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Call for questions: CONSERVATION DOGS (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-05 16:10:01
Imported:
2026-06

Content

There are dogs out in the world using their sniffers to help preserve Earth's natural resources. Next week I'm interviewing a behaviorist and ecologist who trains those dogs!

Conservation detection dogs have been used to locate exotic cat scat in Guatemala, bat and bird carcasses at wind energy facilities, invasive mussels on boats, obscure plants, hidden nests, elusive invertebrates and much more.

Our favorite carnivore ecologist, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant (pictured below with Scottie) has used detection dogs to identify the presence and diet of mountain lions, bobcats, bears and coyotes in coastal California through scat detection and analysis. She calls them "invaluable assets" to her conservation efforts.

What should I ask our expert on conservation detection dogs?

Deadline: Sunday, September 8 at noon PST

 

Comments

Chris Bulock

How much does a trained dog cost to hire?

Dave Brewer

How long does it take to train a dog, and how long can they work before they retire?

mish the fish

have you ever experienced any sort of close call while in the field?

Faith Novella

Can any dog be trained to sniff out turtles? Trying to save box turtles from lawn mowers over here and would love to put my doggos to work

Hannah Matousek

Are some breeds preferable to others for this work?

Kieran C.

What’s the most “out there” use of a trained sniffer dog that you’ve heard of - something that you wouldn’t have expected a dog to be able to locate or something that you didn’t expect people to be looking for?

Antonia Clark

Oh yay! I wonder what traits they look for in puppies that indicates the dog would be a good sniffer and trainable?

Jennifer Froh

Once trained for a specific scent, are they able to change and be trained find a different scent or no? Is it like a one trick doggy

Jennifer Froh

Who specifically utilizes them? Ecologists? Government? Agriculture? Conservationists?

Jennifer Froh

Has she seen the Dogs with Jobs episode about these sniffy bois?

Ry_ofthetiger

Is their olfactory ability the sole factor that goes into selecting and training an animal for these tasks, or are there other abilities that are important to consider?

Brooklyn Baron

A dear friend of mine worked with conservation dogs in Michigan and Oregon and said it was incredible! And she actually adopted one of the dogs she worked with after he retired :) What makes a dog a good candidate for this work? Are rescues/mixed breed dogs eligible or are dogs bred for it (like with guide dogs)? And what does training look like?

A Laura Borealis

Do you train dogs as puppies for this kinda work? Or is it something a dog can be trained on later in their lives? How do you know they’ll be good for the job?

Amanda

What were the first conservation dogs used for? And how long ago was that?

Ry_ofthetiger

Are certain dogs better with certain scents? Can you train a dog on a scent and then re-train them on a different type of scent later, or are they specialized for a certain class of scents once they’re trained?

Josephine Murdoch

Are there any risks associated with taking a conservation dog into an ecosystem/environment which doesn't usually have dogs cause any issues?

Ry_ofthetiger

Is there a trait you wish you could give your dogs? Night vision? Invisibility? Flight?

Melissa Hart

How do you train a conservation dog--positive reinforcement? And can we train our own sweet doggies using the same techniques?

Kristin

Do they know they are a good boy?

Brittany Briceño

Are these dogs generally the same dogs that have potential to be trained to help locate people or sniff out contraband at airports, or do they have specific traits that make them best for conservation efforts?

Emma P

Curious about this too. Perhaps they cab answer the question of: can you teach an old dog new tricks? 😉 (First time question asker here)

Chrysalis Ashton

I did NOT know this was a thing, but it is SO cool! Are there certain breeds that are better at this type of work than others?

Yuri

Cat's noses are supposed to be even better than dogs, are there any efforts to train cats? Also there are rats that sniff out landmines, could rats be used for this too?

Paige McLachlan

Rusty patch bumblebees are in real danger where I live right now. Would conservation dogs be able to help find them and save them?

