Dog training is as much an art as it is a science, requiring a balance of theory, observation, mechanical skills and the ability to adapt in the moment. Few people embody this holistic approach better than Tobias GUSTAVSSON. With more than two decades of full-time experience as a trainer and instructor, he has worked with police K9 units, military special forces, search and rescue teams, and government agencies worldwide. A co-author of Tracking Dogs – Scents and Skills and co-founder of the Scandinavian Working Dog Institute, Tobias launched a new company, Gritty K9, in 2022 with Boki DAMIS. Specialising in tracking and scent detection, he is dedicated to building motivated, confident and highly skilled dog teams. We spoke with him ahead of his conference session at Cyno-Ops 2025 on “Tracking and Detection Dogs in the Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Counter-Intelligence (CI) Environment”.
Published on Sep 22,2025 at 2:58 PM | Updated on Oct 1,2025 at 3:47 PM

How does the Work of Dogs in a CT Environment Differ from Traditional Detection Missions?

It differs in many aspects, all the way from selecting the right dog to more specific challenges in the basic training and sometimes in the way the dog will be deployed. The dog might not only be selected based on traits that affect the trainability, but also based on size and looks, to avoid that the dog looks like a typical police or military dog. The CT environment can change rapidly and that means that the dog team has to adapt to many different situations and still be able to do focused and reliable high level detection and/or tracking.

 

Can you Tell us Which Environments Pose the Most Challenges for K9 Teams and Why?

The most difficult environments are those where the dog team has to blend in and do detection and tracking without anyone noticing it.

 

What is the Role of Electronic Detection Dogs?

There are several roles for electronic detection dogs. Everything from detection or digital storage devices in criminal investigations to detection of surveillance equipment in CI environments.

 

What Mistakes can Harm the Handler-Dog Relationship and Compromise Effectiveness during Missions?

A lack of consistent training in different environments and situations where the dog and handler eventually learn to cooperate and trust each other based on experience can negatively affect the handler-dog relationship.

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