K9 Detection Collaborative

Stacy Barnett, Robin Greubel

Candid conversations about the reality of training, deploying, or competing with a canine partner. Each episode is a cross pollination from the professional and sport canine camps, exploring how we all want the same thing: A great relationship with our dog.With humor, and a big dose of theory, we talk practical training advice and includes interviews with top trainers and scientists. We keep it fun, honest, and rated PG 13ish.

  1. 22 HR AGO

    Dr. Jenny Essler: Talking Monkeys, Dogs, and Wolves and Their Understanding of Inequity (Pt. 1)

    What to listen for: Our hosts, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett, sit down with canine cognition researcher Dr. Jennifer Essler. She unpacks her journey from coding Capuchin monkey videos in a windowless lab to studying fairness in wolves and dogs. Starting with music studies before discovering comparative psychology, Essler's academic trajectory took her from Georgia State's primate labs to hand-raised wolf packs in Vienna's Wolf Science Center. It’s a unique research environment that controls for lifestyle differences between wolves and dogs by raising both species identically in packs. As a result, you can isolate domestication effects from environmental variables. The wolves, however, proved far more challenging subjects than primates, requiring complete experimental apparatus redesigns after initial safety failures. Her inequity aversion research uncovered pretty interesting species differences: wolves, like primates, showed quality sensitivity by refusing to work when partners received superior rewards. Dogs, conversely, accepted any reward as long as they received something, possibly reflecting their domestication-driven tolerance for human-directed work, or their reduced attention to partner outcomes. Robin, Stacy, and Dr. Essler discuss the practical implications this finding has for multi-dog training scenarios and reinforcement strategies. Essler's transition to Penn Vet Working Dog Center brought her expertise to practical applications: ovarian cancer detection, COVID-19 screening, and spotted lanternfly detection. All while developing behavioral assessment batteries.   Key Topics: Academic Journey from Primates to Canines (03:04)Wolf Science Center Research Design (05:45)Pack Living Challenges: Dogs vs. Wolves (08:12)Impossible Task Apparatus and Behavioral Flexibility (16:14)SUNY Cobleskill Teaching and Detection Class (19:33)Glow Germ Contamination Training Exercise (27:13)3D Printed Vessels and Odor Considerations (31:18)Inequity Aversion: Dogs vs. Wolves vs. Primates (41:39)  Resources: Dr. Essler's WebsiteSUNY Cobleskill Canine Science Program  We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.And don’t forget to check out the YouTube Channel!

    53 min

  2. 27 JAN

    What Sport and Professional Detection Teams Can Learn from Each Other with Bob Deeds

    What to listen for: “Trust your dog, but trust your training first.” Our hosts, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett, welcome back veteran USAR handler Bob Deeds to talk about the artificial divide between working dog and sport detection communities, and why both sides desperately need each other! Bob shares his journey from FEMA disaster work into nose work, leading into his innovative "geo-scenting" protocol. This hybrid sport combines geocaching with scent detection using clove oil, specifically chosen to avoid the venue-hopping confusion he observed in sport handlers who switched between organizations. Sport handlers often remain clique-ish, loyal to single venues (K9 Nose Work vs. NACSW) despite identical underlying science. Bob advocates aggressively for cross-training, noting how watching elite sport handlers transformed his leash skills after a Belgian trainer bluntly told him they "sucked." Meanwhile, working dog handlers can learn environmental assessment and body language reading from sport competitors operating under time pressure. Bob describes sport handlers' eyes "scanning like machines" upon room entry. He also considers puzzle work as the great equalizer. He recounts how a struggling student's reactive Standard Poodle transformed after two weeks of pure puzzle training. All this and more in this episode of K9 Detection Collaborative!   Key Topics: Geo-Scenting Origins and Clove Oil Selection (08:04)Building Confidence Through Scent Work in Reactive Dogs (16:00)Environmental Assessment Skills in Sport vs. Working Dogs (17:56)Leash Handling Skills and Learning from Sport Handlers (19:34)Final Response Debate and Reading Body Language (21:02)The Clique Problem in Sport Detection Communities (26:13)Puzzle Training Philosophy and Adapting on the Fly (35:58)Takeaways (41:15)  Resources: Dog Scouts of America: GeoScentingCanine ConnectionK9 Sensus: Using Chickens to Train TrainersFenzi Dog Sports Academy: Schedule  We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.And don’t forget to check out the YouTube Channel!

