

He's had a dramatic impact on the working dog industry without ever becoming a working dog himself.

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