WANTED:

General Criteria for Humans and Dogs:

1. Drive and confidence in a variety of environments

• People and dogs who can maintain focus among a variety of stimuli and distractions will find the most success in this program.

2. Weatherability

• Illinois climate can range from extreme to extreme and most owls in Illinois are year-round residents, so dogs and handlers are expected to be able and willing to be out on surveys in all types of (SAFE!) weather conditions.

3. Endurance

• Work sessions will be several hours long (with breaks) so a degree of fitness, stability, and agility in a variety of environments, slopes, and terrains, is required for participation. The ideal candidate dog is between 1-4 years old.

4. Dog Size and Breed

• There is no strict limitation on dog size, but dogs with shorter legs will have a hard time navigating vegetation and cover a large amount of area efficiently. Dogs will ideally be 20+ pounds with regular or long leg length.

• Working dog and sporting dog breeds are purpose bred for this type of activity, but there is no strict limitation on breed type other than brachycephalic breeds with short snouts (i.e. pugs, bulldogs, boxers, etc) are not well suited for this program.

5. Program commitment

• In addition to being committed to conservation and the environment, the dog handler must commit to completing the training process and then conducting volunteer surveys. 

• Following the completion of the training program, the expectation would be for dog/handler teams to participate in at least 4 survey opportunities per year for at least three years.

6. Willingness to mentor and partner

• We hope that the graduates of our initial class will be willing to mentor and partner with future class participants and graduates on training and projects.

7. Living Location

• The inaugural class will focus on dog/handler teams residing in northeast Illinois.

Program Fee and Training Process

1. Screening Process:

• If you think you and your dog fit the criteria for this program and you are interested in participating, please fill out and submit this online questionnaire.

2. Training process

• Our trainers are specialists in conservation detection dogs and are a part of the K9 Conservationists organization (www.k9conservationist.org). K9 Conservationists, like Wisdom of Owls, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. 

• There will be two parts of the training

1. Online self-study with video evaluation of dog teams by K9 Conservationist trainers and in-person training led by K9 Conservationist trainers.

1. Online Self-Study Training: The course work will begin in 2025. There are approximately 15 units of study as well as several “bonus” sections that participants will have free access to. Throughout the program there are quizzes, homework, and video evaluations of the dog/handler team.

2. In-person Training: The course will take place over several consecutive weekends at a facility in northern Illinois in 2026. The schedule for this portion of the training is still to be determined.

3. Certification tests

• Throughout the training process, dog and handler teams will participate in a series of certification tests and assessments to demonstrate proficiency prior to conducting field surveys. These will include informal evaluations by the specialist trainers as well as formal tests for odor recognition and blind searches.

4. Ongoing Training and Community

• Training participants and graduates will be provided with several community building spaces for supporting one another and finding support. 

• Following completion of the training and certification, graduates may be expected to participate in occasional skill-boosting or honing sessions to support the dog/handler teams continued growth and development.

5. Program fee - due to the substantial cost of equipment, hiring specialist trainers, and training supplies, participants will be required to contribute financially towards the training:  

• A $200 fee will be due at the start of the online training.

• A $500 fee will be due at the start of the in-person training. 

If you or your dog are determined to not be a good match by the specialist trainers at any point in the training, half of the training fees paid at that point will be refunded. Participants who fail to complete the program for any other reason at any point, are not entitled to a refund of fees paid.

Benefits to Participants

1. Be an integral part of a select team that will help support research and public awareness of owls by locating owl pellets of various species of owls in all types of habitats. The work of the Wisdom of Owls detection dog teams will support research and expanding understanding of owls by the general public by allowing for:

   • The placement of audio recording devices that will not only provide insights to owl calls and movements, but support other projects such as the Windy City Bird Lab’s migratory bird studies.

   • The deployment of video recording devices near nesting and roosting sites to permit remote monitoring of natural owl behavior by both researchers and the general public.

   • The collection of pellet specimens for pathology testing and genome/DNA analysis to learn more about population distributions, identifying characteristics of individual owls, and diet and prey species in particular habitats.

   • The creation of data maps to monitor for particular habitats that are endangered or at risk of disruption.

2. Bond at a deeper level with your dog and build a community with new people.

3. Give your dog a stimulating job that will increase your dog’s happiness.

4. Gain recognition on social media and within the community for you and your dog’s contributions to conservation, research, and understanding of owls.

5. Access parks, conservation, recreation areas, and privately owned lands that are typically off limits to the general public.

6. Learn valuable detection dog handling skills and techniques that will enhance your resume and will enable you to participate in future conservation dog projects including and beyond the work of Wisdom of Owls.