Zed Shirogane

What is your wildest moment while you were out training with these dogs? Can be both animal or human interaction, something that just had you reeling afterwards.

Katie Biardi

FTQA: Are certain breeds better as conservation dogs than others? Like how police dogs are usually German Shepherds. Also, if you're using the dogs to track a live animal, how do you train them not to go after the animal? Thinking of my dog who will go nuts when he sees a rabbit.

Lizzy Martinez

Who is the most famous conservation dog? Or if a human is more famous, then did they have a dog that may have helped them out?

Mimz

I had no idea!! Tell me everything! How do they determine who would be a great dog for this?? Do they train them from puppies or can they be rescue dogs??

shyla bradford

What breeds make good conservation dogs? Or does it depend on what the exact job is? And also what are the types of specific jobs?

Amanda Nugent

Not specifically detection-related but- How is the program going in Africa to pair dogs with cheetahs to help protect their populations?

Nina Giacobbe

What breed of dog is the best fit for this type of work? Blood hounds and basset hounds are the best sniffers but also very stubborn! Also, I need to know ...are they all good boys and girls? I bet they are! I bet they are the bestest boys and girls.

Erika Koontz

Is it common for conservation dogs to also be used to locate species that are the target of eradication efforts? I am specifically thinking of the nutria, an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay (Maryland, Delaware, USA), where dogs have been used to help locate individuals and in turn remove them from the environment. I'm curious if there are any other mammal/animal examples, or if the dogs could be used to identify plants (native OR invasive) or even insects! What is the potential for conservation dogs to assist in non-mammalian conservation efforts?

Wildlife Tech Grace

You know how certain dogs are trained to recognize the smell of certain medical conditions or the like? Is it possible for them to sniff out certain wildlife diseases? Like diseases in which the animal would have to be dead in order for us to sample for it? I do CWD sampling so just an interesting thought… to use dogs to detect disease in populations

Leila Laco

Are seed scattering dogs with their cute lil backpacks actually effective or just a clever marketing gimmick for nature restoration projects?

Mr. Weevil

what does training look like for these dogs?

Reuben Eadon

How do they train the dogs to *not* eat the special poop?

Philip Dunsdon

My fiance wanted to know who came up with the idea. Who was at dinner one night and thought if I taught my dog how to sniff poop that's going to help me how we came to find out they could help us with conservation.

Aurora Cullen

Do the dogs each specialize on a specific species/organism?

Hannah

How did this whole field come about? What were the first conservation dogs used to find? How do I become a part of this? (first time question asker and someone just beginning to look at environmental science masters programs)

Aurora Cullen

Could it be possible for trained dogs to be used more widely? In some California state parks there is mandatory inspection to avoid transfer of tiny invasive mussels on boats and dogs could be a huge asset for that!

Chloe Jones

When working with elusive species or species that are not commonly found in captivity, how do you locate scat to train the dogs on, initially? Or are there pseudos that could be used instead?

Jacob Elsbree

I was going to ask this! My dog would love this job, she has a special talent for finding all sorts of poop and eating it at lightening speed just before I can say “GET THAT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?!”

Kelsey Larson

Are there any species where canine detection really *doesn’t* work? Or what complications have you needed to work through to train dogs for some of the trickier detection tasks?

Matt Thompson

Has any dog been awarded for their contributions or cited in scientific papers?

Lisa Gorman

Are these dogs purpose-bred for scent work, are they shelter dogs, or is it variable? If purpose-bred, what breed of dog is used most? How long does it take to train dogs for this job?

bird.talking

First time question asker! Do these dogs live with the scientists/teams who work with them? If not, where do they live and stay between expeditions?

Macnut Cookie

How many scents can a single detection dog detect? Can a dog trained to detect avian diseases also be trained to detect invasive plants or target wildlife species?

Heather Leonard

Does the dog’s presence ever scare off the animals they’re meant to be helping? How dangerous can this work be for the dog? What exactly are they smelling and how do they get trained to smell that?

