Smelly Dog Training’s New Project!
Paws on Data:
Conservation Detection Dog Teams for North Queensland
Where other ecological survey methods rely on visual or acoustic signal detection, detection dog teams use the incredibly sensitive canine olfactory system to detect the airborne odour signature of the target, consisting of a specific combination of volatile organic compounds. This unique approach makes detection dog teams a valuable ecological survey technique in situations where other methods cannot achieve adequate detection rates, especially when targets are cryptic or concealed.
Detection dog teams around the world have targeted a range of vertebrate, invertebrate, plant, fungi and bacterial species. Species can be targeted as whole live organisms, as dead individuals, as eggs and/or larvae, by scat or other secretions, and by nests/dens/colonies/etc. Detection dogs can be trained to target as specifically as one individual, or as generally as a whole clade, and anywhere in between - usually they are trained to target a specific species. They can also distinguish between infected and non-infected individuals in viral, bacterial, fungal and parasite disease surveillance, sometimes more rapidly and earlier in the course of infection/infestation than any other method.
The efficacy of detection dog teams can be limited by climate - our teams are North Queensland locals based in the dry tropics of Townsville, so dogs and handlers are well-acclimatised to local conditions with the local knowledge and experience to optimise survey efficiency and outcomes.
Yellow crazy ant worker
We currently have teams in training for:
Invasive yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) detection across bushland, urban and industrial areas. Detection dog teams are generally not affected by vegetation or concealment - they offer a critical advantage in early detection of remnant colonies in post-treatment surveillance and in detection of new infestations in high risk areas, where colony numbers are low and can be missed by traditional visual and sticky trapping methods. Rapid early detection facilitates accurate spot treatment while colony numbers are still low from broadscale treatment, minimising costs and reducing the risk of further spread.
Being Townsville locals, we’ve directly witnessed the impact of YCA across the people, businesses and environments of our hometown and we’re keen to support surveillance and community awareness of YCA. We are excited to continue to develop collaborations combining detection dogs with existing data and with other surveillance methods. We have been working towards this project for over 18 months now and expect to have externally validated, field-ready teams available by late 2024. We will be available for both one-off and ongoing surveillance and collaborations.
Bird and bat carcass detection for wind farm management surveys. These are generalist dogs trained to sniff out remains of all bird and bat species, with field data recorded and specimens collected by their handler for ID and removal from the site. Across windfarm surveys nationally, detection dogs report detection probabilities in the region of 80-90% where human visual surveying can be as low as 20%. This difference is generally attributed to detection dog teams experiencing minimal impact from vegetation and carcass size.
This work is essential to balance the benefits of renewable energy against impacts on the local environment. We are accelerating team development for these projects to meet regional demand, with the aim of having field-ready, independently validated teams ready to commence fieldwork by August 2024.
More About The Paws On Data Team:
Paws on Data is owned and operated by Liz Brimson. Liz has over a decade of experience in dog training across competition dog sports, professional pet dog training and training and handling detection dogs. She has a general science background (particularly biomedical sciences) and is currently studying a Graduate Diploma of Research Methods at James Cook University. Through her current study she’s developing her skills and knowledge in field biology and ecology while conducting a research project into a novel method of preparing training aids for yellow crazy ant detection dogs. She is a member of the Australasian Conservation Dog Network (ACDN) and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia Inc (APDT).
We currently use Australian Kelpies in our detection team. They are incredibly well suited for the North Queensland climate and conditions, and have an outstanding work ethic. We select and train our dogs to have little to no interest in livestock or wildlife, and lots of interest in sniffing, searching, and playing with toys. Some of our dogs have been purpose bred by us for detection work, and some have been rehomed to us - they are all valued teammates. When off-duty, our dogs enjoy swimming at the beach and the river, playing together on our 5 acre property, and relaxing on the couch at home.