Scent Dogs Flashcards
What is trailing v. tracking?
Trailing is when the dog follows a person’s specific scent or odor that the handler gives to the dog, which then follows the scent on the ground if it is there. If it isn’t, then the dog won’t do anything. A scent can last for weeks after a person has been somewhere. Tracking is when a dog follows where a person went and is based on odors caused by the person’s physical passing. Most handlers say it lasts 3-4 hours, and can become stale or get contaminated when/if another person crosses the trail.
What is the STU?
STU stands for scent transfer unit. It is a device used to get scent from object. ”It extracts scents from and object and transfers the scents to a sterile gauze pad.” Mitchell. It is essentially a glorified dust buster, and won’t disturb trace evidence.
