#124 Canine Supervision and Leadership with Chief Eric Smith
In this episode of K9’s Talking Scents, host Cameron Ford sits down with Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith for an honest and wide-ranging discussion on leadership, training, and the evolving role of K9 units in modern law enforcement.Chief Smith reflects on:His personal journey from patrol officer to Chief of PoliceHow his hands-on experience with dogs shaped his leadership styleThe real-world value of K9s in building community trust and tactical successHis thoughts on transparency, public perception, and the future of policingThis is a must-listen for handlers, supervisors, and anyone who wants to understand how high-level leadership decisions affect the boots on the ground — and the paws on the pavement.🔗 Sponsored by: Dogbase.co 🎓 Learn more or become a member at: FordK9.comChapters00:00 - Intro: Chief Eric Smith Joins the Show 01:15 - How Eric Got Into Law Enforcement 04:40 - Early K9 Influences & First Impressions 08:20 - Lessons From the Streets: Patrol Before K9 12:45 - Working With K9s in Real-Time Scenarios 16:30 - A Look Inside Orlando PD’s K9 Unit 20:40 - Finding the Right Handler: More Than a Test 25:05 - Why K9s Aren’t Just Tools — They’re Partners 28:20 - Training Evolutions: Old School vs New School 32:50 - Mental Health & K9 Handlers 37:40 - Leadership Lessons: From Handler to Chief 42:10 - How Chiefs Can Better Support K9 Units 46:35 - Advice for Aspiring Handlers or Leaders 51:00 - Rapid Fire Round: Favorite Dog Stories & More 55:45 - Final Thoughts: What Makes a Good K9 Team
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#123 Lessons from the Texas Flood Deployment: Tim Houweling on K9 Disaster Response
In this episode of K9’s Talking Scents, Cameron Ford welcomes back Tim Houweling to share lessons learned from his recent Texas flood deployment — a 21-day operation that tested handlers, dogs, and entire teams across 120 miles of devastation.Tim walks us through: 🐕🦺 The realities of long deployments in extreme heat and humidity 💡 Lessons on conditioning, acclimatization, and handler fitness ⚖️ The debate over rewarding dogs during real deployments 📋 Why blanks and negative searches matter just as much as finds 🌊 The unique challenges of water, mud, and wide-area flood searchesThis episode dives deep into how handlers adapt, how dogs contextualize environments, and what it really means to trust your K9 when lives are on the line.🔗 Learn More and Support:👉 HD Search Dog Fund (Upcoming Disaster Dog Training) 👉 The S.I.R.E.N. Project (First Responder Mental Health)💼 Sponsors:👉 DogBase.co🚨 Become a Member:👉 Join Ford K9 MembershipsChapters:00:00 – Intro & Why Tim Returns 01:20 – Texas Flood Deployment Overview 03:30 – First Responders & Task Force Activation 05:45 – Mission Ready Packages & Team Makeup 08:15 – Challenges of 21-Day Deployments 12:00 – Heat, Acclimatization & K9 Conditioning 17:20 – Trusting Your Dog in Real Searches 21:45 – The Debate: Rewarding in Real Deployments 28:00 – Reading Dogs Under Stress & Context Cues 34:00 – Why Blanks & Negative Searches Matter 40:30 – Real-World vs Training Environments 45:00 – Handler Fitness & Long-Term Readiness 50:00 – Takeaways & Lessons for K9 Handlers 55:00 – Closing Thoughts & Resources
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#122 Almog: Building Smarter Training Through Data & Technology
Check Dog Base Out: https://www.dogbase.co/In this episode of K9’s Talking Scents, host Cameron Ford sits down with Almog, founder of DogBase.co, a groundbreaking platform bringing data and analytics into the world of dog training. They dive into how trainers can leverage technology to track performance, identify training gaps, and ultimately build more effective working dogs.From detection dogs to sport and service dogs, Almog explains how DogBase is changing the way handlers and trainers approach their craft. Cameron and Almog also discuss the challenges of modern training, how data can help trainers avoid bias, and what the future looks like when innovation meets decades of K9 expertise.Whether you’re a professional trainer, handler, or just a dog enthusiast, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how science and technology are reshaping the canine training world.00:00 – Intro & Guest Introduction 02:15 – Almog’s Background & DogBase Origin Story 07:40 – Why Data Matters in Dog Training 13:20 – Overcoming Bias with Technology 20:45 – How Trainers Use DogBase in Real Life 28:10 – Detection Dogs & Practical Applications 35:30 – Lessons Learned from Early Adopters 42:55 – The Future of K9 Training & Technology 49:00 – Closing Thoughts & Where to Find DogBase
