A Leak Isn't Always Where the Water Is
Water doesn't always surface where a leak begins. Learn why underground leaks can be difficult to pinpoint and why effective leak detection focuses on finding the source, not just the visible water.
Why I Use Getxent Tubes in K9 Water Leak Detection Training
Actual chlorinated water and Getxent tubes each create different training opportunities. Learn why I use both to build Kieran's understanding of target odor and create training problems across a wide variety of environments and conditions.
Preparing Dogs to Work in the Heat
If we expect dogs to work, compete, or deploy in hot and humid conditions, they need experience in those conditions. But preparation and safety have to go hand in hand. Understanding how heat affects the individual dog is what allows handlers to make better decisions before performance suffers or a situation becomes dangerous.
What Is a Water Leak Detection Dog Actually Detecting?
Is a K9 Water Leak Detection dog simply finding water? A search in a completely saturated yard offered the perfect opportunity to demonstrate what Kieran is actually trained to detect.
Meet Kieran: Georgia's First Certified K9 Water Leak Detection Dog
Meet Kieran, a certified K9 Water Leak Detection dog whose confidence, enthusiasm, and problem-solving abilities help support water conservation efforts. Learn more about the dog behind Georgia's first certified K9 Water Leak Detection Team and the work he does both on and off the job.
We Build People the Same Way We Build Dogs
The same principles that build confident, capable dogs also build confident, capable handlers. Effective coaching isn't about correcting everything at once. It's about identifying what matters most, teaching one skill at a time, and helping teams progress together.
The Dreams We Never Get To Finish
Every great dog eventually teaches us the same difficult lesson: we'll run out of time before we run out of dreams. Tavi has shaped not only my journey in nosework but also the trainer and person I've become.
Training Is Not Testing
Effective dog training isn't about expecting perfect performances in every repetition. It's about intentionally teaching individual skills, one piece at a time, until they come together into a confident, capable team.
Decision Making Is a Skill, Not a Milestone
We often expect dogs to make good decisions without ever teaching them how. Through Tavi's journey, I share why decision making is a skill that deserves to be trained intentionally and how that realization has changed the way I develop detection dogs.
Distractors Aren't the Problem
Distractors aren't something dogs are born ignoring. They're something we teach dogs to work through. Learn why I fill every container with information and how intentional training builds confident odor discrimination.
When the Dog in Front of You Changes the Plan
I planned the session carefully, traveled, set everything up, and then Kieran wouldn’t work. What happened next was a reminder that when a dog suddenly does something completely out of character, that change is information worth listening to.