 | This article possibly contains original research .(July 2020) |
Nosework, also known as scent work or scent detection, is a dog sport created to emulate tasks performed by professional detection dog. In the sport, one dog and one handler form a team where the dog must find a hidden target odor, often ignoring distractions such as food or toys, and alert the handler once the target odor is found.
Dogs hunt for specific odors. Unlike working with professional detection dogs, all odors used in sport nosework are legal to carry and own. Each governing body sets their own standard for which odors are the target odors and which levels they are paired with. At the lower levels, a single odor would be used. At higher levels, two or three of the odors might mixed to create a unique combination odor. [1] The odor is often dripped on a cotton swab, which is then hidden in a search area. The odor-dripped swab is called the 'hide'. Common odors include (but are not limited to): Anise, Birch, Clove, Myrrh, Pine, Thyme, Vetiver oil, and Wintergreen.
An element is a specific type of search area used in nosework.
Interior building search takes place on the inside of any building. Searches can be a single one room or multiple rooms. There is often an option for the search to be done on or off-leash.
Exterior area search takes place outside, often it contains grass, dirt, cement and/or gravel. These searches can be especially difficult for the dogs as there are a number of new smells (trash, food, animals, etc.), the dogs work in all weather conditions, and the dogs may be tempted to mark or eliminate.
Vehicle searches are usually three or more vehicles. The 'hide' is always on the outside of the vehicle. The types of vehicle used varies from compact cars to horse trailers to semi-trucks.
In container searches, the types of containers used varies depending on the level. Beginning levels use plain white cardboard boxes. More advanced levels use luggage, plastic bins, etc. Containers may be arranged in a pattern or randomly on the floor, or they may be placed up on chairs in a higher level.
Buried searches are a subset of container searches meant to simulate to work that professional cadaver dogs do. The hide is placed in a container and then covered in sand or water.
Handler discrimination is another category that also uses containers. Instead of a cotton swab hide, an article of clothing (usually a glove or a sock) that belongs to the dog's handler is placed in a container. The dog must then determine which box contains the correct article. This simulates the work that professional tracking dogs do when searching for people.
The National Association of Canine Scent Work has three title levels. the first level (NW1) shows proficiency in one odor, four elements, with one 'hide' in each element. Level NW2 has two odors, four elements, two hides per element, and the container search will contain at least one distractor (food, toys etc.). Level NW3 has three odors, multiple hides in each element, and the interior search may even have no hides at all and must be called "Clear" by the team. [1]
The Sport Detection Dog Association uses only three elements; they do not use vehicles. With SDDA, level SD-S has one odor, three elements, and one hide per element. Level SD-A has two odors, three elements, up to two hides for each element, and one distractor for container. Level SD-E has three odors, three elements, up to three hides for each element, and one distractor for container. [4]
The United Kennel Club uses five odors and has five levels/titles including: Novice Nosework, Advance Nosework, Superior Nosework, Master Nosework, and Elite Nosework. [5]
The Australian Canine Scent Work follows the rules and format of NACSW. [6]
Canine - Work And Games (C-WAGS) uses four odors and nine different classes.
Nosework is a relatively new sport so little research has been done on it as a behavior modification tool.
A paper was presented at the 2011 American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior symposium, by Dr. Valli Parthasarathy on using nosework as a behavior modification protocol. [7] One pilot study has been done to see if human perceptions of canines change after a nosework class. [8]
Some anecdotal evidence suggests nosework has helped dogs with behavior problems. Canines with a fear of humans can work and be rewarded in an environment with people around, but the dogs are not forced to interact. In nosework dogs are worked one at a time, so canines with dog aggression are able to have fun without other dogs in close proximity. [9]
There can also be an increase in time spent with the dog, while participating in nosework. Research has shown that even a slight increase in time spent interacting with your dog, will decrease the dog's separation anxiety, improve obedience and help form a stronger human-canine bond. [10]
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador is a British breed of retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the colony of Newfoundland, and was named after the Labrador region of that colony. It is among the most commonly kept dogs in several countries, particularly in the European world.
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various traditional German herding dogs from 1899.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official forming of the AKC, the National Dog Show and the AKC National Championship. The AKC is a non-member partner with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. The AKC recognizes 200 dog breeds, as of 2022.
Schutzhund, currently known competitively as IGP and previously as IPO, is a dog sport that tests a dog's tracking, obedience, and protection skills, and evaluates if a dog has the appropriate traits and characteristics of a good working dog. It was developed in Germany in the early 1900s as a suitability test for German Shepherds, but soon became the model for training and evaluating all five of the German protection breeds, which included Boxer, Dobermann, Giant Schnauzer, and Rottweiler. Though any breed of dog can participate, today the sport is dominated by German Shepherds and the Belgian Shepherd breed. Dog owners and handlers participate in Schutzhund clubs as a group activity for training the dogs, and clubs sponsor trials to test the dogs and award titles. The best dogs can qualify to participate in national and international level championships.
