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conservationdogshawaii

Like many conservation folks, we use tools to reco

Like many conservation folks, we use tools to record our survey tracks and targets so that we may analyze the data afterwards and submit them to collaborating agencies. Garmin has GPS collars made specifically for dogs, which allows for the recording of both dog and handler tracks. It’s useful when the dog is working off lead and ranging far from the handler. Professional devices can be a bit pricey but there are free apps out there that have similar functionality. The @alltrails app gives you access to over 100,000 trail maps and lets you record your hike. It can also turn your phone into a GPS tracker so you don’t get lost on the trail. What is your favorite device or app?
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📸 @tor.johnson.photography
#wildwahineowaimea #gpstracker #surveytool #datagathering

We are excited to announce our new campaign that w

We are excited to announce our new campaign that will showcase portraits of the dogs in our various programs through the amazing pet photography of @chipperton_photoraphy ~ Sue Chipperton has trained animals for Hollywood for over 20 years, including most recently @h50eddie the Lab in Hawaii Five-0 and @the_magnum_lads of Magnum P.I. With this campaign you can also arrange a photo shoot for your own pet, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to our non-profit organization. Please visit the link in our bio for more info. Mahalo for your support!

The first dog we'd like to introduce is Winnie, an active and enthusiastic 1-year old Border Collie that is part of the Melon Fly proof-of-concept scent detection project. We are lucky that Winnieʻs person @morgan_pugh approached us earlier this year to see if weʻd be interested in collaborating with her. Morgan is an entomology masters student at University of Hawai‘i Mānoa and describes how the project came about:

"During my undergraduate career at UHM, I became intrigued with biochemistry and how the whole natural world was built atom by atom, like real life legos. After getting a pup of my own who has become such a big part of my life, and seeing how other people are integrating dogs into their work, I wanted to find a way to get her involved with my studies. After lots of research and a few helping hands, I came up with the idea to use dogs to sniff out the volatile chemicals produced by plants in response to insect herbivory in order to locate agricultural pests."

We look forward to posting updates on this project, as well as more portraits of our volunteer dogs.

📸 @chipperton_photography
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#melonfly #BactroceraCucurbitae #agriculturalpest #plantvolatiles #mitigatethemelonflies #NW4C #caninesforconservationists #bordercolliesofinstagram #petphotography #dogphotography #phoDography

“Early in the morning, up the trail. Mālie, en

“Early in the morning, up the trail. Mālie, enjoy the view.” Mālie means calm or serene in Hawaiian. That describes today’s morning wind conditions but not necessarily this active search dog @qanagator 😁 She and her handler @betabitzer had a big day in the field today and we think they’re sleeping well tonight. Report from volunteer dog handler Roberta:
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“Today was the most productive field survey we have had so far. Qana found numerous devil weed plants but two finds struck me as most interesting.
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At one part of the trail she energetically crawled under some bushes to try to get to something. What a surprise that it turned out to be a 7 ft+ tall devil weed plant. It was blocked by thick vegetation that would make you think twice about venturing into the area, but not for Qana.
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On another occasion, she suddenly went off trail and circled the area a few times. There were many plants including lookalikes, so I was at a loss, but then she suddenly sniffed one of the plants from top to bottom, then alerted right next to it. I am not sure who was more excited about that find, me or her!”
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#devilweed #chromolaenaodorata #invasiveplants #invasivespecies #conservationdogs #maligator #belgianmalinoisofinstagram #demolishthedevilweed #NW4C

