Training Your Dog To Search For Evidence
‘Evidence dogs’ is a term used for canines trained to search for things that bear human scent. Sometimes it can be specific human scent. Such dogs are used in criminal cases where evidence is thrown away by the suspect. Such evidence is useful later when a Bloodhound is able to link its scent to the alleged suspect! Such cases are deemed as admissible in courts too.
You can train your dog also to search for evidence. If your dog loves to fetch something for you and has a knack for finding out things just by smelling them then your dog is suitable to be trained. Additionally, if your dog can trail human scent and has sometimes found out live people then it is perfect to be trained for evidence search. But it is you who has to provide him that special training.
For training your dog for evidence search, you need to invest in a few pairs of socks or washcloths, say around a dozen of them. Now, you can ask your friends to wear those socks for a day or wear the washcloths next to their skin for a couple of hours. Then ask then to keep these washcloths in plastic zip-loc bags so that the smell does not fade away. Next, you need to find a track to train your dog. The track should have high grass with a side walk or mowed grass. Place each of the washcloths in a separate hose with a couple of pebbles so that it is weighed down. While you handle these clothes, do so wearing plastic gloves so that your body smell does not get mixed up.
Now, you go to your selected path. Toss out one of the hoses so that your dog smells it in the wind. Then command your dog to fetch the hose. As your dog follows it, you too should join the animal. Once it gets the hose don’t let it take it in his mouth. Instead you pick it up yourself. You can do this separately with each of the washcloths, throwing them in separate directions. Once the animal fetches an item, praise it or reward it with something so that it gets motivated.
You can repeat the same process for a few days till your dog becomes familiar with the activity. You can further increase the training by throwing out the items in different directions and marking them by a flag. Take your dog any one of the items and command it to search for the other ones. If it is unable to do so you can help it by walking towards the item. It will get the hint and search the item for you. You can also ask your friends to bring scented items for the dog’s further training. Ask them to hide for you and then you can command your dog to carry out the search, as you place the items somewhere. This way the dog will be able to find out the subject as well as the hidden evidence. In no time your dog will become a good search dog.
Uncategorized | admin | April 13, 2008
