The value of the canine nose is well-documented, and working dogs are being utilized for their olfactory skills in an increasing number of fields. Not only are dogs used by police, security, and the military, but they are also now used in forensic science, in medical detection of disease, in calculating population trends of endangered species and e

Forensic Science: The Basics, Fourth Edition is fully updated, building on the popularity of the prior editions. The book provides a fundamental background in forensic science, criminal investigation and court testimony. It describes how various forms of evidence are collected, preserved and analyzed scientifically, and then presented in court based on the analysis of the forensic expert. The book addresses knowledge of the natural and physical sciences, including biology and chemistry, while introducing readers to the application of science to the justice system. New topics added to this edition include coverage of the formation and work of the NIST Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSACs), new sections on forensic palynology (pollen), forensic taphonomy, the opioid crisis, forensic genetics and genealogy, recent COVID-19 fraud schemes perpetrated by cybercriminals, and a wholly new chapter on forensic psychology. Each chapter presents a set of learning objectives, a mini glossary, and acronyms. While chapter topics and coverage flow logically, each chapter can stand on its own, allowing for continuous or selected classroom reading and study. Forensic Science, Fourth Edition is an ideal introductory textbook to present forensic science principles and practices to students, including those with a basic science background without requiring prior forensic science coursework.

This cutting-edge science narrative, chock-full of heartwarming case studies, is one woman’s quest to learn the true meaning of dog intelligence. This delightful narrative takes readers on a powerful search to unlock the secrets of dog cognition, based on evidence from trainers, owners, behaviorists, and the animals themselves. With in-depth reporting and more than a few personal adventures, bestselling author Jennifer S. Holland digs into what intelligence really means. Readers will meet a pack of genius dogs, each of whom embodies a particular kind of smarts. Holland spends time with Cat Warren, who trains cadaver dogs, to learn about "nose intelligence.” To unpack emotional intelligence, she examines an unlikely dog friendship; to unpack task learning ability, she seeks out an agility trainer. She interviews police-dog trainers (volunteering to be attacked by one in the name of science), service-dog trainers, and trainers who rehabilitates "bad" dogs. And she gets to know breeds that are considered especially intelligent—border collies, cattle dogs, and German shepherds—to discover whether they are truly "smarter," or just more in tune with humans. In between field experiences, Holland spends time with dogs in a variety of settings—a rescue center, a dog park, a boarding facility— while pondering the lessons they teach us about ourselves. And she’ll pose entrancing philosophical questions: How do we define intelligence in another being? Where do "instinct" and "intelligence" meet and diverge? Both surprising and heartwarming, this book is one woman’s quest to understand the world’s smartest dogs—and how they got that way.

This book unites cutting-edge research related to various aspects of dog olfaction. It includes rich expertise about detection dogs with application perspectives, and expands beyond. In four clearly arranged sections, readers will discover specialist contributions on: the fundamentals of olfaction, anatomy, comparative olfactory neuroscience and dysfunction methodological reflections on canine olfactometry and essential implications for practice, comprising dog selection for scent detection, handler bias and signal detection concepts the connection with dog behavior, cognition, welfare, and learning and training methods diverse application examples of dog olfactory capabilities, such as disease detection for diagnostics, infectious disease surveillance, forensics and ecological conservation The unique and exciting link between science and practice makes this book a valuable read not only for researchers, but also for practicing veterinarians and professionals in the fields of canine detection, chemical sensing, working dog behavior and welfare.

Train your dog to reliably follow a human scent trail Learn: - How to pick the right dog for tracking - What equipment you need - How to lay both simple and advanced tracks - The science of scent and your dog’s nose A well-trained tracking dog can be the deciding factor that determines success in both criminal investigations and search-and-rescue operations. When the stakes are high, demanding the highest level of performance from your K9, you need training methods relied upon by police forces and SAR teams around the world. Dr. Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak show you how to train your dog in clean-scent tracking, a proven method that trains dogs to follow a particular scent on a track, while ignoring cross-tracks and other odors. In K9 Professional Tracking, you’ll learn how to train a clean-scent tracking dog you can count on. You’ll also learn to fully understand what your K9 is and is not capable of in the field. With the right knowledge and techniques, you’ll be able to train tracking dogs to the highest professional standards.

