What to listen for:

“[Being a part of] this podcast terrified me. Putting myself out there was so vulnerable, and I felt like it was such a big risk for you guys, as well. I’m so thankful. I’m glad you made me, but I’m also going to say I’m glad that I did it because in the end, I had the final say in buying the microphone and the headset.”

After 151 episodes, Crystal Wing says goodbye (or rather, seeya later) to the K9 Detection Collaborative family, and lets us know the exciting things she has in store in the very near future! In her final episode on the pod, Crystal, along with co-hosts Robin Greubel and Stacy Wing, reflect on growth, gratitude, and the courage required to embrace terrifying change.

Crystal shares how the podcast stretched her beyond comfort, teaching her that her voice didn't need to be perfect to be powerful. She thanks the community of listeners, guests, and especially her co-hosts for building confidence she never knew she possessed.

It also helps that the ADHD brain that once made her curiosity feel like a burden found a home, and a tribe, on the pod!

The Dames of Detection also talk about doing scary things as a catalyst for growth. Stacy offers an inspirational quote she borrowed: "Confidence doesn't come from preparation, it comes from survival." Which basically means that moving forward before feeling ready is precisely what builds capability!

Crystal also announces her new project: a short-form podcast tentatively titled "What's On Top.”

She thanks Stacy for teaching her about odor behavior and vehicles, and Robin for seeing potential she hadn't recognized in herself. The lily pad metaphor comes to mind, where teachers provide stepping stones that students eventually leap from, not destinations where they remain forever.

Crystal signs off with the reminder that, if something terrifies you while simultaneously tugging at your purpose, that fear signals you're on the right path!

Key Topics:

• Crystal Announces Her Departure After 151 Episodes (01:30)
• Introducing "What's On Top": Crystal's New Solo Podcast (08:09)
• "Do It Nervous, Do It Anyway" (14:51)
• Gratitude for Specific Lessons and Opportunities (17:45)
• The Lily-Pad Metaphor: Teachers as Stepping Stones (19:00)
• Key Takeaways (29:12)
• Not an Ending, Just a New Chapter (32:41)

Resources:

• Keep up with Crystal’s Goings On!

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer Academy
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing (CB K9) can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com

What to listen for:

Our hosts, Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing, break down how time, airflow, and placement reshape detection dog work!

They kick things off by describing a week of hides left up to 96 hours, the longest-out scenario that reveals how odor pools migrate and change. Drawing from this experience, our hosts brainstorm creative ways to design hides that can better help your dog read scents.

Central is the concept of "odor availability", which explains why surface area, sealing, and enclosure control whether a source itself (and not merely source size) ever presents to a dog.

Using a paint-flow metaphor, they explain how multiple sources age and send "tendrils" of scent through a structure, forcing dogs to sort overlapping plumes to find dominant streams.

They stress that short-set hides (minutes) produce different search behaviors than long-set hides (days), and that sport trials, which run many teams, may not reflect operational realities.

Robin, Stacy, and Crystal urge handlers to read odor-pool cues, practice sourcing through mixed plumes, and intentionally vary hide age and intensity so dogs learn robust, transferable detection skills across environments.

Key Topics:

• Why Replicate Longer Set Times and How to Mimic Aging (00:47)
• Defining “Odor Availability” (Surface Area, Sealing, Enclosure) (03:21)
• Paint-Flow and Tendrils Metaphor for Overlapping Sources (07:20)
• Odor Pools, Building “Breathing” and the Effects of Doors and Venting (11:46)
• Q-Tip Preparation, Dropper Size and Concentration Variability (19:51)
• Practical Hacks to Mimic Long Sets (Cent-Transfer, Freezing, Mixing) (36:14)
• Short-Set (Minutes) vs Long-Set (Days) and Sport vs Operational Hides (42:46)
• Upcoming Workshops (50:01)

Resources:

• Sniffer dogs tested in real-world scenarios reveal need for wider access to explosives, study finds (article)
• K9Nosework Source
• SciK9 Graphic
• K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer Academy
• K9Sensus Next Years Schedule
• Fenzi DSA Link

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer Academy
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing (CB K9) can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com

What to listen for:

Two-thirds of The Dames of Detection, Robin Greubel and Stacy Barnett, welcome Steve White, a veteran law enforcement K9 trainer whose 46-year career began in military working dog handling in 1975.

Steve discusses the challenges facing modern police canine programs, particularly how vendor-driven training models often prioritize efficiency over optimization, which creates sessions where handlers log hours without meaningful individual development.

Central to Steve's philosophy is building fluency in component behaviors before chaining them together. He emphasizes the "search-locate-report" sequence as the foundation of detection work, and warns against the common mistake of teaching dogs to retrieve training aids initially. This approach creates problems through the “law of primacy:” dogs default to their earliest learned behaviors under stress, leading to dangerous outcomes like consuming narcotics or explosives.

Steve draws a critical distinction between "search dogs" and "examination dogs." Medical detection dogs must systematically examine each sample rather than hunting for the strongest odor source; a dog that vaults past a Stage 1 cancer sample to alert on Stage 4 creates catastrophic consequences. Similarly, explosive detection work often requires methodical examination of luggage or spaces where missing a threat is unacceptable.

Steve traces his evolution from using sport castoff dogs from Europe to developing selection criteria focused on "self-righting" dogs: calm, confident animals who never seek fights but finish them. He shows us why it’s so important to understand the trade-offs inherent in every training decision!

Key Topics:

• Steve's Background and Career Evolution (03:10)
• Modern Police K9 Training Challenges (08:02)
• European Dog Selection and Trade-offs (16:03)
• The Search-Locate-Report Chain (27:09)
• Law of Primacy in Dog Training (28:19)
• Building Chains Without Fluency (30:29)
• German Tracking Experiments and Training Methods (37:00)
• Training Methods and Trade-offs (44:10)
• Dogs as Tools of Force in Law Enforcement (48:20)

Resources:

You can find Steve White:

• Proactive K9 Website
• Proactive K9 Website Forms

USPCA YouTube Channel: Where you can find Steve's three-part series on odor/scent fundamentals, a 1000-hour eyes presentation where he talks about the eight indicators of dogs being on odor, and Robin's presentations about the recipe for building a great training session.

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!
• K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer Academy
• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!
• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!
• Crystal Wing (CB K9) can be found here!
• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com