Schedule

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel while vendor tables and posters are set up in the Slate.

Presented by Joshua Araujo of Paws & Footprints Training Academy. In the ever-evolving field of K9 detection, the bridge between scientific research and field applications is crucial for refining and enhancing K9 operational capabilities. This presentation explores how recent laboratory research informs the fieldwork of K9 handlers in detecting narcotics, human remains, and explosives. We will analyze groundbreaking findings on scent profiles, detection thresholds, and environmental influences on odor dynamics and examine how these insights translate to field techniques, refining training protocols and operational outcomes. By linking scientific research with practical applications, this session aims to equip K9 handlers with evidence-based methodologies that improve detection accuracy, handler-dog communication, and real-world preparedness. This integration of "Laboratory to Leashes" empowers handlers to optimize K9 efficiency in complex operational contexts, ensuring that science and practice advance together for safer, more effective detection work.

Presented by Jens Frank of the Scandinavian Working Dog Institute. In many situations it is convenient to be able to send the dog to conduct search or surveillance tasks at a distance from the handler. It may be difficult or dangerous for the handler to enter specific areas, or it may simply be faster to send the dog. Verbal directionals, lasers or drones are different ways to send the dog to a specific location (e.g. building, door, car, road section). In this presentation we will cover the pros and cons of the different ways to direct the dog at a distance as well as an overview of the training (progression plans) for the foundation training needed.

Presented by Kenan Muftic, Norwegian People's Aid. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), one of the leading international non-governmental organizations (INGO) in humanitarian mine action and disarmament, has utilized mine detection dogs (MDDs) since 1995. Following initial challenges in achieving desired operational results, NPA established its own global training centre to breed, train, and support its mine action programs and those of partner organizations. Despite its expertise, resources, and extensive experience, NPA, like other operators, faces challenges in deploying MDDs effectively. Chief among these is the need to balance operational efficiency with maintaining the flawless detection performance. The performance of MDDs depends on various factors, including the skills of dog handlers and the management and leadership overseeing all aspects of operations, from healthcare to results monitoring. Interestingly, cultural attitudes toward dog ownership or local living standards have minimal impact on project outcomes. Instead, success hinges on careful planning, selection, coordination, and communication among all stakeholders, including sectors not directly involved in dog-related activities. This paper examines the experiences and results of MDD deployment in more than 20 countries, drawing on some recent internal studies as well. The findings shed light on critical considerations for deploying MDDs effectively and uncover hidden challenges that can arise throughout the program lifecycle.

Presented by Paul Bunker of Chiron K9. The effective detection of oil spills in aquatic environments, particularly under ice, poses a significant challenge for environmental monitoring and response. Traditional methods can be resource-intensive and limited in rapidly locating submerged or ice-covered oil. This research study explores the application of specially trained oil detection canines as an innovative and efficient tool for identifying submerged and ice-encased oil deposits. In October of 2024, a research study conducted in Canada assessed the capabilities of canines to detect petroleum-based compounds under controlled conditions. Canines were trained to recognize the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with crude oil and were tested on samples submerged at varying depths and underwater. Preliminary results indicate that oil detection canines can reliably identify oil presence with high sensitivity and specificity, even under challenging environmental conditions. Their performance demonstrated significant potential to enhance oil spill detection efforts, offering rapid and accurate location identification in scenarios where traditional technologies may falter. In early 2025, a research study will investigate the potential for using canines to detect oil under ice. This presentation will discuss the training and deployment methodology, results, and implications of deploying detection canines for environmental monitoring.

Presented by Paola A. Prada-Tiedemann, PhD, Texas Tech University, This presentation will explore the significant progress made by the OSAC Dogs and Sensors Subcommittee and the ASB Dogs and Sensors Consensus Body in developing and implementing standards that have the potential to enhance the global canine detection community. Since its formation, the OSAC Dogs and Sensors Subcommittee has overseen the creation of canine detection standards and technical reports covering a wide range of canine detection applications and related forensic disciplines. Beyond the technical details of document development and content, this presentation will emphasize the global impact of these standards. Standardization plays a crucial role in ensuring consistency, quality and reliability in canine detection across different regions and sectors to offer a framework that elevates global canine detection. Furthermore, these efforts are helping to raise the level of professionalism, safety, and efficacy within the community, aligning it with international best practices. Additionally, the presentation will highlight the ongoing efforts to shape these standards through collaborative input from the community, ensuring they address evolving detection needs and emerging threats. An important aspect of this work is fostering a bridge between the canine detection community and scientific research. The development of evidence-based standards encourages the integration of scientific principles and research into practical applications. This partnership enhances the effectiveness of canine teams, ensuring that their methods align with the latest scientific insights, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of canine detection in real-world scenarios.

Presented by Jane Madigan and Christine Labelle of CNiB. How to influence the dog’s state of learning and self-confidence by working with their Brain, and the Sensory and Nervous systems, through movement, touch and voice. Dogs are becoming more mentally and bodily sensitive. This leads to high anxiety and higher distractions when teaching in the environments we expect them to work in. This also impacts their movement over awkward surfaces and terrain, (i.e., steps and escalators), and more importantly their overall mental health and well-being. Adapting our techniques and skill set is ongoing as our understanding of our dog’s well-being and mental health becomes more evident in their behaviour. Neuroplasticity is where the brain creates new pathways when a new habit or learning experience is repeated. Movement and certain exercises that are performed in a non-habitual way, will create more fluid thinking and movement, naturally. Implementing these new techniques and skill sets, from working with puppies at the relevant growth stages, to the young dogs that come into training, will enhance their ability to learn deeper and be more self-assured and confident in their choice making in their working role. Having worked with and evolved these methodologies over 30 years, with horses and with Guide dogs, the results show for themselves. Giving the dogs more time to develop these skills does create a greater chance of success, whatever their role, as a working dog or a well-rounded career change dog.

