Texas Tech University

Canine Olfaction Lab

dog, smell, olfaction, research, scent, detection

The scientific endeavor to understand the capabilities and capacity of the dog's nose and sense of smell is a relatively young field. The aim of our lab is to advance the scientific knowlege of canine olfaction and behavioral science by investigating a range of questions on the dog's sense of smell, such as:

  • What concentrations of odors can dogs detect?
  • How do dogs perceive odor mixtures?
  • How do dogs perform in varying environmental conditions?
  • How do we optimize search when targets are infrequent?
  • What are the optimal training methods for scent detection dogs?

Our lab employs a variety of methods to address our questions. We train dogs on search tasks and train them to use automated olfactometers that give us more precise control over the odors. All of our games are fun for the dogs and an opportunity to earn lots of treats!

If you are interested in learning more, check out our publications page. If you are interested in graduate school opportunities,  email me an inquiry. For those of you in the Lubbock community you can volunteer your dog or yourself!

 

Animal & Food Sciences