K9 Lady -

This is the long read on what it really takes to be a K9 Lady. One of the biggest hurdles a K9 Lady faces is the assumption that she cannot physically control a patrol dog.

"I don't find that my dog is softer; I find that he is clearer ," says Maria Velez, a K9 Lady who trains detection dogs for wildlife conservation. "Male handlers often rely on 'pressure.' I rely on pattern recognition. My dog alerts on the scent of ivory because he wants to play with me, not because he is afraid of disappointing me." k9 lady

But across the United States and Europe, a new archetype is proving to be just as formidable—often more so. She is the . This is the long read on what it