    48 min

  3. 13 JAN

    Ferrari's, 4 Runners, and Ford Raptors: Talking Drive, Motivation, and Arousal

    What to listen for: Our hosts, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett, explore how drive, motivation, arousal, and focus work together as an integrated system—rather than isolated traits—to create elite performance. Using a car engine metaphor, Robin explains drive as the engine size or “genetic horsepower” a dog is born with. It’s fixed hardware that defines inherent desire for the work. Motivation is the fuel, built through reinforcement history. Even the biggest engine won’t run without gas, and Stacy stresses that fuel quality matters: powerful, varied reinforcers outperform “cheap” rewards, while poisoned reinforcement can stall performance entirely. Arousal is the fuel’s octane—too high and the engine overheats, too low and performance lags. Robin describes arousal mobility as training dogs to work across a wider range, smoothly transitioning between high excitement and calm control without corrections. Focus and engagement are the steering wheel and pedals. Without them, balanced drive, motivation, and arousal just mean “going fast into a wall.” Engagement channels intensity into productive teamwork. Examples like drive-capping passive alerts versus drive-leaking bark-and-hold behaviors show how training strategies must adapt to balance these elements. The takeaway: performance problems aren’t about lacking drive alone, but about managing the full system.   Key Topics: ●      The Car Engine Metaphor (02:15) ●      Arousal Mobility: Widening Performance Range (13:30) ●      Passive Trained Final Response as Ultimate Drive Cap (20:16) ●      Fluency Reducing Arousal Sensitivity Over Time (26:38) ●      Powder's Comfortable Arousal Range Theory (29:11) ●      Sport vs. Working Dog Arousal Requirements (32:02) ●      Takeaways and Events + Workshops (35:55)   Resources: ·      Stacy’s class – How to Handle a Rocket Ship ·      Upcoming Events We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.And don’t forget to check out the YouTube Channel!

    42 min

  4. 30/12/2025

    Announcements for 2026 Distraction Camp and Intentional Handling and Hide Setting

    What to listen for: Our hosts, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett, announce the opening of signups for the 2026 Distraction Camp and Intentional Handling and Hide Setting. Signups begin on January 4 at noon Central Standard Time. Christi Raak, who has been on the podcast, will lead the Distraction Camp, focusing on engagement, focus, arousal, and mobility. Lily Strassberg, currently in Israel, has given a tentative yes to co-teach Intentional Handling and Hide Setting. Both camps are expected to sell out quickly, with past camps selling out in 45 minutes and 24 hours, respectively. The Dames of Detection wish you a Happy New Year and hope to seeya soon at an upcoming event! Resources: K9 Detection Collaborative Upcoming Events!K9 Detection Collaborative Episode 83: Kickin Back with Christi RaakChristi’s New Venture: DogWizard.comLily Strassberg We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.And don’t forget to check out the YouTube Channel!

