The Handler’s Journal
Edition 02 – June 19, 2025
Title: Honor the Brilliant – On Learning, Listening, and Letting Great Ideas In

“Learning isn’t a destination—it’s the way we travel.”

Good training starts with good listening.

Not just to our dogs, but to the work itself—to our fieldwork, to our teammates, to the people who’ve been studying this longer than we have, and to the quiet pull of a better way. We learn by noticing what others are doing well, by asking questions, by staying humble enough to be changed by what we find.

There’s no shortage of brilliant work happening in the world of detection. From academic labs studying odor chemistry to veteran handlers refining training systems, from podcasts to peer-reviewed papers—there’s a stream of insight available to anyone willing to pay attention.

It’s not about how much you collect—it’s about how intentionally you apply what you’ve learned, with care and clarity. It’s not enough to gather information, it matters how, why and when you connect the dots - and importantly who you are with, that drives the hallmark of expertise forward. 

That’s the kind of learning we try to practice and encourage. Not the kind that says “this is the only way,” but the kind that asks, “What can we learn here?” “How can this make us better?”

One way we hold space for that kind of growth is through OdorQuest, our evolving learning pathway for Handlers. It’s a curriculum—not a course—that supports deliberate, real-world progress through twelve core modules.

This is not a one-time download. It’s an upward spiral - with each cycle deepening the craft. Topics like reinforcement timing, odor behavior, decision-making, and operational ethics come alive through group sessions, coaching, and hands-on activities. 

Whether you’re joining the OdorQuest monthly Zoom, or scheduling your monthly private OdorQuest coaching session, reflecting on your training notes in the Hub, or heading out for a search in the field, the OdorQuest system is designed to grow with you.

And it grows because we do the work of staying connected. We learn from conferences and courses, from scientists and seasoned handlers, from big questions asked over campfires and detailed notes shared between colleagues. We bring what we find back—not to gatekeep it, but to translate it into something usable, something you can actually train with.

Because honoring the brilliant isn’t about admiration for its own sake. It’s about staying open. It’s about recognizing when someone else’s insight can help us move forward—and having the humility to let it.

To the ones asking the hard questions, building strong systems, and sharing generously: thank you.

To those just stepping in: welcome. We’re all learning. Let’s stay open. Let’s stay grounded.

And let’s keep honoring the brilliant—by doing something good with what we learn.

Signup for the newsletter: https://dogmerickel.com/dm-blog