Kevin Sheldahl

Kevin Sheldahl, an experienced police canine instructor, dives into the intriguing story of Clever Hans, the horse that amazed audiences with its supposed math skills—only to reveal it was reading handler cues. He discusses how this phenomenon, dubbed the 'handler's ghost,' affects detection dog training today. Kevin highlights the dangers of unconscious signals and the importance of blind testing to ensure dogs rely on scent, not people. The conversation underscores the need for disciplined handling to build trust and prevent false alerts in real-world scenarios.