Macnut Cookie

At what age should/can a dog begin their training? Where can I get universal scent to start training my dog?

Macnut Cookie

Can I training my bird hunting dog to be a conservation detection dog outside of hunting season?

Andy Pepper

This is SO COOL. Is there anything they’ve tried to train these dogs to find they’ve been stymied by, or are there no limits to canine olfaction? And is it all olfaction they’re using, or does hearing come into play too?

Charlotte Fjelkegård

How do you keep the dogs happy after they retire? Do you keep hiding scents for them to sniff out?

Macnut Cookie

Hi, I used to work with botulism detection dogs in wetlands. Yes dogs can detect wildlife+plant diseases. I did hear something about creating a scent sample and a study out of AZ ( I think) to determine the effectiveness of CWD detection dogs in captive cervidae populations.

Nicky G

Are there specific breeds of dog that are better suited for this kind of scent-work? Does their presence in the environment impact the critters they are trying to detect? How dangerous is it for the dogs and their handlers with potential predators in the area?

Wildlife Tech Grace

So cool! I would love to be able to use dogs instead of digging into dead heads 😂

Cooper Michael

At what age do they retire and who gets to take care of them? Are there ways to foster/take care of retired pups?

Oscar Courchaine

Does bringing dogs into the environment affect the animals living there?

Peyton Nill

This is the dream job I didn’t know existed. How can people get into this field?

Macnut Cookie

For conservation species that exist high off the ground (spotted owls or other tree canopy/cavity species) is it possible to train a dog to detect nest trees? What scents from animal rehabbers should I be asking for? Having conservation dogs trained to detect nest trees would greatly help in forest management and recovery of a cryptic species like the California spotted owl.

Emma Henson

Do they have a retirement age like military dogs and if so are their programs to find them new homes after their service ?

Sugarpuffdaddykins

PLEASE tell those doggies that they’re ALL such good boys and best girls and I love them. No further questions your honor

Channon Koty

What is your funniest dog related story/mishap?

Macnut Cookie

Can a shelter dog be trained to be a detection dog, like the Rogue Detection Team does for Sierra Nevada Red Fox? What do conservation dog handlers look for in a canine coworker (energy level, prey drive, motivation, endurance)?

Macnut Cookie

Is a play driven dog better than a food driven dog at detection? What drive makes the best/more reliable detection dog?

Macnut Cookie

Are there conservation detection groups that can be contacted to help interest people in training? Can me and my dog volunteer to help in conservation detection (citizen science aid/volunteer conservation work)?

Rosie S.

Tacking onto this thought — could there be a place for conservation dogs to hunt certain species of corvids that threaten vulnerable species? e.g. Magpies present a major conservation challenge for Sage Grouse

Macnut Cookie

In states like Hawaii, where invasive species are severely detrimental to ecosystem, are detection dogs used to prevent invasions at harbors and airports or detect invasive species new to the environment for agencies to follow up with eradication? Shoutouts to Conservation Detection Dogs (Kyoko and Zephyr, Guinness, and Solo), Hawaii Detection Dogs LLC (Michelle, Panda, Slater, Ikaika and Manu) DoFaW Wildlife Management (Alex and Hopper) and Big Island GunDogs (Eric and Kai) 🐕‍🦺🚶🏻

Macnut Cookie

Besides dogs, what other animals have been used in detection work?

Heidi heidistrohl@mail.com

Is there anything dogs can’t do? How are they the world’s most perfect creation?

Rebecca Bradshaw

FTQA - to add on to this thought, is there a best size for detection dogs, or does it vary based on what they're detecting? I would think that dogs like dachshunds or Terriers that are bred for rodent tasks may be better for ground dwelling things, but larger dogs like the typical retrievers or lab crosses can certainly cover far more area. Or do you just work with the dogs that you have, and modify the search pattern based on who's working in a specific area and their skill sets?

Ashlee Dent

This may be crossing realms, but do you know about dogs who can sniff out Parkinson’s??

