Megan Davis & Kahn: Trust, Training, and the Nose of a Dutch Shepherd
Megann Davis and Kahn
From struggling with scent work to earning a WDDO Certificate of Achievement—and continuing toward the next challenge
When Megan Davis first started scent work with Kahn, she didn't know exactly where the journey would take them.
Kahn was her first Dutch Shepherd, her first sport dog, and the first dog she had ever trained in scent work.
And it didn't come easily.
In fact, there was a point when Megan had given up on scent work altogether.
But sometimes, the most rewarding achievements begin with going back to the beginning.
Starting Over
The turning point came when Megan attended a detection seminar with Georgie Jones from Wales.
After watching Megan and Kahn work, Georgie gave her some honest advice: they needed to go back to square one and rebuild.
Megan took that advice seriously.
She took Kahn off odor completely and spent months doing ball hides.
The goal was to build Kahn's hunt drive and teach him to problem-solve rather than rely on memory.
It was a complete reset.
And it changed everything.
Instead of simply expecting Kahn to know where the odor was, Megan focused on teaching him how to search, how to work through a problem, and how to trust his own nose.
That foundation would eventually lead the pair to a major achievement.
WDDO Double-Blind Testing
On July 11, 2026, Megan and K-9 Kahn earned a World Detector Dog Organization (WDDO) Certificate of Achievement for “Double Blind Testing” as a Sport Scent Detection Canine Team.
The certificate recognizes Kahn as a male brindle Dutch Shepherd and states that he successfully completed the prescribed training and demonstrated proficiency in locating the odor of Sport Scent.
Learn more about the World Detector Dog Organization (WDDO)
But what does the testing actually involve?
What Does WDDO Sport Scent Testing Look Like?
Megann Davis and Kahn
According to Megan, the testing is divided into several elements.
The first is odor recognition. The dog searches scent tubes containing distractor odors alongside the target odor. For sport scent, the test includes 1–2 hides.
Next comes the luggage search, which can contain 0–1 hides.
The final element is the area search, which consists of four rooms, with 1–3 hides.
The standards are demanding.
For odor recognition and luggage searches, no false alerts or misses are allowed.
The area search allows one false alert, but zero misses.
As Megan explains, if there are two hides and the team calls three, they can still pass. But if there are two hides and the team finds only one, they fail.
And there is another important requirement:
Each element must be passed before the team can move on to the next.
That makes preparation—and the partnership between dog and handler—critical.
From Struggle to Competition
Megann Davis and Kahn
Megan and Kahn's progress didn't stop with their WDDO achievement.
They now actively compete in Detection Dog Trials (DDT).
At last year's Nationals, the pair achieved Reserve High in Trial in Prelim, the sport's introductory level.
At that level, there is one hide per search area, with hides placed at three feet or lower.
But Megan and Kahn aren't staying at the introductory level.
Their next challenge is already on the calendar.
This coming February, they will compete in the DDT National Championship in the Novice division, where searches can include two hides per search area, with hides buried or elevated up to six feet.
The challenge is getting harder.
And Kahn is ready to keep learning.
The Dutch Shepherd Advantage
Kahn's story is also a wonderful example of why working with a Dutch Shepherd can be so rewarding.
The breed is intelligent, energetic, persistent, and capable of working closely with its handler while also thinking independently.
But Kahn's story also demonstrates something important:
Talent alone isn't enough.
Sometimes a dog needs a different approach.
Sometimes the handler needs to step back.
And sometimes the best way forward is to start again.
Megan's willingness to do exactly that transformed her team's scent-work journey.
The Real Achievement
The certificate hanging on the wall is the visible part of the story.
The real achievement is everything that came before it.
The decision not to quit.
The willingness to rebuild.
Months of ball hides.
Teaching Kahn to hunt.
Teaching him to solve problems.
And learning, together, how to trust the nose of a Dutch Shepherd.
From struggling with scent work to competing nationally, Megan and Kahn have shown what can happen when a handler is willing to listen, adapt, and give a dog the foundation he needs to succeed.
Congratulations, Megan & Kahn!
Dutch Shepherd News congratulates Megan Davis and K-9 Kahn on their WDDO Certificate of Achievement and their continued success in Detection Dog Trials.
Their journey is a wonderful reminder that sometimes success isn't about how quickly you reach the goal.
It's about being willing to start over, build the foundation, and keep going.
And for Megan and Kahn, the search continues. 🐾 Learn more about WDDO