Experts Answer FAQ about Bloodhound's Man-trailing Ability.
Larry Harris, Irvine (CA) P.D.: harris@webworldinc.comEd Kilby, President, American Bloodhound Club/ABC: www.bloodhounds.orgOfc. Jeff Schettler, Alameda (CA) P.D.: ronins@home.comPtlm. Jack Shuler, Salem (IL) P.D.: sbhound@midwest.netJan Tweedie, Cor. Chief, Kittitas Co. (WA): tweediej@eburg.comLt. (retired) Weldon “Woody” L. Wood, President, National Police Bloodhound Association/NPBA: www.npba.com
Below are the written answers to a questionnaire prepared by Claudine Ryce, Executive Director of The Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction. The responses were returned to her prior to their serving as paid instructors at the March 2000 trailing training meet. If an instructor did not make a written response, he/she is not named under the question. The 4-day field meet, attended by more than 70 teams, was co-sponsored by The Jimmy Ryce Center and the Highland County Sheriff’s Office in Sebring, Florida. It was funded through a grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Can bloodhounds follow older human scent trails than other dogs?
Harris: Yes. On 12/10/98, my bloodhound “Trace” ran a 6 ½ day old trail, 3.3 miles long, in the city. We had just had 2 inches of rain on Dec. 5th, then strong Santa Ana winds on Dec. 8 and 9. Under questioning by the detectives, the defendant admitted the dog was right. The defendant was convicted of 2nd degree murder on Jan. 21, 2000.
Kilby: Yes. The oldest I’ve trailed was 36 hours old, on asphalt, after a heavy rain.
Schettler: Yes, on the average, it seems bloodhounds can. However, other well trained scent dogs can still do a good job. My bloodhound’s oldest actual trails were five and nine days old.
Shuler: Yes. The oldest trial I’ve run successfully was nine days old.
Tweedie: Yes. In moderate temperatures with moisture and light wind, a bloodhound can work with scent after many days.
Woody: Yes. Depending on weather and terrain conditions, bloodhounds can follow a trail as much as a week old.
Can bloodhounds successfully follow the scent trail of a particular person, even though many other human and animal scents cross and overlap the person’s trail?
Harris: Yes.
Kilby: Yes. The most scent contaminated trail my bloodhound has handled was in a shopping plaza.
Schettler: Yes. We work in the city for the most part. Generally speaking, every trail is badly contaminated with other scents. Our worst was in downtown San Francisco. We also have worked quite a few shopping malls and ‘projects.’ These areas need to be trained for.
Shuler: Yes.
Tweedie: Yes. We have trailed through crowds in schools, malls, both indoors and outdoors, in a variety of conditions.
Woody: Yes. Bloodhounds trained to scent discriminate, per N.P.B.A. or similar methods, have no problem focusing on individual scent.
Are there ways to reduce scent contaminants which dull the bloodhound’s sense of smell?
Harris: Exhaust fumes can affect the dog’s nose. The solution is to take the bloodhound out of the area so the dog can clear its olfactory system and remove the vehicle giving off the exhaust fumes.
Schettler: If the contaminants are already present, there is little a handler can do. Carbon monoxide from vehicles can be a scent killer. Responders should turn off their engines.
Shuler: An insignificant problem.
Tweedie: Yes. It’s important to train first responders to protect the crime scene by minimizing traffic and securing possible scent articles.
Can a bloodhound follow the trail of a child carried away in someone’s arms?
Harris: Yes. We have successfully trained for this condition many times.
Schettler: Yes. I’ve trained for this. It would be similar to someone on a bike or motorcycle. A person does not have to walk to leave a scent trail.
Shuler: Yes.
Tweedie: Yes. Scent rafts fall off the body; so a child being carried still will raft scent. The dog is following the scent from the child. My bloodhound and I have followed kids on foot and in vehicles.
Woody: Theoretically, yes. I have not myself ever had the opportunity to trail the carrying away of a child. However, if you subscribe to the theory of skin rafts and individual scent, then, a properly trained bloodhound should be able to follow this type of trail.
Can a bloodhound follow the scent of a child inside a car by means of the faint scent expelled through the car ventilation system?
Harris: Yes. Jerry Nichols, with his bloodhound Yogi, in the Alie case did this. I did this with bloodhounds Edna and Duchess on the Anthony Martinez case in Beaumont, California.
Kilby: Yes.
