Relaxed and Stressed People & K9 Learning

What to listen for:

“Don’t rush the training. Don’t trial too early. Because you’re short-changing that important part where you’re thoughtfully adding the right stress to the picture.”

What’s the difference between “good” and “bad” stress in dog handling, and how do you incorporate the former into your training while minimizing the latter?

Drawing from a groundbreaking study in Nature, our hosts Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing discuss how stress impacts our dog’s learning and behavior. You’ll get a treasure trove of tips for masterfully adding artificial stressors into your handler training, all while learning to keep burnout at bay and your skills razor-sharp.

Getting the balance right between good and bad stress is like walking a tightrope in the world of K9 detection. Our hosts explore how the right amount of stress can boost your dog’s memory and performance. Through real-life scenarios, they dissect common handling pitfalls and tips for fine-tuning your teaching, training, and testing methodology.

The Dames of Detection also break down the impact of emotional states–of both handler and dog–on training outcomes. They unpack little-known facts such as how your dog reacts differently to odors depending on which side it’s coming from, and how best to engage your dog’s olfactory system to supercharge their optimism and overall well-being!

Key Topics:

• Applying Intentional Stress in Handler Training (03:56)
• Summarizing the Nature Study (08:10)
• Training Bravery Via Good Stress (15:15)
• Adding Artificial Stressors for the Benefit of the Handler (22:30)
• Teaching, Training, Testing (27:05)
• How Your Dog Assesses Odors Differently Through Each Nostril (38:40)
• Our Other Stress-Related “Ah-Hah”s (44:57)
• How Engaging Your Dog’s Olfactory System Positively Impacts Their Mood (50:06)
• Takeaways (53:15)

Resources:

• FENZI Camp
• Crystal in Wisconsin
• STUDY: The odour of an unfamiliar stressed or relaxed person affects dogs’ responses to a cognitive bias test: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-66147-1

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus 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 K9 Coach can be found here at CB K9 and here at Evolution Working Dog Club. Also, check out her Functional Obedience Class here.
• 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.