STEVE AUSTIN Canine Training and Behaviour Steve Austin CCPDT - KA Board Member CCPTD Learning Education & Development Leader – DPI NSW Training Director of Defence Community Dogs Phone: +61 (0)419 983 164 Email: [email protected] Website: steveaustindogtrainer.com Training website: austinsdogtrainingeducation.com.au Steve Austin 1 Introduction Steve Austin has been a leading and charismatic figure in the professional canine industry for over three decades. Steve has recently earned a highly recognised certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), joining over 2000 professional dog trainers worldwide. Steve earned this unique world recognition by passing an extensive exam and now earns the title Certified Professional Dog Trainer— Knowledge Assessed. (CPDT-KA). The CCPDT monitors certificate holders regularly to ensure their skills consequently ensuring Steve maintains his knowledge at superior world standards. In 2019 Steve was appointed as Board Member of the CCPDT. Renowned worldwide, Steve has lectured at American Law Enforcement Agencies, trained Australia’s first truffle detector dog, trained Australia’s first water and effluent detection dog, taught animal training at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and presented Mount Everest Kennel Club in Katmandu. His greatest achievement to date was his work on Macquarie Island. It was an enormous task! Steve trained handlers and canines for the scent detection of feral animals of 22 square kilometers of Macquarie Island to achieve the status of the island being feral animal free. Steve is results orientated, and this has been proven in many situations over the last 30 years, where uncertainty of the ability to detect a new odour or accomplish large scale projects has become a reality. This has been demonstrated whilst working for government and professional organisations. Steve’s services and consultant services are in high demand by Australian and international Government and professional organisations. There is no one in Australia with the same high level of expertise, professionalism and determination to succeed. On any project Steve does he is also available to present to the media whether it is press or television. Steve Austin CPTD-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Knowledge Assessed Mobile: +61 (0)419 983 164 E: [email protected] W: www.steveaustindogtrainer.com Steve Austin 2 Formal Qualifications • CPDT-KA. Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (worldwide) • Certifying Official Californian Narcotic and Explosive Detector Dog Association • Gun License NSW Class A and B • Firearm OEH Level 1 and 2 Training • Licensed Temperament Assessor NSW Dept of Local Government - License Number 0007 • Certificate IV in Workplace Learning and Assessment • Certificate III Dog Behaviour and Training NDTF • Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services • Licensed Judge under the Australian National Kennel Control (ANKC) in both Field Trials and Gundog Obedience Tests. Positions held • Training Director of Defence Community Dogs. This volunteer position sees Steve overseeing the canine training by inmates at Bathurst Jail who train dogs to be provided to a veteran with post-traumatic stress syndrome. • In 2019 Steve was appointed as Board Member of the international Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. • Leader of the Learning Education Development for DPI NSW, training dogs in the field • Firearms safety officer for the NSW Government, assessing new and renewing certificate holders Steve Austin CPTD-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Knowledge Assessed Mobile: +61 (0)419 983 164 E: [email protected] W: www.steveaustindogtrainer.com Steve Austin 3 Recent and Ongoing Clients A large proportion of Steve’s work is in the areas of conservation for the protection of endangered species and detection and eradication of feral animals as well as noxious weeds and biosecurity risks.. His work with Government departments dominates and has earned him a reputation of success and reputation. Steve also works with various organisations in Australia and overseas for the detection of narcotics, explosives, biosecurity and wildlife trafficking. Water Leak and Effluent Detection Dogs • WA Water Commission: Steve trained the first water leak detection dog for the WA Water Commission in 2017. Kep has been incredibly successful having now found over 73 water leaks with his current handler. • Sydney Water: After the success of Kep in WA, Steve trained 2 effluent detection dogs and a water leak detection dog. • Brisbane Water: Steve also trained a dog for this department in Brisbane to detect leaking water. • Discussions are currently underway to provide water and effluent dogs to other state water organisations and plumbers. ACT Parks Steve trained