How Do Search Dogs Smell a Lost Person?
A dog’s sense of smell is millions of times better than a person’s sense of smell. Humans shed skin cells that contain scent at a rate of 40,000 per minute – whether the person is alive or dead, buried or underwater. The scent travels on air currents from the human outward in the shape of a cone. The dog uses the air currents to pick up the scent and follow it to the source – the person. The job of the search and rescue dogs is to find the lost person as quickly as possible or to determine that the person is not in the area being searched. Top of Page What does the handler do? The handler is given an assignment to search a specific area marked on a map. The handler uses their map and a compass to navigate through the area. The handler’s job is to make sure the dog has the best chance to find the lost person. The handler must use her knowledge of air currents, scent theory, weather and terrain to plan her strategy and maximize the use of the dog. Top of Page What Happens Once The Dog Fi