Shannon Bartels

I already compete in K9 scentwork with my dog. How do I find a local organization who might want to make use of a detection dog?

Paige

How did I not know this existed??? More seriously, what is the history of this field? How was it "invented"?

Mini Minnie

Can I have one of these dogs after it retires so I can modify its training to find my phone after I set it down? So much more fun than playing a sound on an app. Gotta be a dog with a fair amount of energy because it happens several times per day.

Bennett Vanderbosch

Can you train a dog to sniff out something you don't know yet? Like trying to identify something that's generally novel or different or concerning?

Hailey

Not a question, but would it be possible to tell the dogs I love them and that they’re doing a great job? ❤️

Steven Shelley

What breeds make the best conservation dogs? Are some better than others?

Lene Olszeth

I bought an online class to teach my dog to sniff out chanterelles and he just loves our training so far. Do all dogs just love using their noses along with their humans, like is it the best job you could give a dog, or are there some that go "nah, it's not for me?"

Renee vanden Hoven

first time hearing about yhese!! im excited forbthis one

Addie Cappello she her

OMG WHAT!?! I did not know about this!!!!!! Ok, ok…. How does the presence of a dog in a wildlife/natural setting affect the system? Meaning- have there been any studies on obvious or secondary impacts of the dogs being in a habitat they are not native to? (Since the domestic doggos are native to human couches, very specified niche 🤭🥰) Have you noticed any behaviors or changes to wildlife or ecological functions in response to the dogs’ presence? What is your favorite/coolest thing you’ve discovered with this method of detective work? Can you talk about the training involved for the dogs? Is this a “breed specific” selective situation? (Mutts rule in my book) Are there safety precautions for the dogs in situations where a predator like mountain lions are the focus? (absolute respect for the Stealth Cats- they do not mess around) How did you first encounter/experience cooperating with canines to get your work done? I call walking my dog going on a “Sniffari” because of how stimulating it is for her and tires her out- but this gives Sniffari a whole new meaning!!!! Ahhh!!!!! I am SO looking forward to this episode!! Thank you!!! (PS I use she/her pronouns 😊)

Mariann

Are we using these dogs in airports to sniff out different kinds of animals, bugs, reptiles, fish, arachnids etc ..to help stop invasive species from being brought in??? Either by smuggling or stowaways?

rowantree

do you have relationships with the dogs you work with that have lasted years and if so, how has your working relationship with them changed over time? what do you notice the most about growth in your relationship with the dogs?

Addie Cappello she her

A very cute beagle reminded me about an apple in my backpack when I flew to NZ. Cutest confiscation ever. He was very professional about it.

Katie Armstrong

I have 2 basset hounds (ages 8 and 10) are these amazing nose animals ever used in these settings? They definitely can smell sooooo much....listening...errr, not so much 🤣

joesyourmom

I love this use of doggo power! I am also skeptical of folks letting their dogs loose in sensitive areas (like repairman zones) Can you speak to the general impact of non conservation dogs on ecosystems?

Matt Thompson

I know police and service dogs have rules, but can I pet THAT dog?

Patricia Brewster

I work SAR, live and HRD. How do you acquire your scent articles?

CurtisDawg

Can any dog be trained to be a Conservation Dog? If so, are there any efforts to train rescue animals or pets in shelters?

Kate Georgia

What’s the most unusual breed you’ve seen used as a conservation dog?

Caro Young

What is the best breed for conservation dogs? And how do they get selected as suitable?

Caro Young

How are they trained and is there a standard certification process?

Caro Young

What are the impacts on the dog as I imagine this type of work can be quite stressful. How long do they stay in service?

Caro Young

How reliable is the data they collect and how do we currently use that data to make changes?

