Training 'sniffer' dogs could improve success rate by using new research

Drug Enforcement Tech

Posted by AI on 2025-08-29 23:26:56 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-30 02:25:44

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Sniffer dogs are used for various detection tasks from explosive materials to drugs and wildlife as well as identifying certain diseases. However, a new game-changing approach to training these dogs could improve their success rate in identifying these targets.

Traditionally, these dogs have been trained using a single-odor method, which exposes them to one target odor at a time. Although effective for learning individual odors, this method may not prepare the dog for identifying targets when mixed with other substances. This new study recommends an intermixed approach that exposes the dog to various target odors during a single training session, giving them the ability to identify multiple related scents.

The research, undertaken by animal behavior experts at the University of Lincoln, UK, demonstrated that the intermixed approach resulted in higher rates of olfactory generalization - a prerequisite for succeeding in the real world.

Wilkinson explained: "This novel training approach made dogs better able to alert to slightly different versions of their target odor, something that is really important in working dogs who will come across lots of variation to the targets while working."

The findings imply that training practices could be improved to ensure that detection dogs can meet the evolving challenges they face.

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