K9 Conservationists

Transitioning handlers

In today's mini episode Kayla Fratt discusses how she prepares her dogs to work with all kinds of different people on and off the field. Starting from dog selection and t

Don't Take the Maybes with Lauralea Oliver

Join us for a fantastic conversation with Lauralea Oliver of k9inSCENTive about the art of selecting rescue dogs for detection work. With over 25 years of professional

Updates on Barley, K9C, and the podcast

Important updates on Barley (King B), the K9Conservationists crew, and the podcast going forward. As always, thank you all so much for you support. If you would like to m

Sniffing out the Spotted Lanternfly as a Newbie with Melissa McCue-McGrath

Connect with Melissa McCue-McGrath! https://melissamccuemcgrath.com/ Melissa McCue-McGrath gets humped and peed on professionally more than she thought she would in th

John Schoen and the Tongass Roadless Rule

In this episode, Kayla Fratt sits down with legendary Alaskan wildlife ecologist Dr. John Schoen to explore the past, present, and future of the Tongass National Forest.

Exercise Effects on Detection Dog Acuity with Liza Rothkoff

Kayla Fratt chats with Liza Rothkoff- a 3rd year PhD student at Texas Tech in the K9 olfaction lab- about her most recent paper, "A preliminary study on the impacts of ex

Livestock Guardian Dogs and Snakes with the Cheetah Conservation Fund

Today Kayla Fratt is joined by Calum O’Flaherty and Dr. Tim Hofmann from the Cheetah Conservation Fund about to discuss livestock guardian dogs, cheetahs, and a very uniq

Managing Multi-Year Conservation Dog Projects with Murrelet Halterman

Today, Kayla Fratt is joined by Murrelet Halterman for an in depth discussion on managing multi-year conservation dog projects. Having recently completed three multi-year

The Detection of Buried Targets by Canines by Paul Bunker

Join Kayla Fratt and favorite of the podcast, Paul Bunker to discuss his fantastic new workbook "The Detection of Buried Targets by Canines". Kayla and Paul delve into th

Using Hounds to Tree Cougars (for Research!) in Yellowstone with Wes Binder

Today Kayla Fratt chats with Wes Binder who studies cougars (also known as mountain lions or pumas) in Yellowstone national park. Learn about this unique (but tried and t

A Brighter Future for Dogs and People with Caden Cristopher

Join Kayla Fratt and special guest Caden Christopher for this somewhat unorthodox episode of K9Conservationists. Today we're stepping away a bit from conservation detecti

Picking the Right Puppy for Detection with Lauren Wendt

In this puppy-tastic episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla Fratt chats with Lauren Wendt of Momentum K9 LLC about her years selecting, raising, and preparing puppies for

When Conservation Dog Prospects Aren't The Perfect Fit: Featuring Debi Deshon

On this week's episode of K9Conservationists Kayla Fratt chats with Debi Deshon the pack leader of Mussel Dogs and Dogs with Jobs. Debi discusses the process of screening

Raising spaniels for detection with Reetta Kangaslampi and Dr. Natasha Underwood

Join Kayla Fratt, co-founder of K9Conservationists, as she chats with Reetta Kangaslampi, a PhD researcher from the University of Eastern Finland and Dr. Natasha Underwoo

Part 2: Emma Gaalaas Mullaney- Heterodox Approach to Selecting and Raising Detection Dogs

If you haven't heard part one- we highly recommend going back and listening to that fist! Then head right back here and listen to this second part of our two part intervi

Emma Gaalaas Mullaney- Heterodox Approach to Selecting and Raising Detection Dogs

In this episode of K9Conservationists, Kayla Fratt is joined by Emma Gaalaas Mullaney as they discuss her heterodox (unconventional) approach to selecting and raising det

Year in Review 2025

Check in with all THREE co-founders of K9 Conservationists as they go over all the highs and lows of 2025. Kayla, Rachel, and Heather discuss their organizational roles,

Skipper's Story

Ever wonder how a seasoned handler selects their new co-woffer? Kayla Fratt, co-founder of K9Conservationists, walks through her process of how she selected her newest re

Dogs, Bogs, and Slogs: Inside the Island Wolf Project

Kayla Fratt of K9Conservationists wraps up her Alaska fieldwork mini-series with a deep dive into life on the Island Wolf Project. She shares what a day in the field real

A conservation dog book for kids?! With Alison Pearce Stevens

In this episode of K9Conservationists, Kayla Fratt chats with Alison Pearce Stevens, author of Detective Dogs: How Working Dogs Sniff Out Invasive Species. They discuss t