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#121 She Trains Strong - Ilse Duineveld
Is your dog confused — or are you confusing your dog?In this episode of K9's Talking Scents, Cameron Ford sits down with Ilse Duineveld, a working dog trainer, researcher, and behavioral expert who’s shaking up how we think about detection training.Together, they dive into:Why "odor load" might be sabotaging your dog’s ability to stay focusedThe importance of clarity and consistency in scent workHow her research is reframing the way we approach K9 learningWhether training multiple odors at once is helping… or hurtingHow to build better focus and reduce noise in your training sessionsThe line between operational readiness and overcomplicationIlse is a blend of academic rigor and practical expertise — and this conversation is a must-listen for any handler who wants to go beyond reps and get to the why behind behavior.📍 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.CHAPTERS00:00 - Meet Ilse Duineveld: Her background in research & working dogs 02:45 - What’s “odor load” and why does it matter? 06:10 - Can you train too many odors at once? 09:55 - Odor clarity vs. odor confusion 14:32 - Ilse’s research on behavior, detection, and learning 18:47 - Building operational reliability in working dogs 22:18 - Is focus more important than reps? 26:10 - Science vs. handler instinct: where they meet 29:45 - Final thoughts and where to find Ilse’s workUpcoming Seminars: https://www.fordk9.com/events/Stratos K9 Application: https://stratosk9.com/work-for-us/
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#120 Learning To Adapt with Jerry Bradshaw
Few figures have had as lasting an impact on the K9 world as Jerry Bradshaw — founder of Tarheel K9, co-creator of PSA, and host of the Controlled Aggression podcast. In this special episode, Jerry sits down with K9's Talking Scents to reflect on the evolution of dog sports, detection dog methodologies, and the delicate balance between science and experience in modern training.We go deep into:The birth and rise of PSA (Protection Sports Association)Why rigidity in traditional dog sports pushed trainers to innovateThe importance of adaptability, breed diversity, and age inclusivityMarker training vs direct reward — and why the debate might be overblownThe danger of taking online training out of contextWhy failure in training is not only inevitable, but essentialIf you’ve ever debated technique, struggled with online misinformation, or wondered how the greats think about training philosophy — this episode is for you.00:00 - Intro & Meet Jerry Bradshaw 01:05 - The Origin of PSA 08:10 - Evolving Dog Sports & Breeds 14:20 - Why PSA Skipped Detection 18:14 - Changes in Detection Work 28:39 - Science vs Experience 35:40 - Simplifying What Matters 45:07 - Detection Training Methods 55:00 - Social Media & Misinterpretation 59:12 - The Value of In-Person Learning 01:07:03 - Advice for Handlers 01:13:15 - Double Blind & Real-World Readiness 01:17:39 - Collaboration Over Division 01:21:26 - Where to Find Jerry 01:22:55 - Outro
This podcast is all about Detection Dogs we talking training, working the dog in the real world, starting a new dog or have an experienced dog, this show is for you. Calling all Detection dogs, Sniffer Dogs, those who compete in Nosework / Scentwork sports. If you work a detection dog that sniffs out bombs, drugs, guns, cell phones, electronic devices or anything else this podcast is for you
New Zealand