Simon Prins ACT

22/12/2025

My YouTube channel has been updated with a clear focus: sharing practical, proven methods for detection dog training.
The videos cover techniques such as scent wheels, line-ups, laser and radio guidance, and specialized detection work for explosives, narcotics, wildlife, and medical applications. The content is based on operational experience and scientific principles.

Whether you’re starting with a young dog or refining advanced skills, the channel provides tools, demonstrations, and strategies that can help improve performance and reliability.

Visit the channel and subscribe to stay informed:
https://www.youtube.com/
!

13/12/2025

Why does self-promotion in the K9 world so often come with tearing others down?

Almost daily I see trainers publicly humiliating colleagues. Ripping people apart in the comments. Blocking screenshots shared as trophies. “Big name” speakers mocking other trainers’ mistakes on stage while the room laughs. But what does that really say, something about them, or about us?

If you believe you only matter when you “win”, then hurting others becomes a strategy: cliques, twisted facts, magnified mistakes, gossip as marketing. The ego feels strong, but inside it’s empty.

Real growth isn’t more control, it’s the courage to know yourself. To drop the mask of the “tough trainer” and act from values, curiosity and integrity. My newest blog is about bullying in the K9 world, masks and fragile egos, and how feedforward coaching can help us build a safer, more inclusive training community, where both dogs and humans can grow. If this touches something in you, this blog is for you. We work with dogs we’re proud of. Let’s build a K9 community we can be proud of too.

When I talk about bullying in the K9 world, I’m not speaking from theory, I’ve lived it. As a young handler, I trained under people who were “big names” at the time. The way they trained their dogs, with a lot of coercion, pressure and intimidation, was exactly how they coached their young h...

18/11/2025

15/11/2025

Cockers are working machines and they know how to manipulate their handlers!

09/10/2025

Our brand-new odor cases are here! From mini to max, each case is waterproof, airtight, and built tough to protect your training materials wherever you go. Available in different sizes and options, you can even choose which products go inside your case. Compact, professional, and made for detection trainers who want reliable gear. Which setup fits your training best? Check www.detectiondogshop.com for more information!

14/09/2025

To all early adopters and influencers in the detection dog world:
Trainers, here’s a tough question for you:

Do you want to train your detection dog on the odor of a Kong, unstable, full of countless VOC’s, and so loud it can easily confuse your dog?

Or do you prefer to work with a stable, scientifically proven training odor like NOTA, designed for clarity, reproducibility, and to get the very best out of your dog?

Or… would you go straight to the real operational target odor with Getxent, giving your dog a direct imprint on the exact odor it will encounter in the field?

The choice you make determines not only what your dog learns, but also how reliable your results will be in real operations.
What would you choose for your training program? Find more information in our blogs on www.detectiondogshop.com

13/09/2025

Hoe start de opleiding van een detectie hond?

K9 professionals gebruiken bij de start van de training Getxent en/of NOTA. Zij blijven weg pseudo geuren of oefen geuren als Kong en tennisballen om imprint-, en latere operationele problemen te voorkomen.

Wat is nu het verschil tussen Getxent en Nota?
Met Getxent werk je altijd met echte geuren die langdurig en constant worden afgegeven. Geen pseudogeuren die te veel afwijken, maar realistische bronnen waar honden echt op leren.

NOTA daarentegen is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde trainingsgeur die nergens in de echte wereld voorkomt. Daarmee kun je een hond tot in perfectie trainen én objectief meten of hij gezond en betrouwbaar werkt. Bovendien kun je NOTA gebruiken op plekken waar echte stoffen verboden zijn, zoals luchthavens of defensieterreinen.

Samen geven Getxent en NOTA ons de mogelijkheid om honden veilig, precies en toekomstgericht op te leiden. En in tegenstelling tot Kong met vele VOC’s die bekend staat als een luide geur is de dampspanning van Getxent en NOTA veel,lager zodat je detectiehond heel nauwkeurig leert zoeken. Hoe gebruik jij Getxent of NOTA in je training? Of heb je er vragen over? Neem contact met ons op of bekijk onze blogs https://detectiondogshop.com/nl/pages/nl-info

12/09/2025

My recent post about the DOI method created a strong response in the detection dog community. Reading through your comments, I was reminded of something important:

There are still trainers who think critically, ask questions, and dare to go beyond mainstream methods. That deserves recognition.

Popular approaches like the Kong method, dopamine box, odor boxes, metal tubes, or odor pays all share the same challenge:
• They take a lot of time
• They can confuse new handlers and dogs
• They don’t always provide clarity

But in detection dog training, clarity is everything. You get what you reinforce.