    10 min

  5. 16/12/2025

    Bob Deeds: FEMA K9's, Nosework, and Chicken Workshops

    What to listen for: Our hosts, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett, welcome veteran USAR handler Bob Deeds, whose journey from compulsion-based training to positive reinforcement transformed both his career and the field itself! His career trajectory spans volunteer search and rescue in the early nineties through Texas Task Force One, where he deployed to the World Trade Center with his partner, Kenzie. The devastating loss of Kenzie in a 2007 training accident nearly ended his career until his friend Sonja Heritage called at 2 AM with a powerful message: quitting meant Kenzie died for nothing. Bob credits Bob Bailey's chicken workshops as the single most transformative experience for his training mechanics. The fast-paced chickens force observational skills development whether trainers want it or not. Those mechanical skills translated directly to his dogs: when his Malinois Remy would nip holes in Bob's shirt from frustration over poor timing, Karen would smile knowingly. The dog was using positive punishment to remind Bob to pay attention to delivery, timing, and curriculum! Now teaching directionals to pet dog owners and planning chicken workshops with Robin in Iowa, Bob teaches that directional control isn't about perfect patterns, but recovery. As handler Shirley Hammond told him after his first FSA certification, disasters aren't perfect, and recovery from mistakes matters most! Key Topics: Transition from Compulsion to Positive Reinforcement Training (01:33)Loss of Partner Kenzie and Nearly Quitting (04:13)Bob Bailey's Chicken Workshops and Mechanical Skills (11:50)Chickens vs. Dogs: Speed, Visual Cues, and Pecking Behavior (17:03)Directional Training Philosophy and Real-World Applications (26:43)Arousal State Management and Food Drive Testing (40:58)Recovery Over Perfection in Disaster Work (46:16)World Trade Center Emergency Stop Example (50:51)Takeaways (53:53)  Resources: Chicken Workshops:3/16/26 Option3/23/26 OptionDeeds Canine ConnectionShirley Hammond’s Book: Training the Disaster Search DogFenzi Dog Sports Academy We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.And don’t forget to check out the YouTube Channel!

    1 hr

  6. 02/12/2025

    Chocolate Cake, Green Eggs, and Ham: Analogies in Canine Detection & Generalization

    What to listen for: Our hosts Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett explore generalization as the foundation of reliable detection work. Together, they reveal generalization as extending far beyond simple obedience across locations. It encompasses odor variability, environmental context, behavioral chains, and handler presentation. They explain how explosive and narcotic sources vary like chocolate-cake recipes: different manufacturers, cutting agents, and absorption materials create distinct odor profiles. Dogs trained on limited sources may fail to recognize the "same" target odor prepared differently. That’s why handlers must expose dogs to diverse training aids and seek out other teams' materials. Next, they talk behavioral generalization. Does "search" mean the same thing in a familiar training field versus a novel parking lot, rubble pile, or aircraft? Robin and Stacy stress that context cues (vehicles, wilderness, buildings) and environmental distractions require deliberate proofing so dogs maintain focus regardless of setting, weather, or ambient noise. Robin describes her area-search class methodology, which emphasizes that handlers can proof refind behaviors solo by generalizing the chain across handler positions. You could even do jumping jacks or lie turtle-like after falling into a hole. The goal is stimulus control, which means the cue triggers the behavior everywhere, every time. Our hosts warn against training disengagement by repeatedly working in overly distracting environments (woods full of "trail mix") without first building a clean chain in controlled settings like big-box stores with clean floors. If dogs routinely self-employ or search lackadaisically, handlers must assess whether hides exceed the dog's skill level, reinforcement is insufficient, or engagement was never properly conditioned. Their green-eggs-and-ham framework captures the essence of generalization: master the skill (row your boat), then generalize it everywhere (here, there, everywhere). Key Topics: Odor Generalization Across Sources and Absorption Materials (01:41)Training-Aid Availability and Pairing New Sources (04:56)Directionals and Platform Generalization (FEMA, Rubble Piles) (12:40)Training for Test vs. Application (Go-Outs, Distance, Body Language) (16:51)Area Search, Refind/TFR and Robin's New Class (18:50)Search Cue Stimulus Control in Blank and Novel Areas (20:45)Context Cues, Vehicles, and High-Likelihood Targets (23:38)Distraction Management and Clean Behavior Chains (37:45)Green Eggs and Ham: Progression Plans for Young Dogs (42:56)  Resources: Study about the need for generalization in Explosives Detection DogsEpisodes with Dr. Lauryn DeGreeffRobin's Area Search/Wilderness Dog ClassStacy's course on Reading Pre-alert BehaviorMake sure to register for Stacy's upcoming term! We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com