Presented by Emma Calabrese, Florida International University. Buried explosive devices have been used throughout history and remain a hazard in conflicts today. They are of particular concern as they persist after the conflict is resolved. Canines, and other biosensors, are used in landmine remediation efforts as their superior olfactory system enables them to detect the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) being emitted from a target with superior sensitivity and selectivity. When an explosive device is buried, VOCs must travel through the soil to the surface. This process introduces sources of vapor loss, notably sorption to the soil, limiting vapor availability. This study considers the impact of various conditions on the simulated burial of two explosive-related compounds: 2,4-dinitrotolune (DNT) a degradant and contaminant from TNT and 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB) a common taggant in C-4. Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used to measure free volatiles at varying heights in the simulated burials over time, providing quantitative evidence of the gaseous diffusion process. A driving force of vapor transport was confirmed to be evapotranspiration, as conditions with moisture and sunlight resulted in higher concentrations of analyte present. Additionally, stronger adsorption to soil indicated that environments with a higher sand content are likely to have more successful detection of buried explosives. Complementary canine olfactory trials were conducted to validate the results of the laboratory study. This work points to environments where detection of a buried explosive device is more likely to be successful or limited.

Presented by Carla Hart. Distractions that interfere with working dogs’ performance pose a serious risk to the safety of the dog, its handler, and others. For this reason, many training programs incorporate distractors similar to those the dog will likely encounter in their working environment. However, it is unclear whether distraction training impacts dogs' learning and task performance. To investigate this, we assessed dogs’ ability to learn a spatial task in the presence of an acoustic distractor and found that dogs learned the task less effectively compared to a silent environment. We then tested dogs’ performance with a novel acoustic or visual distractor and observed that whilst dogs trained with an auditory distractor habituated faster to the novel acoustic distractor, the trend was not statistically significant. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the initial stages of training be conducted in a distraction-free environment to enhance learning speed.

Presented by Reetta Kangaslampi (University of Eastern Finland) & Dr Olli-Pekka Tikkanen (School of Forest Sciences). Utilizing scent detection dogs in the early detection of Ips typographus damages Presentation abstract Conservation detection MSc Reetta Kangaslampi, University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences Dr Olli-Pekka Tikkanen, University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences Scent detection dogs have been used for dozens of years to identify illegal substances, diseases, people and animal scat. In this study, the use of scent detection dogs was studied regarding the identification and control of the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus). The main goal was to find out if a trained scent detection dog could be used to reliably identify a small group of bark beetles under laboratory conditions, and whether the method could be transferred to a field trial setting. The purpose of this study was to carry out a comprehensive testing of the functionality of the method in the laboratory and to perform a small-scale study in a field setting. The study was conducted by training two scent detection dogs to identify live bark beetles from empty samples and interference samples. The dogs were trained with positive reinforcement. The study concluded that trained scent detection dogs can identify a small sample of European spruce bark beetles with a 98.0% sensitivity, 99.8% specificity and 99.6% accuracy in the laboratory. The sensitivity was remarkably high and gave positive indications of the method’s functionality and usability in the future. The use of a scent detection dog can be a cost-effective and time-efficient way to map and combat biotic forest damage also in Northern Europe. The use of a scent detection dog is also significantly less invasive than many other tree pest mapping methods. The use of scent detection dogs could be especially useful in the early identification of European spruce bark beetles, when attempting to detect the first strikes in a new area. Further research is especially needed to determine the method’s functionality in different terrains through larger field tests, which is something we are currently studying at the University of Eastern Finland in our research group (Bark the Beetle -project, Finnish Cultural Foundation 2024-2027).

Presented by Hans Ebbers & Marco Muglia of Kynoscience. Training a cadaver detection dog requires a particularly high level of training and basic conditioning of the dog. In cadaver detection dog work, the target odor is constantly changing due to the decomposition processes and thus represents a constantly changing odor pattern that must be found. The different possibilities of decomposition depend, among other things, on external conditions such as the current climate, the storage locations and the soil conditions. For example, it makes a big difference to a dog's nose whether it is looking for a decomposing corpse or a mummified corpse. The quantity of molecules emitted by different surfaces and storage conditions also change the odor pattern. In addition to the storage location, this is also determined by the outside temperature. In addition to these requirements, differentiation from other odors such as animal carcasses is also a basic prerequisite for success. Good differentiation work is essential here. In this presentation, an automated system for odor conditioning and odor differentiation will be presented using videos and a ppp. In addition, further training steps and training with extraction systems are shown and presented in individual steps.

Presented by Rachel Goldammer (IWDA) & Patrick Glines (Guide Dogs of Texas). Building a successful breeding program can be costly, especially when starting from scratch. Guide Dogs of Texas faced this challenge head-on, rebuilding their breeding program with limited resources and minimal technical expertise. By strategically leveraging existing assets and cost-effective solutions, they established a sustainable program that aligns with their mission and long-term goals. This presentation will explore the key components of their approach, including production planning, assessment and selection, strategic pairings, whelping, and puppy raising. Attendees will gain insight into how a dedicated team—without extensive breeding experience—navigated these complexities to create a viable program. Participants will walk away with practical strategies for building or refining a breeding program on a budget, a breakdown of the costs associated with essential resources, and a curated list of affordable tools and support networks. Whether starting from scratch or looking to optimize an existing program, this session will provide actionable takeaways to help maximize impact while minimizing costs.

By the President of the IWDA.