We were going to post this on Muzzle Monday but th

We were going to post this on Muzzle Monday but that sounded a bit morbid, so Happy Aloha Friday instead! The first photo is from the the avian botulism detector dog study at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge a few years ago. The sign should probably say “Caution, Crazy Dog Ladies” instead 😁 While muzzles are not always required or necessary in conservation work, we want to share with you the different types we’ve tried and like, in case you ever find a need for them, e.g. working close to endangered species. We don’t use traditional basket muzzles because their tapered design doesn’t allow the dogs to breathe with their mouths wide open, something that is essential in field work to prevent over-heating. The ones featured below taper in the opposite direction or are square shaped.
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In the second photo, our stuffed Border Collie is wearing a blue metal muzzle that is the standard for @conservationdogsnz a program of @docgovtnz 🐕 It’s a nice solid design with the top part wide open so that the dog’s vision and smell are not blocked.
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The third photo features an older model of the New Zealand dog program that is made of lighter gauge wire. While the wires can get a little bent sometimes, we love this one because it’s lightweight and allows for good airflow.
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In the fourth photo is the Freedom Muzzle by @deantyler_ which we modified by cutting the top wires off. It’s heavier than the previous two but has a nice wide padded strap for the dog’s snout. (This particular photo shows a muzzle size too small for the dog but usually there is plenty of space for a wide open mouth.)
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The final photo features a purple biothane muzzle by @bumas_muzzle which we also modified for maximum sniffing by cutting off part of the top. We decided not to use this one for detection purposes because the coverage in the mouth area would block airflow, but we think it would be great for general training and behavior modification because the soft material and nose padding are quite comfortable for the dog. If you’d like more details or contact info on any of these muzzles please DM us!
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📸 Photos 1 & 3 by @tor.johnson.photography
#dogmuzzle #basketmuzzle #conservationdogs

Happy Aloha Friday! We’d rather be sailing with

Happy Aloha Friday! We’d rather be sailing with dolphins but we’re doing our part with the 2-week shutdown on O’ahu to bring the covid count down. Hoping to get back out on the hiking trails with the dogs soon!
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📸 @tor.johnson.photography
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#wildlifephotography #sailingphotography #dolphins #wakesurfing #alohafriday

Every day is #nationaldogday for us, not only with

Every day is #nationaldogday for us, not only with our working dogs but also our pet dogs. We love that we get to contribute to conservation and science while also tapping into the dogs‘ instincts and natural scenting abilities. To all of the dogs in our various programs, past and present, Happy National Dog Day...we appreciate you!
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📸: @oceanelyse - Elyse Butler shoots a variety of images for editorial and journalism. In Hawai’i you will see her work regularly in @hanahoumag She has a knack for capturing the connection between her subjects and their environment. Check out her feed!
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🐕‍🦺: Lea the #wildwahineowaialua #dutchshepherds #dutchshepherdsofinstagram

After a training session, we cut open a zucchini i

After a training session, we cut open a zucchini infected with melon fly larvae and compared it with a non-infected zucchini. From the outside (skin) they looked the same so it was interesting to see how much of the insides the larvae had eaten. The zucchini “meat” had also turned a tan color, which was larva feces rather than fruit decomposition. The larvae infecting this particular zucchini were late in the developmental stage, but we hope to eventually train the dogs on earlier stages of larva and egg.
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📸 Photo of K9 Gracie by @morgan.e.pugh / Baylor DLR
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#melonfly #BactroceraCucurbitae #agriculturalpest #plantvolatiles #mitigatethemelonflies #NW4C #caninesforconservationists #aussiesofinstagram

We’ve been learning lots and having fun at our t

We’ve been learning lots and having fun at our training sessions. Here are some photos and video of the dogs being exposed to a zucchini infected with melon fly larvae, versus control zucchinis. This is only the beginning and we don’t want to jinx it but...so far so good!
📸: @morgan.e.pugh / Baylor
🦮: Ruger, Kendo, Winnie
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#melonfly #BactroceraCucurbitae #agriculturalpest #plantvolatiles #mitigatethemelonflies #NW4C #caninesforconservationists #weimaranersofinstagram #gsdofinstagram #bordercolliesofinstagram

After many months of planning and discussions, we

After many months of planning and discussions, we are excited to move forward with assisting Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge in establishing their in-house detector dog program for avian botulism surveillance. This will be a collaboration between multiple organizations and will not be an easy task, but we are motivated by the potential to prevent or curb outbreaks. This photo was taken a few years ago during a joint @usgs and @usfws study to determine the efficacy of detector dogs for this purpose. Read more about avian botulism and the detector dog study at the Projects / Avian Botulism page on our website (link in bio).
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📸 @tor.johnson.photography
#avianbotulism #koloamaoli #wildwahineowaimea #hanaleinationalwildliferefuge #kokuaforkoloa