The Vizsla, also known as Hungarian Vizsla, Magyar Vizsla or Hungarian Pointer, is a dog breed from Hungary and belongs to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) group 7, the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) group 1, and the American Kennel Club. The Hungarian or Magyar Vizsla or Smooth-Haired Vizsla are sporting dogs and loyal companions. The Vizsla's medium size is one of the breed's most appealing characteristics. As a hunter of fowl and upland game, the Vizsla has held a prominent position among sporting dogs – that of household companion and family dog.
Gun dogs or bird dogs are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game. The term hunting dog is broad and includes all breeds and skills of hunting canines, but "gun dogs" refers to canines that are trained to work alongside a loud firearm while hunting or retrieving game. Gun dogs are divided into three main categories: pointers and retrievers, setters and spaniels, and water dogs.
A police dog, also known as a K-9, is a dog that is trained to assist police and other law enforcement officers. Their duties may include searching for drugs and explosives, locating missing people, finding crime scene evidence, protecting officers and other people, and attacking suspects who flee from officers. The breeds most commonly used by law enforcement are the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Bloodhound, Dutch Shepherd, and Labrador Retriever. In recent years, the Belgian Malinois has become the leading choice for police and military work due to their intense drive, focus, agility, and smaller size, though German Shepherds remain the breed most associated with law enforcement.
Crufts is an international dog show held annually in the United Kingdom, held since 1891, and organised by The Kennel Club. It is the largest show of its kind in the world.
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to individuals.
Musical canine freestyle, also known as musical freestyle, freestyle dance, and canine freestyle, is a modern dog sport that is a mixture of obedience training, tricks, and dance that allows for creative interaction between dogs and their owners. The sport has developed into competition forms in several countries around the world.
The McNab Dog, also called the McNab Shepherd or McNab Collie is a herding dog that originated in Hopland, Mendocino County, Northern California. The McNab was bred to withstand the tough conditions found in California such as heat, burrs, foxtails, and rugged terrain. Until recently, the McNab was little known outside California, but in last three decades have seen a gain in popularity and geographic dispersal of the breed.
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense most used by detection dogs is smell. Hunting dogs that search for game, and search and rescue dogs that work to find missing humans are generally not considered detection dogs but instead under their own categories. There is some overlap, as in the case of cadaver dogs, trained to search for human remains.
Tracking refers to a dog's ability to detect, recognize and follow a specific scent. Possessing heightened olfactory abilities, dogs, especially scent hounds, are able to detect, track and locate the source of certain odours. A deeper understanding of the physiological mechanisms and the phases involved in canine scent tracking has allowed humans to utilize this animal behaviour in a variety of professions. Through domestication and the human application of dog behaviour, different methods and influential factors on tracking ability have been discovered. While tracking was once considered a predatory technique of dogs in the wild, it has now become widely used by humans.
An earthdog test or earthdog trial tests the working ability and instinct of the small, often short-legged terriers or Dachshunds. These dogs were bred to hunt vermin and other quarry which lived in underground dens. Earthdog den tests involve human-made tunnels that the dogs must navigate, while scenting a rat, "the quarry". The dog must follow the scent to the quarry and then "work" the quarry. Depending on the sanctioning organization, "working" means barking, scratching, staring, pawing, digging; any active behavior. The quarry is protected at all times by wooden bars across the end of the tunnel. The hunting encounter is controlled, and neither the dog nor the quarry are endangered by the activity.
The Dutch Shepherd is a herding dog of Dutch origin. They were used by shepherds and farmers who needed a versatile dog, with few demands, and a dog that was able to adapt to a harsh and meager existence.
A search-and-rescue dog is one trained to find missing people after a natural or man-made disaster. The dogs detect human scent and have been known to find people under water, under snow, and under collapsed buildings.
An obedience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) obedience regulations
The basic objective of obedience trials, however, is to recognize dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs, in a manner that will reflect credit on the sport of obedience at all times and under all conditions.
Rally obedience is a dog sport based on obedience. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling"—doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises. The doodles were usually parts of obedience exercises that taught the skills and improved performance and accuracy.
Human–canine bonding is the relationship between dogs and humans. This relationship can be traced back to at least 15,000 years ago, to the Bonn-Oberkassel dog, who was found buried alongside two humans. For centuries, dogs have been considered man's best friend. This is most evident in western countries, such as the United States, where over 48% of households have a pet dog.
Florida v. Harris, 568 U.S. 237 (2013), was a case in which the United States Supreme Court addressed the reliability of a dog sniff by a detection dog trained to identify narcotics, under the specific context of whether law enforcement's assertions that the dog is trained or certified is sufficient to establish probable cause for a search of a vehicle under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Harris was the first Supreme Court case to challenge the dog's reliability, backed by data that asserts that on average, up to 80% of a dog's alerts are wrong. Twenty-four U.S. States, the federal government, and two U.S. territories filed briefs in support of Florida as amici curiae.