Effect of Handler Knowledge of the Detection Task on Canine Search Behavior and Performance

Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Mallory T DeChantNathaniel J Hall

Abstract

Detection dogs are commonly trained and tested under conditions in which the handler or the evaluator knows the true presence or absence of a target odor. Previous research has demonstrated that when handlers are deceived and led to believe that a target odor is present, more false alerts occur. However, many detection teams operate under unknown conditions, and it remains unclear how handler knowledge (or lack thereof) of odor presence/absence influences the dog's behavior. The aim of this study was to evaluate if knowing the number of hides placed influenced detection dog performance in an applied search environment. Professional (n = 20) and sport (n = 39) detection handler-dog teams were asked to search three separate areas (area 1 had one hide, area 2 had one hide, area 3 was blank). Handlers in the Unknown Group were not told any information on the number of hides whereas the Known Group were told there was a total of two hides in the three areas. The sport Unknown Group spent a longer duration (69.04 s) searching in area 3 compared to the sport Known Group (p = 0.004). Further, sport dogs in the Unknown group looked back to the handler more frequently. When a miss did occur, dogs of both sport and professional handlers s...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 9, 2020·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Lucia LazarowskiL Paul Waggoner
Oct 6, 2020·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Claire M GuestNicola J Rooney
Aug 14, 2021·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Nathaniel J HallMonique A R Udell
Aug 21, 2021·Scientific Reports·Charlotte Holmstad Arnesen, Frank Rosell

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