Schettler: Yes, though it is not common and should not be expected. My hound has done several. The only confirmed trail was of a cop killer. The trail was approximately 4-5 miles long, and we were shot at the end.
Shuler: I’ve worked numerous cases wherein people I was trailing were traveling in cars.
Tweedie: We have worked trails both in practice and in real casework when the victim was in a trunk, riding in a car with the windows up, etc. Trailing someone in a car requires practice in drop trailing and various scenarios, as with the windows down, with the person sitting on the trunk bed.
Woody: Theoretically, yes. I have no personal experience with this, but have heard of other handlers who have done so. Again, it’s based on the theory of skin rafts, vapors coming out of the car ventilation system.
Can you teach a bloodhound to follow the scent of a child carried away inside a car?
Harris: Yes. By utilizing different training scenarios.
Kilby: Yes.
Schettler: Trial and error. There are so many variables that it makes it impossible to produce a perfect training program. Car trails are the exception, not the rule. One should not expect to successfully follow scent given off by a person in a car. But sometimes it happens.
Shuler: Yes. Through scenario simulation.
Tweedie: Work these scenes into training early and often. Put the runner in and under cover and work up to stationary vehicles, then to moving. Include containers and dumpsters as well as cars.
Is the scent of children fainter than adults and thus less easy to trail?
Harris: Not to my knowledge.
Kilby: No. My dog has better success with children.
Schettler: Not necessarily.
Shuler: No difference.
Tweedie: Not necessarily as everyone drops rafts which with the help of bacteria create the scent trail. If the child is nude or has more exposed skin showing as a result of being in a diaper, more rafts, in fact, drop off.
Does fear heighten scent?
Harris: Yes. It enhances basic scent.
Kilby: Only if it causes excess perspiration.
Schettler: It seems to.
Shuler: Yes.
Tweedie: Yes. It charges the scent.
Do medications taken by people desensitize the dog’s nose?
Harris: Not that I’m aware of. I have never had a problem with that.
Kilby: No.
Schettler: I doubt it. However, Alzheimer patients can be tough due to the diminished emotional states, possibly creating a fainter scent picture.
Shuler: No. There are no documented studies to support this theory.
Tweedie: It may change the scent as chemicals can. However, it would still create its own scent and permeate the bed clothes and other things you are likely to start the dog on.
If bloodhounds are able to follow fainter scent trails than other dogs, how much better are they, and what do you base your opinion on?
Harris: Bloodhounds are anatomically designed with long necks and ears to scoop up the scent toward their nose. Their slobber enriches the scent before it is taken into the olfactory system. They are also very single minded and determined.
Kilby: Bloodhounds have a larger olfactory part of their brain than other dogs.
Schettler: Hunting dogs are bred to be good at hunting particular types of game–the fox hound to find foxes, the golden retrievers for birds. Although bloodhounds were used initially to hunt deer, they have been bred for hundreds of years to hunt people.
Shuler: They’re bred to have a superior olfactory system specifically designed to trail human scent. I base my belief on 22 years of practical experience.
Tweedie: The olfactory membrane appears to be larger. The folds of skin and droop of the head focus the scent near the nose.
Woody: Bloodhounds are better able to trail because of the size of the olfactory lobe in the brain and their olfactory system. I’ve seen different figures on how much better bloodhounds trail.
How long can the scent of a particular human being hang in the air or lie on the ground or the surface of water?
Harris: It depends on the conditions that exist on the trail. Many combinations of factors can affect the longevity of scent. Some bloodhounds are better than others too.
Kilby: It depends on the wind, humidity, temperature.
Schettler: You could write a book on this subject, and still it would remain unclear. Some of the factors which affect trails are time, weather, and human, chemical, and animal contaminates.
Shuler: Unknown. There are too many variables involved to make a blanket statement.
Tweedie: Scent can rest in places for a long time. Think of tombs, caves, etc. Wind, moisture, temperature, traffic cause the scent to move in the air. It can adhere to the ground, vegetation.
Woody: Again, this is a variable depending upon weather conditions, etc.
What physical characteristics of bloodhounds enable them to follower human scent trails better than other dogs?
Harris: The bloodhound has a long neck, long ears, loose skin and wrinkles, slobber, and a very large olfactory cavity.
Kilby: Better nose, long ears, and dewlaps.
