K9s Talking Scents

In this episode of K9’s Talking Scents, Cameron Ford sits down with world-renowned trainer Michael Ellis for one of the most in-depth conversations ever recorded on reinforcement theory, over-arousal, odor commitment, reward schedules, and why many detection dog programs unintentionally create false alerts.Together they break down the problems behind “reward-rich” training systems, how reinforcement can become punishing, why omission matters, and how to build dogs who persist, stay committed to odor, and search with accuracy — even in operational environments where rewards rarely come.This episode covers:• Why dogs become toy-obsessed instead of odor-committed• How handlers accidentally create false alerts• Why “continuous reinforcement” destroys operational reliability• Rewarding search vs rewarding finds• The science of frustration, dopamine, and over-performance• The difference between learning behavior and maintaining behavior• Why real-world deployments MUST be represented during training• How to introdu