Trailing dogs generally work on a long (20 ft) leash and lead the handler to the subject. They are scent discriminating for a specific human and require a scent article or footprint associated with the missing person. The search starts at the Place Last Seen (PLS) or at a track known to belong to the subject. The dog is provided the scent article to sniff and then given a sendoff command to initiate the search. Trailing dogs search by following the unique scent trail that the missing person left behind. Trailing dogs keep their head low and follow the scent on the ground, only rarely raising their head to the wind.
Advantages
- Subject detection not by vision, but by sense of smell, so work well in both day and night conditions
- Especially good for non-responsive subject
- Other searchers in the area not a problem since dog is scent specific
- Can establish direction of travel from PLS which gives Incident Command information for where to place other searchers
Considerations
As time goes by, the scent on the trail deteriorates and the wind blows the scent further and further away from the actual path of travel. Trailing dogs should be used as soon as possible to determine correct direction of travel.
Best Search Conditions
- Light wind
- Moisture (but not torrential rain); high dew point
- Subject missing short amount of time
- Dog early on scene (first time period)
- Good scent articles available, properly collected
Certification
For a handler/canine team to become mission ready in trailing with SSD, they must pass three tests that evaluate searching capabilities, scent specificity, obedience, and dog and human non-aggression. Handler/canine teams must recertify every two years.