Search Training for Dogs: Scent Tracking

With a nose a thousand times more sensitive than a human's, a well-trained dog makes up one-half of an efficient and effective search-and-rescue team. Guided by its handler, a search-and-rescue dog can sniff out missing or dead humans, saving lives and solving crimes.

  1. Air Scenting

    • Because human skin cells are constantly being distributed by air flow and wind, air-scenting dogs are able to be trained to pick up and follow the scent of a missing or injured person who may be miles away.

    Scent Discrimination

    • Search dogs are trained to discriminate between the scent of the missing person and all other human scents in the search area. Dogs are trained to track a specific scent in the dark, underwater, through several feet of snow or underground.

    Common Breeds

    • Dog breeds commonly trained for scent tracking are medium-to-large sporting or working breeds like Labrador and golden retrievers, German shepherd dogs, giant schnauzers, rottweilers and Dobermans, according to the National Association of Search and Rescue.

    Uses

    • Search dogs are used to find missing, injured, trapped or dead victims of accidents, natural disasters and crimes.

    Effectiveness

    • According to the National Association of Search and Rescue, a single dog team can be as effective as 20 to 30 trained humans in locating a missing person in a given amount of time.