We never stop learning!

We're committed to bringing you high quality detection training in North Queensland. Hours spend working dogs matter too, but workshops, webinars, conferences and other learning opportunities open your eyes to new directions. Here's some of our trainer continuing education.

2023

  • Dr․ Nathan Hall - Effects of Target Odor Frequency on Detection K9 Performance

    • Webinar

  • Texas Tech University and Virginia Tech - Spotted Lantern Fly Citizen Science K9 Detection Project

    • Webinar announcing a citizen science project, engaging NACSW competitors in the US to participate in a citizen science project assessing the capability of sport detection teams to detect invasive spotted lanternfly larvae

  • Dr. Kathy Murphy - Training is More than Doing - Thinking Beyond the Quadrants

    • Webinar

2022

  • Dr. Kathy Murphy - Biome, Brain and Behavior: An exploration of the gut microbiome-behavior relationship

    • Webinar

  • Australasian Conservation Dog Network (ACDN) Conference

    • Online attendee - two days of learning!

  • Louise Wilson and Nikki Glover (Conservation K9 Consultancy), Heath Smith (Rogue Detection Teams), Tracey Lyten and Fiona Jackson (Skylos Ecology) - Conservation Detection Workshop

    • Auditor position for two day workshop at Mt Rothwell, Victoria! A wide variety of teams, projects, and training approaches.

  • Luack Sally - Our first litter

    • 8 weeks of raising Australian Kelpie puppies for sporting and working detection homes

    • 6 boys and 1 girl: Roy, Wasabi, Salt, Joey, Burke, Billy and Rumble

2021

  • K9 Nose Work® Instructor Education and Certification Course - Segment 2

    • 12-15 March, 2021

2020

  • Australian Canine Scent Work (ACSW) Nose Work 1 (NW1) Trial

    • Certifying Official

  • Australian Canine Scent Work (ACSW)Judge and Certifying Official Training

    • 21st June, 5th July, 19th July, 2nd August

2019

  • Nosework Workshop

    • 9-10 November, Tarmaroo Scout Camp, Bluewater QLD

    • Presenter and host

  • K9 Nose Work® Instructor Education and Certification Course - Segment 1

    • 20-23 September, Bundilla Scout Camp, Winston Hills NSW

  • Kim Dowding (K9 Nose Time) Nosework Workshop

    • 29-30 June, Muzzle to Muscle, Townsville. Host and Participant. Included mock NW2 trial.

2018

  • Fred Helfers - Nose Work Workshop

    • 20-21 October, Castle Hill, Sydney NSW.

    • Hosted by K9 Nose Time

  • Urban Search And Rescue - Foundation Skills Assessment

    • October, Townsville. Assist in set-up and hosting assessment.

  • Marion Brand - K9 Nose Time - Nosework Workshop

    • Auditor.

    • Hosted by Muzzle to Muscle

2017

  • Julie Symons - The Handler's Role: Being an important half of the Nose/Scent Work team

    • 9th November Webinar

  • Urban Search And Rescue - Foundation Skills Assessment

    • Sat with Kip, excellent search skills but unfortunately did not pass all obedience elements. We did not resit, as soon after this he developed treatment-refractory epilepsy.

2016

  • Cassie Fishbourne - Urban Search And Rescue workshop

    • October - Participant with Kip

  • Elke Effler - Urban Search And Rescue workshop

    • April - Participant with Kip

2013

  • ADAA Agility and CDA Canine Disc competition

    • May - My first entries into any dog sport, with Jep the cattle dog mix.

    • I have generally not included non-detection sport stuff in this list, but this was a big and important part of my life, and agility and disc have very big influences on how I train dogs and people in detection.

On The Bookshelf

Here’s a handful of books I regularly refer to, and pick up to re-read.

  • The Archaeology of Mind

    JAAK PANKSEPP AND LUCY BIVEN

    Absolutely profound, I cannot recommend this book any more emphatically for dog trainers. The original work in affective neuroscience, the field describing emotions in a neurological/biological/developmental sense. Chapter 3 - The SEEKING system is intensely relevant to detection training. Slow reading - requires digestion.

  • Canine Ergonomics The Science of Working Dogs

    EDITED BY WILLIAM S HELTON

    Currently reading.

  • Canine Olfaction Science and Law: Advances in Forensic Science, Medicine, Conservation, and Environmental Remediation

    EDITED BY TADEUSZ JEZIERSKI, JOHN ENSMINGER, L. E. PAPET

    An insight into this developing field. Some chapters are a little more personal opinion style than I had hoped, but it certainly captures the diversity of the field. Handy way to find the relevant primary literature up to 2015.

  • Dog Sports Skills Series

    DENISE FENZI AND DEBORAH JONES

    May well be one of the first/only books on foundation dog sports training. Recommended for anyone wanting to improve and develop reward technique, whether that’s food, toy, personal play or praise. Clearly written.

  • Detector Dogs and Scent Movement

    TOM OSTERKAMP

    I wish I’d had this book earlier in my time in detection dogs - I learnt much of the contents of this book the hard way!

  • Imprint Your Detection Dog in 15 Days: A step-by-step workbook

    PAUL BUNKER

    One of many methods of imprinting detector dogs. Paul was one of the first in the field to use a clicker/marker technique and this book describes his method, developed over many years training explosives detector dogs in the British Army. Friendly and easy to read book.

  • The Nose Work Handler Foundation to Finesse

    FRED HELFERS

  • Scent and the Scenting Dog

    WILLIAM G SYROTUCK

  • Don't Shoot the Dog!

    KAREN PRYOR

    Perhaps reinforcement-based training has moved beyond this now, but at the time this book was released it was fairly revelationary. I still pick this book up when I am stuck on how to approach a behaviour problem, not because it’s a how-to guide, but to structure my thoughts.

  • Puppy Culture: The Original Film

    JANE MESSINEO LINDQUIST

    This is a video not a book, but hey, it’s still on my bookshelf! An engaging delivery on development of puppies to 14 weeks of age, and training/rearing practices to maximise the pup’s resilience and confidence for life. Recommended for anyone working with young pups, be they pet, sporting or working prospects. Convenient bite-sized chapters of generally less than 15 minutes make it very easy to watch, and find relevant segments.

  • And many more!