Schettler: Possibly a higher number of olfactory receptor cells in their nasal cavity. The quality of their noses seems to be the major physical characteristic. Slobber may enhance scent, and the shape of their ears and jowls may scoop up scent I suppose.
Shuler: See the AKC breed standard.
Tweedie: The physical structure of a well bred bloodhound supports the tough work of trailing.
Woody: As I said, the size of their olfactory system and olfactory lobe in the brain.
Are bloodhounds lazy, or will they keep trailing until they drop of exhaustion unless they are trained to take breaks for their handlers’ and their own sakes?
Harris: Bloodhounds will keep trailing until they drop. We have to be very careful working wilderness trails in the hot, dry California desert country. The handler has to be constantly alert to the signs of overheating in his bloodhound.
Kilby: No. Yes.
Schettler: I have never run with a dog with more stamina. Their appearance gives the illusion of laziness.
Shuler: No, they are not lazy. Yes, they would trail till they drop. I train for real-life situations. We stop to rest in real-life.
Tweedie: No, they will trail in 100 degree heat across freeways.
Woody: The latter is true if the bloodhound has been properly trained.
Can a human lose a bloodhound by crossing over streams or swimming across lakes?
Harris: No. Scent will lay on top of the water. They can’t be fooled. . . . They may have to work the problem out. We do lots of water training and our dogs are all comfortable around the water.
Kilby: No.
Schettler: No. Ronin’s first find was after swimming a quarter mile up a stream. The trail was 5 days old.
Shuler: No.
Tweedie: No. We have worked streams, crossed ponds and lakes. Scent, of course, will follow the current, but it continues to pour off the body in the water as well as in the air.
Woody: No. The scent is still there, though it may be relocated. The thing to do is to try to pick up the trail where the subject came out of the stream or lake.
Can bloodhounds trail in temperatures below freezing? What is the lowest temperature your bloodhound has successfully trailed a human?
Harris: We have successfully worked in 30 degrees in Southern California.
Schettler: Yes, but it is difficult I suppose for dog and handler. Working in California where I am I don’t have much experience with cold weather.
Shuler: Yes. We’ve worked in -10 degrees.
Tweedie: Yes. I have trailed in 5 below zero in winter. It’s best to trail after daylight to use the ambient heat.
Woody: Yes. How far below freezing I don’t know. In the teens or twenties I know is O.K.
What is the longest your bloodhound has trailed without taking a break when the temperature is 90 degrees or above?
Harris: It depends on the individual dog and their conditioning. It’s best to break bloodhounds frequently and water them down when they show signs of fatigue.
Kilby: One hour.
Schettler: About 5 to 7 miles, with water every two miles.
Shuler: 10.1 miles.
Tweedie: 2 hours, then a water break and back to work.
Woody: This depends on the physical condition of the bloodhound and what environment he is acclimated to–the desert, the Southwest, the humid East or South.
Is there anything the handler can do to enable his/her bloodhound to trail longer in hot weather?
Harris: Yes. Carry extra water and spray bottles to cool down the dog and take frequent breaks. Check their gums for signs of overheating.
Kilby: Yes. Take breaks. Have water available.
Schettler: Yes, conditioning and frequent water breaks. You have to train for it. However, the problem isn’t just the effect on the dog, but also the effect on the scent. Hot conditions seem to cause the scent to hover. To get an idea of this, picture a hot desert highway and the heat waves rising off of it. Scent in these conditions drifts up and can rise above the dog’s head. It might be better to trail at night if it is too hot in the daytime.
Shuler: Take plenty of water. Train in hot weather!
Tweedie: Yes. Let your dog live in a hot climate.
Woody: Yes. He can stop and rest frequently. Have water available.
Does normal rain enhance scent and make trailing easier? What about high humidity?
Harris: Yes, absolutely. The moisture helps the bloodhound’s olfactory system and enhances the scent. Because humid air is rich with moisture, this makes it easier for the bloodhound to process the scent.
Kilby: Rain settles the skin flakes to the ground. If the humidity and the temperature are high, the scent may rise over the dog’s head.
Schettler: Yes. If it is torrential, however, the scent trail could be blown every which way if it isn’t pounded into the ground. On the other hand, high humidity seems to make a better trail, due to better breakdown of the skin cells I suppose.
Shuler: Yes. Rain and moisture in the air both increase bacterial activity on scent rafts.
Woody: Not really, though warm rain or damp conditions can enhance bacterial action.