Day 1 of melon fly PVC training is in the books! W

Day 1 of melon fly PVC training is in the books! We were so focused on training the dogs that we forgot to get any pictures of the training but here is Labrador Yogi snoozing in his car at the end of the session. In addition to imprinting the dogs on the plant volatiles specific to melon fly infection, we will teach them to discriminate between infected plants and artificially injured plants. In the following weeks, we will feature photos and bios of the 5 dogs (and their handlers, if they’re not shy about it 😁) that are participating in this initial pilot project. Stay tuned!
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#melonfly #agriculturalpest #Bactroceracucurbitae #mitigatethemelonflies #fruitfly #plantvolatiles #NW4C #CaninesForConservationists

We’re so relieved to have dodged a bullet last n

We’re so relieved to have dodged a bullet last night with Hurricane Douglas, and we are looking forward to beginning the melon fly project this week as planned. Meanwhile here are some old photos of devil weed dog Qana and yellow crazy ant dog Solo playing. In the field of animal behavior, researchers often refer to this as “play fighting” because it includes behaviors seen during real fights that might look rougher than it really is. But when playing, dogs inhibit their bites and will often give their partner a competitive advantage by rolling on their backs or letting themselves be caught during a chase. They also use meta communication such as play bows to indicate their friendly intentions.
🐕: @qanagator
🐩: #wilddogofwaialua
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📸: @tor.johnson.photography

When the ball crazy dog doesn’t realize she’s

When the ball crazy dog doesn’t realize she’s on leash 🤪 This photo was taken by @oceanelyse for a story in @hanahoumag earlier this year. It wasn’t featured in the article but it is one of our favorite shots ❤️ #wildwahineowaialua #willworkforball #dutchshepherd #furmissile

📷: Elyse Butler

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! That’s what came to

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! That’s what came to mind when training the dogs in a variety of locations and conditions recently. While the yellow crazy ant surveys will take place in Johnston Atoll later this year, O’ahu currently provides training areas (with known YCA sightings) ranging from wet jungles full of mud and mosquitoes, to urban office parking lots. Training wildlife detection dogs is not always fun and games; in addition to there being target-related challenges, the environment can dish out regular beatings to the dog and handler. But Dr. Seuss’s poem sums it up well: “On and on you will hike...and face up to your problems whatever they are...So be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray...You’re off to Great Places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!” 👏 #ohtheplacesyoullgo #drseuss #yellowcrazyants #anoplolepisgracilipes #wilddogofwaialua #gmanflyingnun

The last few months gave us a chance to catch up o

The last few months gave us a chance to catch up on behind-the-scenes work, but we are very happy to be back out in the field doing invasive plant surveys! K9 Qana helped us locate targets in several new spots yesterday. 👍 In every survey we learn something new about how the dogs respond to their trained odors. With live targets that vary in size, quantity and environmental conditions, it is never black and white. We are so grateful for our dedicated human and dog volunteers who take the time out of their busy schedules to train hard and work hard. 🙌 @qanagator @betabitzer 🌱
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#chromolaenaodorata #invasiveplants #devilweed #belgianmalinois #maligatorsofinstagram #conservationdog

We've been familiar with the concept of volatile o

We've been familiar with the concept of volatile organic compounds or VOCs for a while, but we recently learned that plants release their own version of VOCs, called plant volatiles. Have you ever noticed the smell of fresh cut grass? Plants often release chemicals when damaged by insects, infection, or mechanical forces (like a lawn mower). Sometimes the chemicals are an SOS signal to elicit help from predator insects that will attack the plant's pests, and other times the chemicals signal to nearby plants that they should boost their own defenses. How amazing is that?
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And what does this have to do with dogs? We are excited to collaborate with local researchers on a pilot project to see if dogs can effectively detect the presence of an agricultural pest called melon fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) in fruits. The goal is to identify individual fruits infected with eggs, via the plant volatiles indicating that they are under attack. While we can't say what the results will show, we are encouraged by results from electronic nose devices that are able to detect these plant volatiles. 🌿

