Was interested in information being shared as have a bitch whose pups could prove ideal for training. So my question currently is what breeds used and is there anyone in New Zealand who has done or is doing this?
AFB detector dogs
- Thread starter LQB Apiary
- Start date
We currently have three pups under evaluation . They are Lab/German short haired pointer. The Bitch is aLab, and dad came from the airport where work was a bit slack.
Any dog will do. Most of ours have been problem rescue dogs with a high play drive that no one has the patience for.
Any dog will do. Most of ours have been problem rescue dogs with a high play drive that no one has the patience for.
My dog is 4 years old half German Pointer, used to bees and shares a yard with some livestock. Probably getting to old to train but was a rescue at 9 weeks from the breeder when first home didn't pan out.
Have a growing fondness for German Pointer crosses as very bright and this one shows a tendency to point.
Was thinking of sending her out with my brother when he goes hunting goats with a crossbow. Those arrows are expensive but she's valuable in her own goofball way. Would need some type of muzzle though in case of kiwi.
They use G.P crosses for Kiwi conservation work don't they?
She's turned out to be an nice dog all told.
with the reduced flights and lack of inbound tourists, work is slack .
Had the dog team back this week.
Tara and Chief have been doing cellphones and dope, but came home this week to refresh on bees after we got a spate of AFB txts from the agency.
Here we are sniffing honey in the hot room...
This honey came off a burner we brought home from the coast....
I only found one cell.... the dog did’nt show interest in the boxes.... be intersting to see what Hills say.
Tara and Chief have been doing cellphones and dope, but came home this week to refresh on bees after we got a spate of AFB txts from the agency.
Here we are sniffing honey in the hot room...
This honey came off a burner we brought home from the coast....
I only found one cell.... the dog did’nt show interest in the boxes.... be intersting to see what Hills say.
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Now thats an intersting thought. If you have a negitive test for AFB in honey thats come of a hive that AFB has been found do you have to destroy it. After all the new DNA test is being pushed as the bee knees in detecting AFB
She has now been trained to alert for rodents. The cats are miffed as she's been catching and eating them too.
The DOC officer reckoned the possum would be unlikely to return for a bit as ran foul of the dog and a week or so later a newly hived swarm with brood. Attempts to tree itself it in the Camelia had the branch break and fall back in front of the hive.
I've had to feed the cats much more lately ☺️
My beek friend breeds fox terriers
Would it be possible to train a fox terrier to do this sort of work .
I have my doubts . Most fox terriers I know should be on a lifetime supply of Ritalin.
Would it be possible to train a fox terrier to do this sort of work .
I have my doubts . Most fox terriers I know should be on a lifetime supply of Ritalin.
Almost any breed of dog has the potential to become a Detector Dog . The important criteria is that it has what is called 'Play Drive' .
Playdrive is what makes a dog want to chase a target for a reward ..... all day long ..... with so much passion that evrything else becomes secondary.
In training the tennis ball is the toy and the target ..... the item of interest ......and it becomes the reward for the dogs persistence to play.
So, if your Foxy wants to play all day and drives you crazy, then it may well have potential.
Bear in mind that for every successfull dog that Richelle's tests, only one in a hundred make it through to boot camp, and then that is not a given that they will make the grade.
The dog that makes the grade is pretty special.
The dog in the photo is pretty special.
He thinks he can drive my truck, smack a hammer and is partial to cheese sandwiches ..... but he has zero potential as a working Detector Dog.
I knew that from day one .
Playdrive is what makes a dog want to chase a target for a reward ..... all day long ..... with so much passion that evrything else becomes secondary.
In training the tennis ball is the toy and the target ..... the item of interest ......and it becomes the reward for the dogs persistence to play.
So, if your Foxy wants to play all day and drives you crazy, then it may well have potential.
Bear in mind that for every successfull dog that Richelle's tests, only one in a hundred make it through to boot camp, and then that is not a given that they will make the grade.
The dog that makes the grade is pretty special.
The dog in the photo is pretty special.
He thinks he can drive my truck, smack a hammer and is partial to cheese sandwiches ..... but he has zero potential as a working Detector Dog.
I knew that from day one .
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Well it looks like I'm in the right thread. My girl has just had her trip to meet the lovely vet nurses with treats. We're booked for a second visit in the New Year before a full vet check. Was interesting watching the Marsupial detector dog working on the Dama wallaby issue on One News tonight. Mine is marsupial sensitive as well as rodent. Nutted off last night by the fruit trees with a particular bark. Funny story about that possum's visits. DOC Ranger laughed when I told her and reckoned it wouldn't be back. I was looking for a trap that was cat-safe which I saw they have now, made for urban areas. Possum are moving to town it seems. Our local one with black pelt may have needed reminding of previous attempts but have ripening early plum. Will post photos and tell the story at some point. (Will need to buy the privilege).
Dog a little older and wiser and now has an orthotic dog bed that she shows no sign of eating. Understands and attempts participation in conversation. Haha over babies of any breed and has established a territory she patrols against neighbours cats. (Little sods got my breeding quail by a practiced paw opening a cage door from on the roof).
Broody hens are happy and she lets people know when they overstep the mark re property boundaries. Does slip away on occasion to let the dogs over the road they better be shutting up or else. They usually quieter after a telling off.
Does good intimidating but does like those in uniform. Badge Bunny I think they call them.
Have toyed with the idea with getting her a boyfriend... This one's fixed lol and blonde
Broody hens are happy and she lets people know when they overstep the mark re property boundaries. Does slip away on occasion to let the dogs over the road they better be shutting up or else. They usually quieter after a telling off.
Does good intimidating but does like those in uniform. Badge Bunny I think they call them.
Have toyed with the idea with getting her a boyfriend... This one's fixed lol and blonde
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So with the AFB on the news last night and after hearing of the issue there via the grapevine (beekeeper scuttlebutt?)
I wonder if there's been further developments.
I mean apart from some news items blaming hobbyists, which is a bit on the nose since trucking 🚛 🐝 🐝 🐝 routes changed in the recent past 🧐
There's been far less scout bees about and local petrol station has got tons of bees hanging about their lights cos those passing thru...
Unfortunate it got so bad so quick but good opportunity to test any honey coming through?
I see the DNA test is being pushed as definitive test now so hopefully that improves compliance.
www.1news.co.nz
I wonder if there's been further developments.
I mean apart from some news items blaming hobbyists, which is a bit on the nose since trucking 🚛 🐝 🐝 🐝 routes changed in the recent past 🧐
There's been far less scout bees about and local petrol station has got tons of bees hanging about their lights cos those passing thru...
Unfortunate it got so bad so quick but good opportunity to test any honey coming through?
I see the DNA test is being pushed as definitive test now so hopefully that improves compliance.
Beekeepers burn hives as infectious disease spreads through Dannevirke
Apiarists are being urged to follow the rules and register their hives to help track the source.
I don't think anyone is putting any blame on the Hobbyists in this new Article just trying to track down unregistered and abandoned hives
That was not the intension of the article , have you ever talked to a reporter because they change things around to make it new worthy . and yes I was the AP2 involved and I never said anything about the hobbyist beekeeper being the problem
That's the problem and why I tried not to use that particular article. It seems commonplace now that true journalism is rare as it's mostly opinion pieces with little to no verified fact
Fact: AFB spores can survive in soil 50 years? (Query as science investigates and verifies)