Can bloodhounds trail in a down pour? In a windstorm? What is the worst rain conditions your dog has successfully trailed in?
Harris: Yes. Our bloodhound trailed a drunk driver who walked away from a crash, and the rain was a “gully-washer downpour.” Trailed right to his house.
Kilby: No.
Schettler: Yes. In a down pour, I caught a car thief. No, I wouldn’t think any dog could follow a scent trail in a windstorm.
Shuler: Yes. Yes. Torrential downpour.
Woody: Because a downpour could move scent around so much, I’d wait till it stops.
Do bloodhounds trail better at night or in daylight?
Harris: There is more moisture in the air at night. It depends on the dog’s training. Some dogs like night better.
Schettler: At night because it is generally cooler. Let’s say in the daytime the temperature is 100 degrees and the barometric pressure is high. The scent may float up so high, the scent trail is over the dog’s head, meaning he can’t follow it. When the temperature cools at night, the scent trail may sink low enough for the dog to follow it, and if the air is damp, this may make the trail “hotter’ than normal.
Shuler: Bloodhounds track better at night due to higher humidity and cooler temps.
Woody: I’d say usually better at night, really early A.M. or late evening when the temperature is lower and the humidity is higher.
Can bloodhounds take scent off a scuff mark on a window or a footprint in dust or mud or snow?
Harris: Yes.
Kilby: Yes.
Schettler: Yes.
Shuler: Yes.
Woody: Yes, if the scent rafts are still there. But, what is better is to make a gauze scent article from the mark or footprint.
What are some of the different things your bloodhound has taken scent off of?
Harris: Shell cases, cigarette butts, bomb fragments, blood, spit, keys, coins, pins, glasses, anything with personal scent cells on it or in it.
Schettler: The neck and hands of a victim, shell castings, body fluids.
Shuler: My bloodhounds have taken scent off of everything from toenails to tampons.
Can a bloodhound locate where a drowning victim is to assist in recovery of the body?
Harris: Yes. Bloodhounds can be cross-trained for cadaver work. Scent rises from the submerged body.
Kilby: Yes. The body continues to give off the unique scent of the person, as well as the scent of decay.
Schettler: Yes. There may be scent from where the victim went down plus scent coming up off the body, depending on the condition of the body and the time frame.
Shuler: Yes. Humans continue to give off scent; the scent is from where the victim went down and from the submerged body.
Can bloodhounds be used to look for dead bodies?
Harris: Yes, but they are not any better than other dogs. The longest dead body my bloodhound has found was one week old in a lake. Many breeds can be trained to find dead bodies.
Kilby: Yes, but they are not better than other dogs at finding bodies.
Schettler: Yes, if the bloodhound has been trained for it.
Shuler: Yes. But I don’t believe in wasting bloodhounds on cadaver work!
Woody: Yes. It’s been done by many individuals.
Are bloodhounds better than other dogs at finding bodies long buried?
Harris: I know one bloodhound found human remains of a person killed in 1812.
Schettler: Yes. The oldest I know of is 184 years. The oldest I’ve found was 48 hours old.
Woody: Yes. Again, it depends on the bloodhound’s training.
Should the bloodhound be at the head of the trailing team if other types of dogs are used?
Harris: Yes. The only time I can think of when the bloodhound should not head the team is if air scenting dogs are doing a “hasty” area search.
Kilby: Yes.
Schettler: Yes. When I located a barricaded suspect, I pulled the hound back. Normally, a patrol dog and its handler should follow approximately 10 to 20 yards behind the bloodhound team. If the hound stops or circles, the patrol dog handler should also stop until the hound continues the trail. When there is a building or yard, though, the patrol dog should take over and clear the premises. The trail, then, can continue with the bloodhound going first, with the patrol dog leap-frogging ahead when needed to protect the bloodhound team from ambush and catch the culprit if he is hiding. A bloodhound rarely will attack or bite the thing giving off the scent it is following.
Shuler: Yes. There are no times when the bloodhound should not head the team.
Woody: Yes, if it’s a criminal case. Most states allow the handler of a bloodhound to testify regarding what his dog’s trailing means. If you are looking for a lost person, it depends.
Does breeding an AKC bloodhound with any dog other than a bloodhound result in diminished scent capacity or “nose” in the offspring?
Harris: Yes. Forty five of the 50 states only recognize the testimony of purebred, AKC registered bloodhounds.
Kilby: Yes.
Schettler: I have no experience here.