Sustainable, locally sourced food has been on everyone's minds lately, especially due to the pandemic. We hope that this project in the long term can help support Hawaii's agriculture and food system. If you are a local farm, business or foundation that would like to get involved with our efforts, please contact us for more information!
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The beautiful macro photos of melon flies courtesy of 📸 @sajja_macro_photography Please check out his feed for more amazing insect photos.
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#plantvolatiles #melonfly #bactroceracucurbitae #fruitfly #agriculturalpest #mitigatethemelonflies

Awesome visit yesterday to Johnston Atoll, or Kala

Awesome visit yesterday to Johnston Atoll, or Kalama Atoll, which is an unincorporated territory of the US, formerly used as a weapons testing site by the military, and now managed by @usfws as a wildlife refuge. It’s one of the world’s most isolated atolls, and is now inhabited by a variety of seabird species including boobies, terns, tropicbirds and great frigatebirds. The island became infested with invasive yellow crazy ants about 10 years ago. Kudos to the numerous Crazy Ant Strike Teams who have spent 6 months at a time in this remote location to eradicate the pests! 🐜 #crazyantstriketeam #anoplolepisgracilipes #yellowcrazyant #johnstonatoll

Mahalo @vicenews for including us in your video st

Mahalo @vicenews for including us in your video story about invasive ants in the Hawaiian islands. Their crew flew to Maui in December to film @mauiinvasive team’s little fire ant eradication efforts, and then hopped over to Oahu to film the devil weed and yellow crazy ant dogs, as well as our favorite entomologist Sheldon Plentovich. Link to the YouTube video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tuh9gDQW3uw&feature=youtu.be 🐜 🐜 🐜 #littlefireants #yellowcrazyants #anoplolepisgracilipes

May Day is Lei Day in Hawai’i 🌺 Leis are an e

May Day is Lei Day in Hawai’i 🌺 Leis are an expression of aloha and are part of many special occasions including graduations, birthdays, and greetings. While plumerias are not native to the islands, we think they smell pretty darn good. Happy Lei Day from K9 Bodhi!
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#wildwahineowaimea #maydayisleiday
📸 @tor.johnson.photography

Happy Earth Day from Conservation Dogs of Hawai’

Happy Earth Day from Conservation Dogs of Hawai’i! Yes, we know that sharks have nothing to do with us, but did you know that sharks have more than sharp teeth in common with dogs? Like all sharks, the blacktip reef shark has an acute and sensitive olfactory system, much more so than humans. Sharks’ nostrils are located on the underside of the snout and are used solely for smelling, and not for breathing. In addition, the olfactory bulb of their brain is enlarged, allowing them to detect chemicals at ranging from one part per million to one part per 10 billion. And being apex predators, blacktip reef sharks play a major role in structuring inshore ecological communities. What’s not to love about them? Mahalo @amnh for the shark olfaction facts 🦈 🦈 🦈 📷 of CDH K9 trainer in Raiatea by @tor.johnson.photography
#earthday2020 #earthday #blacktipreefshark #apexpredatornotmonster #carcharhinusmelanopterus

National Association of Canine Scent Work is offer

National Association of Canine Scent Work is offering a webinar called “Earth, Wind and Odor” next Thursday from 7-8:30am Hawaii time with presenter (and friend) Lauralea Oliver of @k9inscentive who was a speaker at last summer’s conservation dog symposium in the Hawai’i Conservation Conference. If you can’t attend live, you may view the recorded webinar. Registration link: http://k9nosework.com/webinar-earth-wind-and-odor-lauralea-oliver

While this is geared towards people who do scent detection with their dogs, it will be educational for those in the conservation field who are wondering what these detection dogs are all about! Webinar description: “Scent dog handlers understand the importance of reading the wind, but how much do we consider weather and terrain? Explore and discuss how odor and olfaction are affected by the ever-changing, living environment with a professional wildlife detection dog trainer/handler. Learn how your dog uses environmental shifts to work scent and what handlers can do to maximize these effects.”

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