Stay ConnectedWelcome to the K9 Conservationists podcast, where we’re positively obsessed with conservation detection dogs! Join us every week as we discuss detection dogs, ecology, conservation, dog behavior, training, and much more.
K9 Conservationists is hosted by Kayla Fratt, CDBC and co-founder of K9 Conservationists. Along with her two co-founders, she trains dogs to detect data. Support the work we do at patreon.com/k9conservationists.
Copyright: © Kayla Fratt
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 wind farm projects, Murrelet dives into the challenges of project acquisition, recruiting detection dog handlers, and the nitty-gritty side of long term project management. If you’ve ever wanted to know what goes into the logistical marathon of a multi-year study, this is the place to start!
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Sci-comm intern: Evelyn Combs
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Website: Meg du Bray
Patreon: Madison David
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 the challenges of buried hides and how just digging a hole and covering your target doesn't cut it. This workbook is fantastic for working K9 handlers or anyone who wants to become a more skilled and knowledgeable trainer. Paul brings over 40 years of K9 detection knowledge and experience not only to the workbook but to today's podcast.
( PS: There are some minor audio issues throughout the podcast due to internet issues during recording. We've mitigated them as much as possible. )
Purchase all Paul's workbooks here:
https://chiron-k9.com/publications/
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Sci-comm intern: Evelyn Combs
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Website: Meg du Bray
Patreon: Madison David
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 true) method to find these elusive cats and then how they safely bring the cougars down from the trees to perform vital research. Hear first hand stories from the field and how Wes and the team found more than just a cougar on one of their adventures 🐻
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Sci-comm intern: Evelyn Combs
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Website: Meg du Bray
Patreon: Madison David
Join Kayla Fratt and special guest Caden Christopher for this somewhat unorthodox episode of K9Conservationists. Today we're stepping away a bit from conservation detection dogs and imagining what a better world for our canine companions would look like if there were no borders, no financial constraints, breeding and dog placements were truly in the best interest of the dog and people, and so on.
Connect with Caden here!
(Fun fact: There's an additional 15 minutes of this episode over on our pateron! )
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Sci-comm interns: Evelyn Combs and Grace Koski
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Website: Meg du Bray
Pateron coaching calls: Madison Davis
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 various lines of work. Lauren is a highly, highly accomplished trainer that just so happens to have trained upward of 9 puppies for various jobs. Lauren has basically perfected the art of puppy selection and rearing!
In her new online course, Foundations First Course through our platform with K9 Conservationists, you can watch Lauren raise her brand new puppy, Archie, in real time as she tackles everything puppyhood has to throw at her as she raises a confident, independent, and strong conservation detection dog prospect.
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Sci-comm interns: Evelyn Combs and Grace Koski
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Website: Meg du Bray
Pateron coaching calls: Madison Davis
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 prospect dogs, training, and what happens when the dogs tells her that this job just isn't for them.
Connect with Debi and her amazing work!
Mussel Dogs
musseldogs.infoInstagram @mussel_dogs
Facebook: Mussel dogs
Dogs with Jobs
Instagram: @dogswithjobsk9
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Website: Meg du Bray
Patreon: Madison Davis
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 Underwood, an ecologist, environmental consultant, and specialist conservation detection dog handler about their journeys raising cocker and springer spaniels for detection. Reetta and Natasha discuss how they went about choosing their perfect spaniel, early training, and some of the classic spaniel hurdles they run into. Reetta Kangaslampi
Instagram: K9barkbeetles https://www.instagram.com/k9sbarkbeetles?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Dr. Natasha Underwood
Instagram: NHU Ecology and detection dogs
https://www.instagram.com/nhu_ecology_and_detection_dogs/
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Intern: Grace Koski
Website: Meg du Bray
Mentoring group: Madison Davis
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 interview with Emma Gaalaas Mullaney, PhD. Learn more about her roll as the director of detection and search and rescue at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center and about the extraordinary dog teams she works with today.
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Intern: Grace Koski
Website: Meg du Bray
Mentoring group: Madison Davis
In this episode of K9Conservationists, Kayla Fratt is joined by Emma Gaalaas Mullaney as they discuss her heterodox (unconventional) approach to selecting and raising detection dogs. In this episode, Emma discusses her first detection dog, Toby, and how his unorthodox breed, personality, and drive lead Emma to her deep understanding and empathy for not only Toby, but for the dogs she works with today.
This is a two part episode, so join us for the next one to learn more about her roll at Penn Vet and to learn more about the dog teams she works with today.
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Intern: Grace Koski
Website: Meg du Bray
Mentoring group: Madison Davis
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, major project wins, team expansion, handler and dog highlights, and lessons learned from fieldwork across Texas, Wyoming, Maine, Alaska, and beyond. If you want to know everything K9C has been up to in 2025- this is the episode for you!
Host: Kayla Fratt
Editor: Sara Fangton
Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder
Interns: Evelyn Combs and Grace Koski
Website: Meg du Bray
Mentoring group: Madison Davis
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