Talking Detection Dogs with Adee Schoon Pt 2

What to listen for:

“So I think dog training is almost 90% thinking and preparing, and 10% working with your dog.”

Two of our three hosts, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett sit down for part 2 with Adee Schoon, an expert in the detection field with over three decades of experience, to explore her diverse and groundbreaking projects.

What happens when man's best friend becomes a vital ally in solving sexual crimes? Together with Amsterdam University and a local fertility clinic, Adee and team faced numerous challenges, from acquiring diverse samples to ensuring ethical evidence handling. Discover how these canine detectives are transforming forensic investigations, enhancing accuracy, and speeding up case resolutions.

Adee and our hosts dissect the intriguing ways in which a dog's natural tendencies—whether they're quick to alert or more methodical—affect their performance. Comparing high-pressure training scenarios like mine detection to more relaxed, recreational approaches, they highlight the importance of tailoring training strategies to individual dogs. By understanding and adapting to each dog's unique behavior, trainers can maximize both effectiveness and safety for the canine and its handler.

Adee recounts stories of dogs identifying fungus-infected wood under extreme conditions and even tackling complex tasks like recognizing different types of vanilla scents. This episode also offers a glimpse into the broader implications of using dogs for natural substance detection and the crucial need for validated studies to ensure reliability. All this and much more in this episode of K9 Detection Collaborative!

Key Topics:

• Working with Sexual Crime Dogs (0:31)
• Using Dogs to Locate and Analyze DNA Evidence (04:59)
• Training Dogs with Individualized Approaches (17:23)
• The Methods Behind Detecting Fungus in Trees (22:43)
• Detecting Bed Bugs and Spotted Lanternfly with Potential Applications in Pest Control and Forensic Work (28:00)
• Training Dogs to Detect Vanilla and Other Scents (36:47)
• The Concept of Cognitive Testing and Predicting Dog Performance (42:48)
• Adee’s Dream Project if the “Research Grant Fairy” Were to Visit (45:20)
• Takeaways (49:25)

Resources:

• Training Dogs To Use Their Nose, A Blueprint (by Adee Schoon)

We want to hear from you:

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• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing K9 Coach can be found here at CB K9 and here at Evolution Working Dog Club. Also, check out her Functional Obedience Class here.
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