Shuler: Yes.
Woody: Theoretically, yes. You are possibly altering the size of the olfactory system and olfactory lobe.
Are there any reasons breeding well bred bloodhounds with other breeds is desirable?
Harris: No. The bloodhound has the best trailing capabilities, and its testimony is accepted in court.
Kilby: Each dog breed has a definite purpose.
Schettler: I can’t think of any.
Shuler: Absolutely not!
Woody: No. Why do it?
Is it true that most well bred bloodhounds on leads do not bay when trailing or getting near the subject?
Harris: Yes. In criminal work the dog should run silent so the suspect won’t be alerted to your presence. In searching for a missing child the baying might frighten the child.
Kilby: Yes. For SAR [Search and Rescue] work, there is no reason to put fear in the lost person.
Schettler: Yes. The advantage of this is surprise if you are trailing a person who may be violent.
Shuler: Yes. The advantage of this in criminal cases is obvious: it keeps the handler from being shot.
Woody: Most don’t.
Can you read your bloodhound better when it is on a lead than when running loose?
Harris: Yes. I only know one handler who runs her bloodhound off-lead. In town a loose bloodhound is a dead bloodhound.
Schettler: On a lead, I can see him, and he won’t leave me in the dust. The lead is like an umbilical cord; it’s the life-line between the hound and the handler.
Shuler: The trailing lead is like a line of communication between you and your hound.
Woody: Yes. You are closer to your bloodhound and can see his body language better.
What are some of the “signals” your bloodhound gives you, and what does each mean?
Harris: Each dog has its own “body-language” and the handler must learn to read his own dog.
Kilby: A stiff tail means he is working. A slack tail means he is searching. There is loud snorting when he is hot on the trail. His tail starts wagging when he is near the subject. The tail goes down and his head goes up when he is playing, not working.
Shuler: Too numerous to mention. All dogs are different.
What are some signals you can teach your bloodhound to give you and may want to?
Harris: You can teach the dog start-commands and different types of IDs.
Schettler: Sits and paws the correct person for an ID. Sits and paws evidence related to the suspect. I have a video of both. He pulls real hard when he is close.
Shuler: You don’t teach them your signals. You learn to interpret their signals.
Can a bloodhound be read better or trail better when assigned to a single handler rather than multiple handlers?
Harris: Yes. The handler and hound are a team and learn to work together. The handler learns to read every move the dog makes, and the hound knows what to expect from the handler.
Kilby: Yes.
Schettler: Yes. It’s like cop partners on a beat. You get to know each other; read each other’s responses.
Shuler: Yes. Handler and hound are a team. They read each other.
Woody: Yes. A rapport is established between the bloodhound and the handler, and one handler is able to interpret the dog’s language better than several who may not see things as much.
In your state, does a bloodhound’s trailing the scent of a missing child or that of a fleeing felon to a residence give law enforcement probable cause to get a warrant to enter the house?
Harris: Yes. In California, normally, a judge will sign a search warrant based on the trail of one of our bloodhounds.
Schettler: Yes, that’s true in California.
Shuler: Yes. In most instances in Illinois.
Woody: Yes. In certain circumstances in Maryland.
In your state is a bloodhound’s identification of a subject in a scent line-up from a scent article from a crime scene admissible in court?
Harris: Yes, but you must have additional corroborative evidence. You cannot convict on the bloodhound’s testimony only.
Kilby: Yes, in Florida.
Schettler: Yes. In California we have had one line-up identification case admitted.
Shuler: No, not in Illinois.
Woody: Yes. A bloodhound’s identification was upheld on appeal in a Kent County case in Maryland.
How much greater is the scent capacity of a bloodhound to its nearest trailing competitor?
Harris: Labradors are good trailers. The amount of training and effort you put into training any dog is what makes the difference.
Kilby: Any K-9 is usually good on a hot trail, but most, other than bloodhounds, are not good on a cold trail.
Shuler: Ask a scientist.
Woody: I do not know what dog has the next best ability to trail humans. There are several figures comparing how much better bloodhounds scent discriminate than some other dogs.
Is it true that bloodhounds trail the scent rather than track the actual route the person took?
Harris: They do both, depending on the conditions on the trail.
Kilby: Yes. But sometimes they do both.
Schettler: Yes.
Shuler: Yes.
Woody: Yes. Bloodhounds follow the scent trail, which may be a considerable distance away from the actual trail, depending on the wind and terrain.
