K9 Detection Collaborative

What to listen for: "I appreciate the fact that our little collaborative thing has allowed us to have some of these really, really hard conversations in a public format." Welcome to episode 100 of the K9 Detection Collaborative with the Dames of Detection themselves - Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing! It feels like just yesterday when our hosts first set out to create a spa...

What to listen for: "As a trainer, no matter what you're doing with your training or where you are, what level you are, how advanced you are, how new you are, whatever, it should always be about growth because if you're not growing, you're stagnating.” In this episode of K9 Detection Collaborative, we’re treated to the return of all three of the Dames of Detection - Robin Greub...

What to listen for: “How well does the dog actually understand target odor? Part of the issue is that we think we've taught the dog to alert on a birch container. But in some cases, if you don't train with distractions enough, for instance, the dog is going to alert on what they think is just the non-empty box. So what you think you’re training may not be what you’re training.” Merry Chr...

What to listen for: “If you have a good reinforcement system, it really doesn't take long. And that reinforcement system is how you pay the dog for doing whatever work you're asking it to do. And you actually have to teach and learn how your dog likes to be reinforced.” Whether it be Robin’s knee surgery or Crystal’s voiceless bout with a nasty cold, it’s been tough for all the Dames of...

What to listen for: “Conservation dogs have been around for maybe 20, 30 years, starting to grow in popularity. But more conversations need to be happening, and dogs are so amazing, and such valuable tools.” With all the amazing stories you’ve heard about our furry companions in the first 95 episodes of K9 Detection Collaborative, you probably aren’t too surprised to hear that dogs play a vital ro...

What to listen for: “Be kind and open and giving, even when they don't know anything, that's okay, still give and still branch out. And that's where those connections happen. And it's magic. And I'm so thankful for all these connections.” Ever wondered how your training methods truly impact your loyal canine? Join our hosts Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing as...

What to listen for: “I think I've made a lot of personal growth. I was okay with it. I was like, ‘you know, what? Yeah, it's a bummer.’ Powder did the best she could have done and I'm human. And you know, what, 15 seconds? Well, whatever, who cares? And so then the next summit the next weekend, she won high in trial.” Our hosts Stacy Barnett, Robin Greubel, and Crystal Wing share th...

What to listen for: “When I'm getting ready for trials, I feel like that week before I'm not building new skills. I'm building the relationship and the joy of training and I'm building confidence for both of us that we both are like ‘oh yeah, we got this we're a great team.’” Our hosts Stacy Barnett, Robin Greubel, and Crystal Wing share their latest experiences and accomp...

What to listen for: “That's the hard part. That paralysis that you can get into of being afraid to train something because it can make things a lot harder. So, what I would say is, don't be afraid. Experiment a little bit. You can always modify a little, you can always rename something, you can always tweak something.” Today Robin, Stacy, and Crystal chat about recognizing our training m...

What to listen for: “I've had lots of people ask me questions about, should you train your dog to tell you that nothing's there. And I was like, no, you should be good enough…Lee knew there was nothing there. But this is the protocol that we use. So we have to do this. And I absolutely don't believe in training your dog to tell you that odor is not available.” Today the Dames of Det...

"It's about living in the now and to keep going and to keep working and keep doing. And it's almost like behavior momentum. I think about in our training with our dogs, it's the same thing for us. It's not going to serve us so recognize the feeling, and then continue to train, continue to go, continue to do, and then what will happen will happen.” In the spirit of Hallowee...

What to listen for: “You see two types of canine handlers on the professional side; the ones that do it as a job, and the ones doing it as a career. The ones that do it for the general love, and the ones doing it for the paycheck. And I see the ones that are doing it for the love have such a better outcome of everything as far as quality of career, to finding what they need to find, because they&a...

