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Most of us have seen search and rescue dogs locating lost children on television shows. On TV, dogs use any means possible to find a lost person, from sniffing for human scent in the air to sniffing an article of clothing and tracking that individual’s unique scent.  All humans, alive or dead, are constantly emitting millions of microscopic particles bearing human scent. These particles may be carried by the wind for a distance, or drop close to the ground, or attach to nearby foliage. These particles are what the Trailing Dog will follow. TRAILING DOGS The trailing dog is often referred to as a “tracking” dog, although “tracking” and “trailing” are not the same to the purist. The trailing dog is directed to find a specific person by following minute particles of human tissue or skin cells cast off by the person as he or she travels. These heavier-than air particles, which contain a person’s scent, will normally be close to the ground or on nearby foliage. This trail of scent is what the dog will follow to locate the lost person. The scent specific dog follows that specific scent and no other. The trailing dog will frequently have its “nose to the ground” but will occasionally lift it, and often will “weave” to follow where the scent has been blown. Each dog is trained for scent discrimination and usually worked in a harness, on a leash, and given an uncontaminated scent article (such as a piece of clothing) belonging to the missing person. The dog follows that scent and no other. At times the dog may track, following the person’s footsteps, or air scent, and home in on the subject’s scent. A Bloodhound is typically thought of for this type of trailing, though many other breeds are as effective. Field contamination (scent of others) should not affect the scent specific trailing dogs work. He should be able to trail scents on pavement, streets, grass, water, etc. If there is a good scent article, and a point where the person was last seen, a trailing dog can be the fastest way to find the victim. Without the scent article and a point where the person was last seen, the trailing dog cannot work effectively. |
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Cross Roads Search and Rescue of
Illinois, Inc. |