Is there any relationship between a bloodhound’s scent capacity and its being an AKC bloodhound?
Harris: Yes. Being an AKC Registered Purebred Bloodhound is a court requirement in 45 out of the 50 states for court testimony.
Kilby: Usually the AKC hounds are purebred.
Schettler: No. It’s the breed, not the paperwork, which accounts for the quality of the nose, though AKC registration may give some credibility to the breeding.
Shuler: AKC registration is not an indication of quality.
Woody: It is not AKC registration which makes a proficient bloodhound; it’s training.
Is there any way to know when you purchase a two- or three-month-old puppy if it is likely to develop hip dysplais severe enough to make it unfit for trailing?
Harris: It’s hereditary. That is why it’s called a developmental disease. But there is no way to tell if a puppy is going to develop severe hip dysplais. You should help your puppy develop muscle strength through proper exercise to keep the joints stable, and you must not allow the puppy to become overweight.
Kilby: It’s hereditary, and there is no way to know when you purchase a puppy if it is going to develop severe hip dysplais.
Schettler: Yes, as it’s hereditary, have both parents X-rayed and cleared before you buy, and have the pup X-rayed too to see if any abnormality is already showing up.
Shuler: Hip dysplais is hereditary. You can check to see if the dog’s parents have it, but there is no way to tell if a two-month old puppy will develop severe hip dysplais.
What other defects affecting the dog’s ability to trail are hereditary, and how do you detect them in a young dog?
Harris: Elbow, back problems, bad feet with thin pads, poor eyes. Any physical condition that would create a distraction from trailing.
Kilby: Bad feet; overly shyness; skittishness; overly aggressiveness.
Schettler: Elbows and hips seem to be the biggest problems. Bloat is a problem, but it is unknown if a tendency to bloat is hereditary. Parvo virus has been shown to affect olfactory ability. Heart problems, of course, make trailing dangerous for a dog.
What equipment is worth carrying with you when you are trailing?
Harris: Flashlight, sidearm, lightweight handcuffs, radio. Travel as light as possible. Rely on your backup to carry additional equipment including water for the dog and handler. Any other equipment depends on the terrain and conditions in which you’re working.
Kilby: First aid stuff for your dog, water, rain gear, some form of communication device, as a phone or radio.
Schettler: I carry as little as possible–a sidearm, water, a flashlight, a radio, handcuffs, and dog cookies. My back-up carries extra water and a first-aid kit.
What do you believe is the proper diet for a grown bloodhound?
Harris: A high quality diet recommended by your veterinarian. Your bloodhound should be fed twice a day. Be sure to give the dog an ample supply of clean fresh water.
Kilby: Any premium dry food, twice a day, but not just before or right after working.
Schettler: Twice a day. I use Nutro lamb and rice soaked in water for hours before feeding. I keep it in the refrigerator while soaking.
Shuler: Quality food. Twice a day.
Is it true that the likelihood of bloat is reduced if you feed your bloodhound three or four times a day smaller portions, use food with less fillers, and/or do not exercise the dog for the hour before feeding the dog?
Harris: Yes. We believe that to be accurate. We don’t feed for one hour after coming off a trail, and we don’t work our bloodhound until 2 hours after feeding. One suggestion is to elevate the food bowl. We feed morning and evening.
Kilby: Yes. You should not allow the dog to gulp food or water.
Schettler: Yes. Also, you need to get the bowl off the ground; feed at an elevated level.
Shuler: This is pure conjecture. No facts.
If your bloodhound bloats, what can you do to save the dog?
Harris: Get him to the vet within 30 minutes. Have your vet teach you how to tube the dog or how to insert a #18 gauge needle between the ribs to decompress the stomach until you can get the dog to the vet.
Kilby: Get to the vet ASAP.
Schettler: Immediate vet care. Learn to pass a stomach tube.
Shuler: Go to vet ASAP.
The following answers to other questions are summaries of what the instructors stated during the panel discussion she moderated at the 2000 trailing training meet in Sebring, Florida.What should your bloodhound be able to do before your dog is used in actual cases?
All that is necessary is that the bloodhound be correctly following trails laid. This means the dog has to take scent off of what its handler commands him to and follow that scent trail until the dog finds the person giving off the scent or the handler commands the dog to stop trailing. It is not necessary for the successfully followed trails to be a particular length or age. The point is that in a desperate situation, such as when a child is missing, the best investigative tools available should be used. So, start a bloodhound trained to scent-discriminate on the child's scent, and see if the bloodhound can find the child.
