TEAM & CONTACT


Dr. Hermann Hondong

Department of Conservation Biology
University of Goettingen
Bürgerstr. 50
D-37073 Göttingen
0049 (0)551 39 25635
hhondon@uni-goettingen.de


CONSERVATION DETECTION CANINES (CDK9s)

Own CDK9s are trained since 2006 based on long-term experiences with other hunting dogs.

Champ vom Auenland
2006 to 2013 - Weimaraner - short-haired - male
Parents: Amy vom Auenland (VGP 317, HD A2, WG2, WF1) & Aski vom Kloster Neuenhaus (VGP 336, HD A2, WG1, WF1)
Tasks - direct indication of selected bird species




Grani vom Hemmershof
Since 2014 - Weimaraner - short-haired- female (HD A1)
Parents: Freya von der Letzlinger Heide (VGP 318, HD A1, WG 1, WF1) & Babu des Filous Gris (HZP 180, HD A1, WG2, WF1)
Tasks - training finished - Field of work: Diagnosis of decaying and dead wood in monitoring of forest structure




Adda vom Logabirumer Wald
Since 2019 - Weimaraner - short-haired - female (HD B1)
Parents: Hati vom Hemmershof (VGP 307, HD B1, WG1, WF1) & Quinn vom Entenstrich (VGP 306, HD A2, WG1, WF1)
Task - training finished - Field of work: Monitoring of woodpeckers




WEIMARANERS AS CDK9s

From their origin very versatile large pointing dogs for hunting Weimaraners bring along good senses, tough physical performance, high cooperativeness and strong drives. With goal-oriented training and good genetic endowment their conditions are excellent for all applications as detection canine in conservation biology settings. Among a lot of compared dog breeds Weimaraners have a fast perception and very good learning ability which makes them excellent working dogs. As pointers Weimaraners show an instinctive indication of target objects at distance – the so-called pointing. This kind of indication reduces the risk of interaction with target objects, for example the initiation of movements of animals, the destruction of traces by trampling or the contamination of samples (DNA). Pointing may make it easier to identify locations of target animals early before their first movements induced by searching acitivies. Working with two pointing dogs simultaneously allows to locate target objects at distance by triangulation of the two pointed directions. Short hair and light color may be an advantage in regard to keep the dog clean and free of thorns and ectoparasites every day and to reduce the risk of following infections by this.


CDK9s TRAINING CONTENT

• Controllability and impulse control
  
• Indication techniques
  
• Systematic search of areas for target objects
  
• Tracking of individual target objects
  
• Olfactory allocation of scent samples to individuals
  
• Olfactory allocation of scent samples to scent gradients
  
• Olfactory allocation of scents to not species defined target objects (for example trees in decay or trees with hollows)
  
• Scent based indication of presence of species
  
• Acoustics based indication of presence of species (for example calls of birds)
  
• Indications of guilds based on visual clues and recognition of movement patterns (for example trunk and branch climbing bird species)
  

CDK9s TRAINING PROCESS

• 3 years of basic training of working techniques and processes mainly with dummies
  
• 1 to 6 month of special training on targets species/target objects, starting with scent transfer from targets objects to dummies and then training on target objects themselves, final evaluation of detection success in experimental and field trials

REASONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DETECTION DOGS IN SPECIES SURVEYS

Decision making in conservation needs sound information about species and habitats of conservation concern, about management options and about effectiveness and efficiency of implemented strategies and measures. Most important species or population related data are distribution, patch occupancy, population sizes, abundances and population dynamics. Despite of different requirements in detail all of these variables need objective, reliable and valid surveys on individuals of the selected target species.

Species of conservation concern are often rare, have low abundances or populations sizes, are elusive, nocturnal or live in remote areas and rough terrain with bad access and missing or low infrastructure. For surveys of these species by humans this means often very low detection probabilities and high demands of finances, time and physical effort to get representative estimates with adequate accuracy.

By use of the superior senses of dogs especially in regard to olfaction but also auditory and visual motion perception we are able to increase the detection probability for a lot of species or their traces significant and to lower species survey efforts according to this. Not for nothing humans and dogs are hunting together very successful since thousands of years. In some applications as following individual tracks or as discriminating individuals by olfaction the use of dogs is without alternative. Additionally dog based surveys are often not or lower invasive for the target individuals compared with other methods.

Dogs are a unique combination of well developed multi modal sensory skills, impressive mobility, active search, high speed analysis and willingness to cooperate with humans that make them in fieldwork not replaceable by technical solutions until now.