    45 min

  7. 18/11/2025

    Doing the Thing that Scares You

    What to listen for: “[Being a part of] this podcast terrified me. Putting myself out there was so vulnerable, and I felt like it was such a big risk for you guys, as well. I’m so thankful. I’m glad you made me, but I’m also going to say I’m glad that I did it because in the end, I had the final say in buying the microphone and the headset.” After 151 episodes, Crystal Wing says goodbye (or rather, seeya later) to the K9 Detection Collaborative family, and lets us know the exciting things she has in store in the very near future! In her final episode on the pod, Crystal, along with co-hosts Robin Greubel and Stacy Wing, reflect on growth, gratitude, and the courage required to embrace terrifying change. Crystal shares how the podcast stretched her beyond comfort, teaching her that her voice didn't need to be perfect to be powerful. She thanks the community of listeners, guests, and especially her co-hosts for building confidence she never knew she possessed. It also helps that the ADHD brain that once made her curiosity feel like a burden found a home, and a tribe, on the pod! The Dames of Detection also talk about doing scary things as a catalyst for growth. Stacy offers an inspirational quote she borrowed: "Confidence doesn't come from preparation, it comes from survival." Which basically means that moving forward before feeling ready is precisely what builds capability! Crystal also announces her new project: a short-form podcast tentatively titled "What's On Top.” She thanks Stacy for teaching her about odor behavior and vehicles, and Robin for seeing potential she hadn't recognized in herself. The lily pad metaphor comes to mind, where teachers provide stepping stones that students eventually leap from, not destinations where they remain forever. Crystal signs off with the reminder that, if something terrifies you while simultaneously tugging at your purpose, that fear signals you're on the right path!   Key Topics: Crystal Announces Her Departure After 151 Episodes (01:30)Introducing "What's On Top": Crystal's New Solo Podcast (08:09)"Do It Nervous, Do It Anyway" (14:51)Gratitude for Specific Lessons and Opportunities (17:45)The Lily-Pad Metaphor: Teachers as Stepping Stones (19:00)Key Takeaways (29:12)Not an Ending, Just a New Chapter (32:41)  Resources: Keep up with Crystal’s Goings On! We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!Crystal Wing (CB K9) can be found here!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com

    35 min

  8. 04/11/2025

    Thoughts on Manipulating Odor Availability

    What to listen for: Our hosts, Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing, break down how time, airflow, and placement reshape detection dog work! They kick things off by describing a week of hides left up to 96 hours, the longest-out scenario that reveals how odor pools migrate and change. Drawing from this experience, our hosts brainstorm creative ways to design hides that can better help your dog read scents. Central is the concept of "odor availability", which explains why surface area, sealing, and enclosure control whether a source itself (and not merely source size) ever presents to a dog. Using a paint-flow metaphor, they explain how multiple sources age and send "tendrils" of scent through a structure, forcing dogs to sort overlapping plumes to find dominant streams. They stress that short-set hides (minutes) produce different search behaviors than long-set hides (days), and that sport trials, which run many teams, may not reflect operational realities. Robin, Stacy, and Crystal urge handlers to read odor-pool cues, practice sourcing through mixed plumes, and intentionally vary hide age and intensity so dogs learn robust, transferable detection skills across environments.   Key Topics: Why Replicate Longer Set Times and How to Mimic Aging (00:47)Defining “Odor Availability” (Surface Area, Sealing, Enclosure) (03:21)Paint-Flow and Tendrils Metaphor for Overlapping Sources (07:20)Odor Pools, Building “Breathing” and the Effects of Doors and Venting (11:46)Q-Tip Preparation, Dropper Size and Concentration Variability (19:51)Practical Hacks to Mimic Long Sets (Cent-Transfer, Freezing, Mixing) (36:14)Short-Set (Minutes) vs Long-Set (Days) and Sport vs Operational Hides (42:46)Upcoming Workshops (50:01)  Resources: Sniffer dogs tested in real-world scenarios reveal need for wider access to explosives, study finds (article)K9Nosework SourceSciK9 GraphicK9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Next Years ScheduleFenzi DSA Link  We want to hear from you: Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer AcademyK9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!Crystal Wing (CB K9) can be found here!You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com

    55 min
See All (158)

Trailer

About

Candid conversations about the reality of training, deploying, or competing with a canine partner. Each episode is a cross pollination from the professional and sport canine camps, exploring how we all want the same thing: A great relationship with our dog.With humor, and a big dose of theory, we talk practical training advice and includes interviews with top trainers and scientists. We keep it fun, honest, and rated PG 13ish.

Information

  • Creator
    Stacy Barnett, Robin Greubel
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    158
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ©℗ K9 Detection Collaborative
  • Show Website
    K9 Detection Collaborative

You Might Also Like