Hitting the Ground Running (and Sniffing!): K9 Commando Kicks Off 2026
Blog Post • 1 April 2026
The first few months of 2026 have been absolutely packed, and as we write this, we want to extend a huge thank you to our clients and supporters — we couldn’t do any of this without you. So far, 2026 is shaping up to be our busiest year yet, and we’ve only just completed the first three months! With some very exciting projects in the pipeline, we can’t wait to see how they unfold over the year — and to share them with you along the way. Take a moment to reflect on the start of 2026 with us… and strap in — the year has only just begun!
Maverick: Our First Foster
If you didn’t know, we fostered the very first K9 Commando foster dog! We took Maverick home at the end of January to give him a second chance at life. We won’t go into all the details here, as we’ve written a full From the Field post about this very special lad, but since it’s been a little while, we wanted to share a quick update on how he’s doing.
For a brief background, Maverick was due to be euthanised due to behavior concerns and struggling in the kennel environment. We never witnessed any aggression and wanted to give him a chance outside the kennels to show his true self.
Fast forward a few months, and Maverick is absolutely thriving in his new home! He is beyond loved and spoiled, enjoying multiple-mile walks and hikes, and surrounded by every toy a dog could dream of. We couldn’t be happier for him and are so proud to have been part of his journey.
If you’d like to read more about Maverick’s story, check out our From the Field post here.
Conservation Detection & Scentwork Seminar 2026
We had an incredible time at this year’s Conservation Detection & Scentwork Seminar! It’s always such a fun, important event, and mentoring alongside Paul and Debi is truly inspiring. Meeting so many different dogs (and, of course, their amazing handlers) makes it a highlight of the year.
We were thrilled to welcome a fantastic group of attendees this year, including some dogs from Woodside Animal Welfare Trust. Spending time out of the kennels, exploring a new environment, and taking part in the detection and scentwork exercises gave these dogs invaluable experiences and supported the handlers’ learning journeys.
We’re especially delighted to share that one of the rescue dogs who attended the seminar, Lola, has been adopted by Sooz, one of the attendees! Now known as Cougar, she is thriving with her new family, and we wish Sooz, Cougar, and the rest of the canine crew all the happiness in the world.
We hope to co-host the seminar again next year, continuing to support dogs, handlers, and the incredible learning that happens when you combine passion, skill, and teamwork.
If you’d like to read more about the seminar, including what we got up to each day, check out our From the Field post here.
We’re thrilled to share a huge milestone for K9 Commando — the official launch of K9 Commando Film & TV, our specialist division dedicated to professional animal talent and military consulting for productions. With decades of combined experience, our team brings authenticity, expert guidance, and highly trained animal performers to film, television, commercials, and photoshoots.
Animal welfare is at the heart of everything we do, and our military and tactical consulting ensures every production achieves realism and credibility on screen.
We’re so excited about this next chapter and can’t wait to work with talented animals and filmmakers alike.
For more information, visit K9 Commando Film & TV’s website: www.k9commandofilmandtv.com, or check out our From the Field post here.
Launching K9 Commando Film & TV
University of Plymouth Lecture: Sharing Conservation Detection with the Next Generation
In March, we had the pleasure of delivering a lecture and demonstration on conservation detection dogs to students studying BSc Animal Behaviour, BSc Ecology and Conservation, BSc Zoology, and BSc Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth.
We introduced who we are at K9 Commando and the work we do, exploring what makes a great conservation detection dog — from the key traits we look for when selecting dogs to the vital roles they play in conservation. Students also got an introduction to detection training, including an overview of how we train and work in partnership with these incredible dogs.
A special highlight of the day was watching Anakin and Sparrow in action, demonstrating their skills in front of the students and staff — they did us proud!
It was fantastic to engage with such passionate and curious students, and especially meaningful for Kylie, who is an alumna of the university, having completed her undergraduate BSc (Hons) in Conservation Biology (now BSc Ecology and Conservation) there.
Thank you so much for having us. We’d absolutely love to return in the future and continue sharing our work with the next generation of conservationists!
Visiting the 1st Ivybridge Guides & Rangers
Also in March, we had the pleasure of being invited by the 1st Ivybridge Guides and 1st Ivybridge Rangers to share insights into our work at K9 Commando and K9 Commando Film & TV.
We talked about training animals for film and television, conservation detection, and the different pathways into both fields. The group asked some fantastic and thoughtful questions throughout the session.
Sparrow and Anakin then took center stage, demonstrating the foundations of detection training and showing how detection dogs search for a target odor. It’s safe to say both Anakin and Sparrow stole the spotlight!
We had such a great time connecting with the Guides and Rangers and inspiring the next generation of animal and conservation enthusiasts.
Award-Winning Work: Specialist Dog Training Service of the Year
We are incredibly proud to share some exciting news! We have been awarded the South West England Prestige Award for Specialist Dog Training Service of the Year 2025/2026, for the second year in a row!
This recognition means so much to us. We are passionate about delivering the highest standards across everything we do, from detection and protection to private dog training. We are truly grateful to all of our amazing clients, family, friends, and supporters. Your support is what makes achievements like this possible. Thank you for believing in what we do.
EASE Anthrozoology Postgraduate Conference 2026 (University of Exeter)
Kylie presented at the EASE Anthrozoology Postgraduate Conference 2026 (University of Exeter), marking her third year contributing to this inspiring event.
Her talk, “A New Leash on Conservation: How Rescue Dogs are Advancing Wildlife Conservation,” explored how conservation detection dogs support conservation research and monitoring, while also representing a form of multispecies collaboration grounded in what we might think of as symbiotic ethics, where all partners in the relationship are able to benefit and thrive.
At K9 Commando, this is reflected in our work with rescue dogs whose drive, focus, and energy make them exceptional conservation partners. Dogs like Sparrow and Anakin, both from rescue backgrounds, are now training and working as conservation detection dogs, demonstrating how, when given the right opportunity, these dogs don’t just contribute to conservation, they truly thrive within it.
From individual journeys to wider human–dog partnerships, this work is about more than detection. It is about rethinking conservation as something we do with other species, not just for them.
A huge thank you to the University of Exeter and the EASE community for continuing to create space for these important conversations.
Looking Ahead: Conservation Detection Dog Projects
We’re gearing up for some exciting conservation detection projects this year!
Sparrow has begun training on harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) nests. Kylie and Sparrow were out in the field the other day with Sarah from the Devon Harvest Mouse Project to do training in-situ. Once trained, Sparrow will help monitor this species more efficiently, supporting harvest mouse conservation. In addition to this, Sparrow will be undertaking a research project this year, with the goal of publishing and sharing our findings.
Meanwhile, Anakin has started training on a new target odor: detecting bat roosts, particularly in woodlands where identifying occupied trees can be challenging and costly. Like Sparrow, Anakin will also be participating in a research project this year, focusing on a different species, and we plan to publish results from his work as well.
We’re so excited to see how these projects develop and to contribute to practical conservation efforts through training, fieldwork, and research.
These highlights give just a snapshot of some key moments from the first few months of 2026. There’s so much more happening behind the scenes that we haven’t had space to share in this post — from ongoing training, exciting collaborations, and day-to-day adventures with our canine teams, to the countless projects quietly unfolding.
We’re only just getting started, and there’s so much more to come this year. We can’t wait to continue sharing our journey, building new partnerships, and making a difference alongside the amazing dogs, clients, and collaborators who make it all possible. Here’s to an incredible 2026 — and we’re thrilled to have you along for the ride!