How do you test the trailing ability of a bloodhound?
According to Bill Tolhurst, one of the great bloodhound handlers, who spoke at the closing dinner of the 2000 trailing training meet in Sebring, Florida, trailing dogs, whatever their breed, should be qualified, not certified. This means a one-time certification is no good, especially if it contains all kinds of extraneous requirements, such as the need for the handler to be able to give artificial respiration. Qualifying entails having trailing dogs periodically show what they can do on laid trails of varying age and difficulty. The basic factors used to differentiate trailing expertise should be how old, how long, and how convoluted the trail was which the dog successfully completed on the day it was tested. Simulated scenario qualification provides real-life testing over different terrain, in different weather conditions, in densely and less densely populated areas.
What kind of certificate, if any, should be offered to teams successfully completing trails laid?
Whatever association, department, or group is overseeing the testing may issue a certificate to memorialize the trail the dog qualified on that day. The certificate is similar to a practice record, except the performance of the team is attested to by an independent party. Like practice records, it may identify the terrain, temperature, weather, distractions encountered, as well as the age, length, and complexity of the trail the bloodhound successfully completed on the date named.
How do you think the trailing ability of a bloodhound should be graded?
Whatever classification is given, it should reflect the trailing performance level the bloodhound demonstrated that day. The different levels may be designated beginning, intermediate, advanced trailing or bronze, silver, gold. Whatever the levels of difficulty are called, the important thing is to describe the nature of the trail and the circumstances surrounding it, that is, how long, how old, how convoluted, how contaminated, how many distractions, and so forth describing what the trailing entailed.
(c)Although the Jimmy Ryce Center has given hundreds of bloodhounds to law enforcement since 1997, this is just a drop in the bucket compared to how many are needed with nearly 18,000 police and sheriff departments across the country. As the working life of a bloodhound, like most large dogs, is only 8 years, many of the dogs given are no longer active.The Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction can only give free to law enforcement AKC bloodhound puppies and organize trailing training meets as long as it receives sufficinet funds to pay for the bloodhounds and the training expenses. To give an AKC bloodhound to a law enforcement department willing to designate an officer to be its handler costs, on the average, $2,000. This includes not only the acquisition cost of the AKC bloodhound puppy but also the airfare of the puppy riding under the seat in front of the passenger who is required to accompany the dog to ship it in the passenger department. It also includes the expenses incurred in speaking at sheriff and police association meetings, posting success stories on the Internet, and writing articles, in an effort to persuade departments they need a bloodhound as part of their canine unit.To develop, print, and distribute trailing training materials, pay the travel, per diem, and other costs of trainers teaching trailing to bloodhound teams at regional field meets, and produce training videoes for those unable to attend the meets, is an even more expensive venture. Until funds can be raised to hold regional field training meets, handlers can call the 1-800-JIM RYCE help line for the telephone number of handlers who are willing to help new handlers with training questions and problems. March 10, 2008, the Jimmy Ryce Center gave to the York, Pennsylvania task force a 9-week-old bloodhound puppy. The York County sheriff and the 22 police departments in the county will have immediately available, in less than six months, a well trained trailing dog to find abducted or lost children or Alzheimer patients who have wandered off before they die from exposure or lack of needed medications. All Child Abduction Response Teams/CARTs should have a bloodhound team which can reach, within an hour by helicopter, anywhere in the CART region where a child goes missing and is believed in danger. In Florida, there are 8 regional CART teams. Since the Florida CART model was adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Junvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in 2006, most states across the country now have at least one CART team, but many do not have a bloodhound team member close. Give what you can to help us continue to give AKC bloodhounds free to law enforcement. You may use your credit card or simply send a check or money order to the Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction, 908 Coquina Lane, Vero Beach, Florida 32963. If your business, foundation, or department needs the Jimmy Ryce Center to fill out forms for grants and/or needs additional information, call Claudine Ryce at 772-492-0200 or fax her at 772-492-0210 or e-mail her at misujim@yahoo.comThe Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction has been a 501(c)(3) charity since 1996. It is a member of the Association of Missing and Exploited Children's Organizations/AMECO..
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Bloodhounds To The Rescue
Help make sure a bloodhound is available nearby to find lost or abducted persons!