From the very beginning, ask yourself:
• What is my end goal?
• In what context will this dog operate?
• Do I understand overshadowing, v***r pressure, and odor recognition?
• Can I calibrate my dog?
• Am I avoiding shortcuts and subtle handler cues?

Key principles when imprinting your detection dog:
• Stay away from pseudo odors or substances used in the operational field
• Choose a clear target odor and a method that makes sense for both dog and handler
• Gather and analyze your training data
• Build so much confidence that both dog and handler can work double-blind

If you want to challenge mainstream beliefs (often based on tradition, not science), read more here:
Detection Dog Blog

Due to medical reasons, I am not teaching hands-on workshops at the moment. I plan to restart in 2026. Until then, you can learn more in my online course: Direct Odor Imprint Online Course

Keep questioning. Keep learning. Keep innovating. Keep pushing.

12/09/2025

My recent post about the Direct Odor Imprint (DOI) method created quite an impact in the detection dog community. Reading through the comments and requests for more information, I am reminded of something important:

There are still trainers out there who think critically, ask questions, and dare to explore beyond the mainstream ideas. That deserves praise.

Many well-known methods, whether it’s the Kong method, dopamine box, metal tubes, odor pays or odor boxes all share the same challenge: they take a lot of time, can confuse new handlers, dogs and don’t always provide clarity.

In dog training, clarity is everything, it's all about criteria. You get what you reinforce. From the very beginning, you need to know:
- What is your end goal?
- In what context and environment will you operate?
- Understand topics as overshadowing, v***r pressure, odor recognition tests, target odors, training odors and distractions.
- Be able to calibrate your detection dog.
- be aware of Clever Hans, your subtle cues ans context cues.
- Stay away from short cuts, do the hard and necessary work!

If you want to dive deeper and challenge some mainstream training beliefs (that are often based on tradition instead of proof), I invite you to read my blogs here: https://detectiondogshop.com/nl/blogs/news

When you start imprinting your detection dog:
- Stay away from pseudo odors or substances you might encounter operationally.
- Choose a clear target odor and a training method that makes sense to both dog and handler.
- Gather and analyze your training data.
- Build so much confidence in your dog, yourself and your student that they are ready to work double-blind.

Due to medical reasons, I’m not giving hands-on workshops right now, but I plan to restart them in 2026. Until then, you can start exploring the DOI method online and bring your training to the next level. Read my blogs, check the online courses for details. Keep questioning. Keep learning. Keep innovating. Keep pushing!

For those eager to learn more, my Direct Odor Imprint online course is available here: https://detectiondogshop.com/nl/collections/act-online-courses

Unlock your dog’s full potential with ACT Online Courses — designed for trainers who want to take their skills to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or already an experienced professional, our courses offer practical, science-based methods that truly make a difference. Dive into ...

08/09/2025

Are you ready for an update?
We keep pushing the limits of detection dog training!

By combining Getxent tubes with NOTA as odor, we calibrate our dogs to precise, scientific standards. To ensure absolute clarity in training criteria, we use the ACT! Smart Rings, allowing us to reinforce at exactly the right moment and to run truly double-blind sessions, even in the middle of heavy distractions. Do you want to know more? Check detectiondogshop.com for the latest news or contact us directly.

07/09/2025

Clever Hans is still alive in K9 training. Every week I see trainers “helping” their dogs by:
- Walking their own tracks
- Tossing a Kong the moment the dog alerts
- Knowing exactly where the odor is hidden

It looks successful. But it’s an illusion. Without double blind training, your dog learns to read YOU, not the track, not the odor.

That’s why so many tracking and detection dogs fail when it’s double blind , and why fragile dog-handler teams break when it matters most.

I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. And I know the way out. Check my latest blog on detectiondogshop.com / blogs

04/09/2025

We’ve expanded and improved our Getxent product range to give you more choice, more flexibility, and even better results. From now on, you’ll find a wider selection of odors available – including Euro currency – and for the first time ever, the unique Getxent NARCOKIT.

The NARCOKIT is a compact case containing 8 impregnated Getxent tubes in separate vials: 2× co***ne, 2× ma*****na, 2× fentanyl, and 2× methamphetamine. Each tube provides around 150 hours of training time, safe for both dogs and humans, and no license required.

And there’s more good news: selected Getxent products are now available from our ready-to-ship stock, meaning 24-hour delivery straight from our facility in Europe. Fast, safe, and fresh.
- More odors, including Euro
- The new Getxent NARCOKIT
- 24-hour shipping option
- Europe's most competitive price
Visit our webshop today and discover the new Getxent range – innovation designed to make your detection dog training easier, safer, and more effective. www.detectiondogshop.com