APPLICATIONS OF DETECTION DOGS IN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

Meanwhile there are more than 100 publications about the use of detection dogs in conservation with focus on a lot of different species and questions. 60 % of the target species of these publications are mammals, 20 % are birds and another 20 % belong to other groups including also plants and invertebratesr. With direct or indirect (tracks, scats, urine, hairs, feathers, feeding traces, dwellings, nests and others) indication of species detection dogs can help to answer questions of conservation concern in research as well as in conservation management. More than just indicating a species there is the option to sample species related material as scats for further analysis (DNA, food composition, parasites and other diseases, endocrine substances as cortisols, progesteron metabolites, toxic substances). Because dogs are able to distinguish successful between individuals and their traces further applications are possible, where dogs match scent samples to individuals and may replace DNA-analysis or follow individual tracks more precise than GPS telemetry. Perhaps dogs are also able to indicate the state of diseases, stress or reproduction directly from scat or urine samples. The supplement or replacement of DNA- or hormonal laboratory analysis may save costs and can deliver results in a more prompt and local manner.

Because of these reasons dog based surveys promise huge advantages in effectivity and efficiency compared with alternative methods and can help to answer a lot of questions in conservation biology:

• Patch occupancy
  
• Abundance, size and dynamics of populations
  
• Selection, use and quality of habitats
  
• Size and use of homeranges
  
• Selection and quality of food
  
• Vitality, disturbance induced stress, nutrition induced stress, parasites, other diseases and toxic loads, reproduction

Furthermore detection dogs are easy to integrate in existing survey procedures as plot sampling, patch occupancy estimation, distance sampling or capture-recapture techniques. Other options to use dogs in context of conservation related questions are simulation of detection probabilities by mainly olfaction driven predators and simulation of disturbances caused by dogs or other large carnivore mammals. Further trained dogs can search for carcasses or parts of this und may help to study mortality of animals. Detection and management of invasive species is another common application of specialized dogs in conservation especially if abundances of these species are very low.


CDK9s QUALITY ASSURANCE

• All-In-One-Concept: Choice of breed, choice of breeding line, selection of puppies, basic, advanced and maintenance training as well as the guidance of dogs during fieldwork are in one hand, additionally also the setting of goals and questions, the inventory design and the analysis of fieldwork
  
• Choice of well suited breeds and puppies from health and performance proved breeding
  
• Time of training before operation about 3.000 hours
  
• Promotion of a motivated and autonomous working style of dogs while minimising necessities of interventions by handler
  
• Best possible use of intrinsic motivation of dogs in training and operation by orientation of training methods toward the „hunting model“
  
• Operations just with experienced dogs elder than 3 years and with a similar time frame of training
  
• Before operation achieve of defined standards in regard to rates of false negative and false positive indications on an international high level documented by training protocols and with taking into account the surrounding conditions, the presence of distraction stimuli and exhaustion
  
• Permanent training of physical and mental fitness of dogs in preparation for operation and provision of enough time for acclimatizaton in study areas
  
• Availability of two dogs which are able to replace another, which enlarge the covered area per hour while working together, which can work alternating during difficult searches and which offer the possibility to check indications and search results among one another
  
• Dogs are trained by two handlers who are both able to work with each of them
  
• Regular supervision of training and field work of each team by 2nd handler/trainer
  
• Pre study of target and region specific search characteristics of individual dogs to estimate the effective and efficient transect width and length as important base for the inventory design
  
• Professional survey design and analysis to ensure objective, reliable and valid results
  
• Guarantee of non or low invasiveness on and well-being of target or other species by disturbance minimizing inventory designs and operations, by training of an ultimative „stop“ of dogs on call-, whistle- and body-signals, by promotion of a distant indication by pointing, if necessary by working with muzzles and on leash and by proper vaccination and prophylactical treatment of dogs against parasites
  
• Guarentee of well-being of dogs by motivation based training and working, by optimal inventory planning and operation (seasonal and daily search times, duration of searches, interruption of work in case of fatigue, exhaustion or risk of overheating, availabity of water, possibilities to warm up or cool down, 1st aid kits and knowledge), by high-quality and perforrmance adequate feeding and by good health care (vaccination, prophylactical treatment against parasites, daily inspections)

CDK9s FOCUS ON SPECIES GROUPS, HABITATS AND REGIONS

According to my general interest in questions on the impact of man on the species composition of forests the selected species for canine detection work may be target and umbrella species, which are sensitive against habitat loss and fragmentation of woodland, against forest management or against hunting. With regard to species groups my focus is on selected mammals, birds and xylobiontic insects. Required lead time for specialization on a selected target species and quality assurance of detection dogs is up to 6 month. The regional focus is international within the range of European beech forests.