Meet K9 "Scout", the Scat Scout

Scout

This is Scout, the inspiration for the K9 Natures Scouts blog.  

Scout is a 7 month old, Working Cocker Spaniel.  Sometimes people look at me a little funny when I tell them my scent detection dog is a cocker spaniel (I think they expected me to say Malinos or maybe even Lab).  That's because most people think of Lady and the Tramp when they think of a Cocker Spaniel.  But that Cocker Spaniel is resent offshoot of the real Spaniel.  The real Spaniel is the original Hunting Machine!  Spaniels were bred to work with hunters and falcons (thus the term "bird dog") and predate pointers, setters and retrievers.  

Scout started her detection work as a Human Remains Search and Rescue candidate but quickly switched to Conservation Work.  She is currently getting ready to start a project with Maine Wolf Coalition.  She will be helping search for wolf scat in New England.

Scout's initial training scent is Kong which is easy to work with and allows her to learn the basics on an easy, convenient target.  Below are a few videos of her puppy training exercises with KONG as we prepare to be ready to introduce the target odor of Wolf Scat.