#117 Living The Dream with Deni McNulty & K9 Tanner

In this episode of K9s Talking Scents, host Cameron Ford sits down with Deni McNulty—a professional detection dog handler whose journey into the K9 world breaks all the traditional molds. With no military or law enforcement background, Deni started with a Craigslist shepherd and zero working dog experience. Today, she’s touring with Broadway’s Hamilton as a bomb detection dog handler with her partner Tanner.

Deni shares how she transformed personal curiosity into a thriving professional career, what it was like transitioning from sport detection to high-stakes contract work, and the hard-won lessons she learned handling everything from “a Yorkie to a psycho Malinois.” You’ll hear candid insights about handler-dog bonding, private sector challenges, and why real-world readiness goes far beyond a perfect sit.

Whether you're a handler, trainer, or just detection-dog-curious, this episode is packed with wisdom, humility, and tactical takeaways for anyone looking to break into the field from the civilian side.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro – Breaking Into K9 Detection Without Law Enforcement
01:18 Deni’s Journey: From Craigslist Puppy to Nose Work
06:50 Landing the First Detection Dog Job
08:14 Handling Her First Real Working Dog
14:16 Finding Tanner & Transitioning to Labs
18:19 Private Sector vs Law Enforcement K9 Work
25:41 Raising and Training Tanner from Puppy to Pro
34:51 Life on the Road as a Broadway Bomb Dog Handler
39:07 Real World vs Training: Reading Your Dog in Action
50:00 Continuing Education & Advice for New Handlers