What to listen for: “I have a nice-looking lab that wants to come up and be friendly with you and if all of a sudden he sits next to you and starts salivating I'm like ‘Okay, now we got to talk.’ That’s his alert, is a sit and when he smells gasoline or a light distillate he really salivates because he associates the smell of the accelerant with food, so the waterworks come on with the boy.”...

What to listen for: “Finding those little ways to help you get back on track, and the appropriate people to talk to, so that you can do mental management of expectations of yourself is really important.” Have you ever felt the weight of life’s rough roads and unexpected turns affecting your motivation to train your dogs? In this engaging episode, the Dames of Detection - Robin Greubel, Stacy Barne...

What to listen for: Step into the world of canine detection with the Dames of Detection, themselves - Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing - as they journey through the three most recent guests, Ronny LeJeune, Christi Raak, and Jill Kovacevich, and share unforgettable insights from these value-packed episodes of K9 Detection Collaborative. Key Topics: Recapping Dog Nutrition, Fitness, an...

What to listen for: The time has come, once again, for Stupid Question Day! Of course, there are no stupid questions. In fact, The Dames of Detection - Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing - were very impressed with this round of questions! Key Topics (Questions):  How do you guys manage to do everything you do and still train your own dogs? (02:21)  If you could do any dog sport you&apo...

What to listen for: “I think the story is very similar to a lot of folks who, even in our present day, are doing Nosework. We find out about this very cool sport in a very weird way, and we decide that we want to try it, have no idea what we're doing, and then it just becomes this geeky dedication that you cannot saturate yourself with enough of, and you find yourself, almost 12 years later,...

What to listen for: “We can adjust. So, to be able to build that confidence in that handler, or dog, it’s both actually, and to be able to adjust if something maybe doesn’t work out. But I think all in all, there’s no magic answer. It’s based on each person individually.” Meet Christi Raak, a canine detection specialist with a fascinating journey. From training pet dogs to working dogs, Christi ha...

What to listen for: “It's really important for us to understand that as we're setting up hides and things of that nature, we should really be looking at it as ‘how am I putting more tools in my dog’s toolbox so they can more efficiently and effectively solve a problem?’” Have you ever wondered how to handle the pressure of time management in the competitive world of detection dog trainin...

What to listen for: Our hosts get up close and personal with Ronny LeJeune, a certified professional dog trainer, canine fitness trainer, and canine nutritionist. Ronny, owner of Perfectly Rawsome and Optimal Canine, steps us through her fascinating journey from graphics and marketing to the dog-loving world she now inhabits. Ronny demystifies the foundations of dog training, emphasizing the impor...

What to listen for: Today, our hosts Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing examine the essential skills of canine training and handling, focusing on developing the dog's independence while maintaining handler guidance. Borrowing from the educational world, they explore the concept of 'teacher guided, student decided' and how it applies to dog training. The Dames of Detectio...

What to listen for: “As long as you’re being kind to your dog and how you’re training is very simple, straightforward and you’ve sliced things thin enough, how you get there, as long as the dog learns it effectively and efficiently, doesn’t really matter.” “It comes down to clarity and fairness.” Join the Dames of Detection, Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing, as they recount their exc...

What to listen for: Ever found yourself in a tricky situation while training your dog and felt like you were trying to juggle a dog that's had a bunch of pixie sticks while the grass was on fire? Not to worry! We've all been there, and it's all about understanding and managing your canine's arousal states. Join our hosts for a lively discussion as they bring to light their pers...

What to listen for: “When you’re thinking dog-directed search, try to be aware of the fact that you are a very important part of the team. You’ve really got to be thoughtful in your handling.” In this episode of K9 Detection Collaborative, our hosts Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing unravel the concept of dog-directed searches, the role of the handler, and how to efficiently navigate...

Today, our hosts Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing open up the doors to the Home of Wayward Dog Trainers (Robin’s home). The Dames of Detection are knee-deep in canine detection training, layering skills, understanding scent theory and even tackling vehicle searches. As they chat about the growth and development of their own dogs, they emphasize the importance of patience, building re...