Ellie Golding

Do service dog/dogs with jobs like having a job? Or does it feel like the 9-5 grind that haunts us all? Are they able to "switch off" from working mode or are they always on the clock?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Not a question, just want to let Pops know about the koala detecting dogs in Australia that help wildlife rescuers find koala survivors after bushfires 🥹

Kirsten Love

What are the most common or most unusual "reward" the dog works for? What happens to the retired ones?

Ashley Marrs

what is the weirdest thing you’ve seen a dog find - (intended or unintended targets)?

Sadie Vipond

May you speak on the dogs running around with bags of seed after a forest fire?

Erin White

My dog loved eating cat poop and other stomach-turning delights. How do you keep the thing you're looking for from being snacked upon?

David Villafranco

What bread of dogs do these type of jobs best and are they the goodest of good boys?

Sonjabird

Do some breeds have better sniffers than others? Are there lines that are bred specifically to have super - schnozzes?

Felicia Stelsel

I recently heard about conservation dogs and I am OBSESSED! How does one obtain a furry nature detective? Do you need to work for an organization that already a conservation dog or is are you able to own, train, and get your dog certified(?) for this work? Also, how do you ensure the safety of them in the elements? Do you or are you trained in pet CPR/first aid

LightBrownPillow

Are these dogs used in any way related to forest fires? Generally humans are pretty good at smelling fires, but I'm wondering if these dogs help detect fires hidden under thick brush or maybe sniff out living seeds after a fire goes through?

Emily Krieger

I know nothing. Tell me everything, please!🥹

Lisa St

When scent dogs are looking for Small Whorled Pogonia (Isotria medeoloides), are they keying on the orchid or the mycorrhizal fungus it's associated with or does anybody even know? https://www.fws.gov/project/dogs-help-locate-threatened-small-whorled-pogonia... oh, and here's a story map about the Maryland detector dog program, https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/900b0187264242f7808349b496e5462b. Also, has anybody done analysis of effectiveness using the scent dogs? Cost for training and use vs 'finds'? (lisa saint)

PerryC

I had heard that dogs can breathe out and smell in (through the side of the nose) at the same time. (In & out at the same time.) Is that true?

Matt Hirschl

Do you think a robot can be created that could mimic the sensory skills of a dogs nose?? We don’t want our furry friends to be laid off!

Jani Rounds

How young do dogs have to be to be trained?? Can my 6 year old pup learn to be a conservation dog? Asking for a friend

Anna Dylan

Are there any other animals that do this?? Conservation cats???

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

Is there specializing in conservation dogs like in search and rescue? Between tracking/trailing and air scenting or is most conservation work air scenting or something else entirely?

Greg Lewis

Are the dogs "working dogs" or are they pets? Can they be both at different times of the day?

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

What do we know about the specificity of dog olfactory abilities? Can dogs differentiate between subspecies? How do you get them to generalize scents to all members of one species rather than an individual in a species?

Greg Lewis

A better way to ask - are they "exclusively" working dogs?

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

Can you talk about volatile compounds? What are the common volatile compounds? Are you ever in a situation where there aren’t enough?

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

How long does it take a dog to train to a NEW scent or target after previous work with a different scent?

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

How do you deal with crittering and other high prey drive behaviors?

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

Do you train specific alert or indication behaviors? Or do you sort of let the dog determine their own alert behavior and you learn it?

Kieran H

What’s the weirdest or most surprising thing that dogs can be trained to sniff out?

Brittany Rivers

What’s the oldest sent a dog has/can pick up? Can they smell how old something is?

bebau

What breeds are the most effective conservation dogs?

Danielle Sucher

How can you tell whether a dog would potentially make for a good conservation dog vs medical service dog vs airport security dog or whatever? Do they require different starting skillsets, or are they all just looking for good puppers? Basically, how do you do career aptitude testing for dogs?

Meagan Walker

Can any dog be trained to sniff things out, or are some breeds/individuals just not up to the task?

Meagan Walker

Can you train a dog to sniff out things it’s never smelled, like for finding new species?

Meagan Walker

I heard about Rusik the Russian sniffer cat - are there many other cats out there on the job?

