7 November 2025
Wildlife Queensland is teaming up with several environmental detection dogs to help uncover the hidden lives of elusive species such as echidnas, long-nosed potoroos and greater gliders. We caught up with Jayda Bruce from Nature Nose to learn more about her energetic sidekick, Jarrah, and the remarkable role conservation dogs play in protecting Queensland’s wildlife.
Could you please share a bit about yourself and your wildlife detection dog?
I have a background in Wildlife Science, but I am early in my career with conservation dogs. I currently have one crazy, hard-working springer spaniel named Jarrah. He is just over two years old and is currently trained on feral cat scat, koala scat, long-nosed potoroo scat, echidna scat, and live echidnas. When Jarrah’s not hard at work, he spends his downtime running around in his yard, like any other pet dog.
What inspired you to specialise in environmental detection dogs?
I’ve always loved dogs, but I wanted to pursue a career in protecting wild animals. Conservation detection dogs give me the best of both worlds; I get to work outdoors and contribute to the preservation of our native wildlife, all while having a dog as a coworker.
Where are you based, and what areas do you primarily work across in Queensland?
I am based in the City of Moreton Bay and have been undertaking some research with my dog on Bribie Island. We are open to expanding our work to wherever it is needed.
What breeds of dogs tend to make the best environmental detection dogs, and why?
Working line English springer spaniels are among the top breeds for conservation work. These dogs are originally hunting dogs and have been bred to work alongside humans. They also have an extremely high drive, meaning they will happily search even when there may be nothing to find.
How do you select and train dogs for wildlife detection work?
Training a dog for scent work is very reward-based; therefore, dogs that have an obsessive behaviour towards a reward make good conservation dogs. Some dogs will do anything for a piece of food or to play with a tug toy. For Jarrah, his ultimate reward is a ball. Finding a target odour means he gets to play with his favourite toy.
Another important training aspect of conservation dogs is wildlife avoidance. As these dogs work off-lead in sensitive areas with rich biodiversity, it is important that they keep a safe distance and don’t chase any wildlife. Simple commands such as recall and stop are essential for the safety of both the dog and wildlife in any potential encounters.
What specific cues or behaviours do you train the dogs to recognise in the field?
When we start a job, I show my dog his ball (his reward) and say, “Work”. This gets his attention and lets him know he is in work mode. I then give his command for the odour he is searching for, which in the case of an echidna would be: “Echidna. Find”. When Jarrah hears the word ‘Find’, he then runs off in search of the odour. I can watch Jarrah’s behaviour and know when he is zoning in on the target odour as he moves in a smaller zig-zag position. This is not a trained behaviour; however, it is equally important for me as the handler to understand my dog’s body language. I train my dog to stay in a drop/lay position, with his head down and nose towards the target odour, when he finds it in the field. Wildlife scat can still be very difficult to locate, even with the dog indicating its location. To solve this, I can give my dog a second command: “Show me”. This command tells my dog to put his nose directly on the target odour, so it is obvious for me as the handler to see the target odour.
What are some of the challenges of working with dogs in remote or rugged environments?
Jayda and her dog Jarrah make a formidable team out in the field.
One of the biggest advantages of a conservation dog is that it can move swiftly in environments a human may struggle to get through in a timely manner. Dogs are fast, rechargeable and waterproof, and they excel in the field where sensitive equipment may not. There are concerns regarding safety in remote or rugged environments; however, the handler will also face these concerns, and all precautions are taken to minimise them. As a dog handler, my dog’s safety is a priority. I would not put him in a position that I would be uncomfortable with myself.
Can you share any early results, success stories or unexpected discoveries from the partnership with Wildlife Queensland?
Researcher Dr Kate Dutton-Regester from Wildlife Queensland contacted Nature Nose to explore the possibility of training a dog for echidna detection to help with her research. We were given a short timeline to train the dog on the new odour. Jarrah learnt the odour of echidna scat in under one week, and, with further training, is now able to detect live echidnas. Jarrah is the first conservation detection dog trained to detect both echidna scat and live echidnas.
How accurate are detection dogs at finding wildlife or evidence such as scats, nests or hollows?
Dogs have an amazing sense of smell, and humans have yet to understand the full capabilities of a dog’s nose. A trained conservation dog can detect their target odour with extreme accuracy, outperforming many other survey methods. If Jarrah thoroughly searches an area for a specific wildlife scat and does not indicate any presence, I can confidently say there was no scat to be found. I could not say the same if I were to search the same area myself; my eyes do not compare to the nose of a dog.
Why are detection dogs particularly valuable for studying elusive or threatened species?
Conservation dogs are most valuable when searching for a species with limited numbers. Dogs do not have any bias when searching for a species. Humans will have a preconceived idea of where a species may live or the best places to search or not search. As dogs are solely searching with their noses, they cover areas that humans may miss. Dogs are also a non-invasive method for data collection, causing less disruption to ecosystems than other traditional survey methods.
What’s the bond like between the handlers and their dogs during fieldwork?
The bond between handler and dog is very special. We are partners in the field and have complete trust in each other.
How do the dogs seem to respond when they make a successful find?
When Jarrah indicates to me that he has found the target odour (by lying down and holding his nose on the target odour), he tries to withhold his excitement in anticipation of getting the command that he has done his job and receiving a reward. When I say “Yes” to Jarrah, he goes from a serious working dog to an overexcited puppy because he gets to play with his ultimate reward, which is a ball. There is no doubt that conservation dogs love their job, and the dog and handler are equally excited when the target is found.
Wildlife Queensland works with several conservation detection dogs across a range of projects, from uncovering the hidden presence of echidnas to locating greater gliders via their scat. These remarkable dogs are helping researchers gather vital data that might otherwise go undetected. Together with Wildlife Queensland, Jayda and Jarrah are showing that teamwork, trust and a remarkable nose can make all the difference in protecting Queensland’s most elusive wildlife.