Combining a Love of Dogs with Conservation with Co-Founder Heather Nootbaar

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla interviews co-founder Heather. They discuss how Heather got into the world of conservation detection dogs, her experience before K9 Conservationists, and how she and Kayla joined forces.  Science Highlight: Using Scent Detection Dogs in Conservation Settings: A Review of Scientific Literature Regarding Their Selection …

Get to Know K9 Conservationists Co-Founder Rachel Hamre

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla interviews co-founder Rachel Hamre. They discuss how Rachel first got into dog training, her many jobs as a field tech, how she and Kayla met, Rachel’s season handling Barley, and her journey with her new dog Suki. Science Highlight: Why Sniff Fast? The …

Books to Read for Conservation Detection Dog Handlers

Getting into the field of conservation detection dog work can be incredibly difficult. There simply aren’t many jobs, and the jobs that do exist are highly competitive. We have discussed ways to enter the conservation detection dog field in podcast episodes including “Making It as a Conservation Dog Handler” and …

“Making It” as a Conservation Detection Dog Handler

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks about her experience and advice on how to “make it” as a K9 Conservationists handler. Let’s be honest: the past year or so of this career has NOT been easy. In this episode, Kayla goes into some of the realities of tough …

How to be a K9 Conservationist

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla discusses the ins and outs of becoming a K9 Conservationist!  Episode suggestion: It’s okay to not finish a book if you aren’t liking it.  Call to action: Check out our new merch!!  Suggested by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, create a 3-way Venn diagram …

Inspiring the Next Generation of Conservationists with Jeff Rennicke

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Jeff Rennickle. They talk about inspiring others to care about the land and Jeff’s experiences with photographing the world and teaching at the Conserve School. Episode suggestion: Give yourself grace for what you’re capable of right now.  Call to action: Find …