Meagan Walker

Do they have to do exercises to keep their noses in good shape, like sommeliers?

Matt Ceccato

How many years of training does it take to train a conservation dog or is the training shorter than I think?

Bahdi_Phat

Do you train them to sniff out specific things in scat, or "just" scat?

Bahdi_Phat

What's the difference between "scat" and "fewmets"?

Bahdi_Phat

On average, what's the positive vs false positive ratio?

BolognaShoes

WHAT?! I work in conservation how did I not know about this! PUPPIES... I COULD WORK WITH PUPPIES!? Now for the real question-- how does one get into this line of work?

GhoulNextDoor

Are different sizes of dogs beneficial for different tasks? Such as smaller dogs being better at finding evidence of species in smaller spaces?

GhoulNextDoor

Are different breeds considered for the job in ways other than just their sniffing capabilities? Such as how suited they are for the environment? I know for example Great Pyrenees have specific adaptations for the snow with their coat and dewclaws for traction.

Magsaroni

Do they get to 'retire' as working dogs? How spoiled are they? What's the best dog name?

Ellen Durnal

How do these dogs get trained for this work?

Hunter Roberts

What is the outlook for capabilities for the dogs as far as detection? Are there additional aspects of conservation that are being arrived to be detected? Are there other animals that have been proposed to be used for different environmental applications?

Megan Gruber

Is there a universal scent that dogs dislike?

Allie Brown

How are the dogs selected? Like is it someone in the lab’s dog who gets trained or is there a more rigorous process of adopting a puppy and training them from babyhood?

Kelly Shaver

Seconding everyone asking about the selection and training of the dogs!

Kelly Shaver

Please describe a day in the life of a conservation dog!

Kelly Shaver

Do they/how do they respond to novel scents they come across while working? Like, can they signal that they are smelling something entirely new that might be a new species or situation?

Kelly Shaver

What are the wildest and weirdest things that the dogs have discovered?

Kelly Shaver

Can you give Scottie a treat for me please??

Kelly Shaver

Did Dr. Wynn-Grant really get to meet John Legend for her book?? What was that like?

Amanda Lask

How long do the dogs work for? Are they put up for adoption after a certain amount of time?

Melissa DeWoskin

I am a veterinarian with a strong interest in behavior and training. Could I get into this line of work even if I am (sadly) not a scientist? And I second the inquiries about whether most of the dogs are purpose-bred or found in shelters. FTQA. Thanks!

Xavier Fleischood

Has the field shifted towards using more mutts in recent years, or is it rooted in purebred culture like many service & working dog training programs? Let's clear those fucking shelters already, people!!!

Doug Paice

Can we train our dog to do this?

Doug Paice

Do biosecurity dogs count? Australia in general has your biosecurity controls and so we often see the biosecurity beagles at the arrivals section of the airport. Also, the state of Western Australia has even tighter controls so they are used for interstate arrivals too. E.g. fruit and bee products can't be brought into WA from other states, they have this at land boarders too.

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

Oh my gooood! I'm obsessed with these brilliant doggos! I have friends who have worked with pups to track invasive nutria and deer populations at restoration projects! Questions: 1) Are they really bomb sniffing dogs who flunked out of training because they were too hyper? Or is this just delightful film flam that I have been told and myself has spread? 2) I've heard about nature hero pups sniffing out whale poop in the ocean off of the bow of a boat... Like how?? How is something so cool like that even possible??? 3) Most importantly, do they love it? Is it so fun for them? Please tell me they love it.

Rachel Guthrie

I love this topic!!! I got to work with detection dogs to look for endangered butterflies! It was an amazing experience! Has there been any research on how these dogs’ brains work? Are some dogs able to do this work while others aren’t? Why?

Rachel Guthrie

The detection dogs I worked with for a conservation research project were actually rescue dogs!! They were often described by past owners as “over hyper” but that somehow helped them later on to do their work!

