Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Field Notes (K9C Blog Posts)”
Friday, May 10 When I lived in Panama as a high schooler, I reveled in the hammering of rain along tin roofs, rumbling like an approaching train until the deafening downpour enveloped my host family’s house too. The rain there stopped traffic with its ferocity. The rain here is nothing …
Barley is snoring softly with his tongue poking out the front of his mouth. His warmth fills the nook behind my knees the way a river pours into a canyon. My calves and hamstrings give him shape, keep him from slipping right off the tiny cot. Perhaps he is liquid, …
From last time: We chatter as we clean up, ferrying gear back and forth and heating water to clean dishes. We are basking in the early morning sunlight, repeatedly remarking on the divine weather, when Michael hushes us. He points toward the head of the bay and hisses, “Wolf!” Conversation …
Barley’s paws are splayed out, his claws gripping the planks of the dock. He does not trust these sturdy planks, but he follows me reluctantly past gillnetters and boats piled high with crab pots. It is our first full day in Craig, Alaska, and we are going to take the …
We have been traveling for 56 hours. I am tired and stinky and buzzing with a nervous energy. Below the ferry deck in our laughably overloaded Ford Maverick, Barley is tucked between a cooler full of gear repair supplies and a pair of camp cots. His nest consists of two …
Working as a conservation detection dog trainer/handler is an incredible lifestyle for the right person. It’s not for everyone – the hours are long, the fieldwork is physically demanding, and the grantwriting can be grueling. But one of the biggest challenges of “making it” as a conservation dog handler is …
Not All Days are Good Days I wake up nervous, having barely slept. Today is our first day at the wind farm since October 2021. I’m partially excited to handle Barley again, and partially nervous that Niffler won’t be as brilliant as I remember. He is still very young (21 …
Where Was Called to the Wild Filmed? Filming took place in the northwoods of Maine. How Were Contestants Selected? Contestants had to compile video applications to send to casting producers. They were then vetted on survival skills, psychological health, and had to pass a background check. Dogs and humans had …
My breath clouded around my face in the cold air as I paused outside the Missoula airport. I paused to put my mask on and readjusted my backpack before leading Barley into the airport. Barley was happy and confident, unaware of what we were in for. Pre-pandemic, we traveled all …
In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Marissa Martino get personal discussing the woes of conservation work when handling your emotions while working! They discuss ways to balance how you’re feeling while trying to make the job as positive as possible for your K9 partner. Episode suggestion: Just train …