Currently dogs identify a "find" with a particular behaviour, but they are not taught to exhibit a particular behaviour to indicate that the area is "clear"; handlers just remove them.

He wants to train dogs to positively indicate a "clear" with a particular behaviour.

Thus he is looking for volunteers to participate in a training experiment; handlers will be given the Desirel Learning Objective (DLO) and Plan of Action (POA) and of course they will need the relevant tools re signals and reinforcers etc to facilitate this.

There will be both military and civilian handlers taking part. So if you want to participate join his [a social network] page.

any thoughts on my thought SB?

As I am a mere beginner I would point you in the direction of the man himself.

He currently delivering his seminar at Buckingham University but I am sure if you join his [a social network] page, someone else could answer your questions?

good tip will do that thank you

I wonder how the handler knows to remove the dog? There must be some kind of signal given. OTOH Etta will go on looking regardless just in case----but then I haven't taught her not to.

rune

The signal is the ABSENCE of the identification behaviour.

How did you do that? It's a bloody pain to read the way it's set up.

I downloaded it on Saturday night, it is in PDF format so you can keep it on file.

Well thats what I'd have thought---and if I was looking for a bomb I think I'd rather have that than a another behaviour to indicate there is nothing there.

The multisports required the dog to signal that the scent wasn't present, which I found a bit iffy as often it can linger if the person organising it isn't careful.

Just thoughts.

rune

I cannot see it makes any difference myself, which is what I discussed with somebody who does this as a living, ie training sniffer dogs for the military.

If a dog does not "find" then ergo there is nothing there.
If a dog indicates there is nothing there, ergo there is nothing there.

The risks are the same as are the consequences if incorrect.

Training the correct identification of controlled substances has to be done very carefully and of course licensed, so the containers and protocols used are very strict.

My issue with "playing" at it, is people may be less than strict and risk cross contamination etc. Especially if you are doing this in say a hall.