Detection canines have been utilized throughout the world for over a century, and while numerous attempts have been made to replicate the canine’s ability to detect substances by mechanical means, none has been as successful. The olfactory system is a highly intricate and sophisticated design for chemical sensing, and the olfactory capacity of many animals, including canines, is considered unmatched by machine due to not only their great sensitivity and superior selectivity but also their trainability and mobility. These unique features have led to the use of such animals as "whole-animal" biosensors. Amplifying the benefits and diminishing the limitations of detection canines' interdisciplinary research is crucial to understanding canine olfaction and detection and enhancing this powerful and complex detector. The past 50 years have produced vast advancements in animal behavior/training technology to develop canines into more proficient and reliable sensors, while scientific research has provided tremendous support to help practitioners better understand how to utilize this powerful sensor. This book assembles a diverse group of authors with expertise in a variety of fields relating to detection canines and the chemical sensing industry, including both research and operational perspectives on detection canines. It illustrates how science enhances our understanding of how canines are employed for solving some of the world’s leading detection challenges.

Dogs detect scent from a source that is carried to them in a plume by the wind. The most important tool for a detector dog handler to have on searches is a knowledge of scent plume movement or "scent dynamics" (the science of scent movement). Such knowledge resides primarily in scientific journals that are largely inaccessible to detector dog handlers and written in language that is difficult to understand. Detector Dogs and the Science of Scent Movement: A Handler’s Guide to Environments and Procedures retrieves, reviews, and interprets the results of pertinent scientific research on scent dynamics and presents these results in terms that are easier for handlers to understand. Information on the physiology of the dog’s nose, their sense of smell, and the properties of scent provide the essential information on the process of scenting. The composition of training aids for explosives, narcotics, human remains and other sources is discussed. Recommendations are made on the use of training aids, their placement during training, and the resulting availability of scent. Potential problems and handler errors in the use of training aids are also examined. The characteristics of scent plumes and how wind influences their movement are a key focus of the book. The primary task for the handler is to get the dog into the scent plume so that the dog can detect the scent and follow it to the source the handler seeks. As such, a knowledge of scent and scent plume movement will vastly improve the ability of the handler to accomplish this task. The influence of weather and physical settings such as terrain, vegetation, ground cover, soil and water on scent movement are examined in detail. Strategies for searching, detecting, and locating sources in all physical settings are presented. Specific effects associated with hills and mountains, fields and forests, bare soils and soils covered by vegetation, different soil types, and lakes and rivers are examined in detail. This includes specific recommendations are made about weather and physical settings that result in higher probability of success on searches. Detector Dogs and the Science of Scent Movement will be a vital resource for K9 handles in the private and public sectors—including in Homeland Security, law enforcement, and military settings—as well as a useful guide for lawyers, forensic, and investigative professionals who need to better understand K9 operations.

This issue of Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice, guest edited by Drs. Maureen McMichael and Melissa Singletary, focuses on Working Dogs: An Update for Veterinarians. This issue is one of six issues published each year. Articles in this issue include, but are not limited to: Introduction to Working Dogs; Preventative Health Care and essential equipment needs; Anesthetic Considerations in Working Dogs; Dentistry for Working Dogs; Nutrition in Working Dogs; Current Rules and Regulations for Working Dogs; Canine Olfaction; Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in Working Dogs; Herding and Sporting Dogs; Breeding Management and Production in Working Dogs; Development and Training for Working Dogs; Military Working Dogs; Operational Canines; and Assistance, Service, and Therapy Dogs.