Earl of Greymalkin

1) Do the dogs have a 'work mode' that is separate from non-work mode? How do they know when to be on the job? Do you have to cue them in or do they know based on context? 2) Do these dogs tend to be from herder vs hunting heritages? Or does it not matter? Are they recruited from breeders or shelters? How costly is it to train a dog? Does this have to be done through an official certification process or can people train the dogs themselves? 3) Do they get paid? Do they have health benefits? Do they have a union? 4) Is using dogs for work like conservation or security an underutilized resource? Is there demand for integrating working animals into other jobs? I wish the TSA used the sniffer dogs more often, the line goes faster and they're cute.... 5) Do people bother the dogs while they're working? Do the dogs have specific gear to declare they're busy doing a job? 6) What are the limits for the ability of the dogs to find what they're looking for? How precise are their snoots? 7) Are people using animals other than dogs (like the bomb sniffing rats)? Are dogs significantly easier to train (or are we just more familiar with how to train dogs)? 8) Is using conservation dogs measurably more 'sustainable' than other methods? Is this mostly measured in improved efficiency? 9) What to the dogs hate the most about their job (if anything)? What is their favorite part?

floraandthefaun

no question just a statement of fact: scottie looks adorable!! 🥰

MollyB

QUESTION...From MollyB & daughter TalaC....Do you get the dogs as puppies? or can you train them as adults?? and....thank you! We LOVE LOVE LOVE Ologies!

Jessica Williamson

Is there a characteristic in a dog that is a sign that it could be good at this?

Bonnie M Rutherford

Are only "purebred" dogs used for this purpose or are mixed breed dogs used as well? Do they start as puppies or can you trade a dog that's a little older?

Tanner

These dogs are amazing - there's a Washington state dog who sniffs out orca poo from boats! I would LOVE to know how this scent training is done on water versus land.

Rose

Are there any specific breeds that are better suited to be conservation dogs? Do they have to be trained from birth, or can they be trained later on? What’s the coolest thing in the ologist’s opinion that a dog can sniff out?

Rose

Do these dogs make wages? Cause I know dog actors do so surely these hardworking doggies are making some kind of compensation. Is it only in treats and tender love?

Rich Tomos-Simpson

First time question asker :-) How often do they have to be reminded what they are smelling for? Do they have to have a cheese 'course' to cleanse the palate before a different smell?

Kait

I CAN’T WAIT. 😍 FTQA: Which jobs exist that work closely with these dogs and are the dogs considered pets or colleagues or a secret very good third thing?

Molly Shotwell

How long does it take to train these dogs?? By the way, Scottie is SO CUTE!! ❤️ -Calvin

Zinc

what is your cutest doggo story from a professional setting? afterall, they are still adorable friendos.

Zinc

how are the dogs rewarded for their hard work?

Michael Kovens

Can dogs be retrained to find different stuff or are they trained to only find one specific thing their whole lives? How are dogs trained to find super rare things that we have only old samples of, if any.

Amani Politano

First time asker here... Who takes these dogs home at night? Do they have normal families, or live with the people they work with, or do they stay at some corporate doggo hotel work-adjacent place? After they 'retire', where do they go? What's an average career length for them? What's the strangest things dogs have been asked to detect?

The Joyful Spitfire

I can’t believe I missed the call for dog questions 😭 SO looking forward to this episode!!!

Marc Rubin

Are there any ethical considerations to using resources to train dogs for this purpose? Shouldn't we be training dogs to sniff out cancers, drugs, allergens, bombs, etc? Not to be contrarian, but is training dogs to sniff out scat a worthy endeavor? Also, please do an episode on the adjacent topic of veterinary gerontology with Dr. Ashley Portman of home together vet! https://www.instagram.com/p/CLcJFVplVRj/?igsh=YWQ2b21zcTBjcW5h

Dan Berg

Are there certifications the dogs/handlers must go through to run live scenarios? If so what is the testing criteria?