and deployed a dog to detect the noxious Chilean needle grass. This grass is a weed of national significance as it is invasive and has a high potential for spreading with high economic environmental impact. Malilangwe Lodge, Zimbabwe Steve is currently training two dogs for the large wildlife reserve set on 130,000 acres of pristine wilderness in Zimbabwe. When deployed, the dogs will detect poachers of elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn, firearms and ammunition detection. Steve Austin CPTD-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Knowledge Assessed Mobile: +61 (0)419 983 164 E: [email protected] W: www.steveaustindogtrainer.com Steve Austin 4 Biosecurity Vanuatu Training the first biosecurity detection dog for the Vanuatu government. The dog will be deployed in 2020 for the detection of biosecurity and narcotics. Yellow Crazy Ant A few years ago Steve trained the dog Jet to locate Koala scat, feral cat, and foxes. Because of the increase of Yellow Crazy Ant and demands to locate the ants, Steve then trained Jet to locate this invasive species. Norfolk Island Government The Argentine Ant is one of the world’s most invasive species of ants. Steve recently trained a detection dog and handler to work on the Island to location this species as part of their eradication program. South Australian hearing dogs Steve trained one of their trainers, so they can continue to train new dogs for medical alert detection. Lord Howe Island, World Heritage Listed Island In 2017, the Lord Howe Island Board announced their intention to eradicate introduced rodents, which have been causing a huge environment impact to the island. Stage one commenced with Steve setting up of a new biosecurity department utilising two detection dogs to monitor incoming passengers, baggage and freight for fruit, meat, plant and rodents. The second stage of the project launched regular detection of the barge that travels from Port Macquarie to the Island, to ensure rodents get on board. Steve continues to conduct this program to ensure the success of the long-term project. Steve Austin CPTD-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Knowledge Assessed Mobile: +61 (0)419 983 164 E: [email protected] W: www.steveaustindogtrainer.com Steve Austin 5 NSW Office of Environment and Heritage The Plains-wanderer is a threatened ground-nesting grassland bird, whose numbers are rapidly declining with the risk of extinction imminent. Steve has trained a detection dog to locate this critically endangered bird to improve the accuracy and efficiency of existing monitoring programs, locate the birds to bring into a captive breeding program and efficiently locate nests and breeding birds. Turtles Forever Project with various NSW Government Departments Steve is on the Steering Committee and the Head Trainer for project which began in 2016 has developed processes to find and protect the declining population of the vulnerable Bells Turtle. By using a detection dog, the efficiency to locate eggs improves immensely, allowing the project to ensure protection from predators. Smoky Mouse Project - Office of Environment & Heritage, NSW The Smoky Mouse program is part of the NSW’s Government Saving Our Species initiative. Steve trained two dogs as a double barrel impact with Dottie tracking feral cats and Maggie locating the Smoky Mouse. Both are working in the field with outstanding success. Eastern Bristlebird Recovery - Department of Environment & Heritage, NSW This important conservation project has just and required Steve to train one canine for use by four handlers, for the conservation recovery program of the Eastern Bristlebird. Handler training started at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and then moved into remote areas around on the NSW and Queensland borders where the bird is located. This long-term project with Penny the detection dog was an outstanding success. Department of Primary Industry, Victoria—Noxious Weed Detection The Orange Hawkweed is a highly invasive plant costing loss of agricultural production and 1.8 billion dollars in weed control, and it is almost impossible to identify when it isn’t in flower and even more difficult when it is covered with snow. Steve trained two dogs to work with handlers from The NSW Office of Environment & Heritage and the Department of Primary Industry Victoria, to work in the Snowy Mountains at Kosciusko National Park. This project has been an enormous success with the departments ordering more dogs for this important work. Steve Austin CPTD-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Knowledge Assessed Mobile: +61 (0)419 983 164 E: [email protected] W: www.steveaustindogtrainer.com Steve Austin 6 Recently Steve trained another dog for the detection of another noxious weed being Alligator Weed and was an outstanding