Learning

Blanks Matter for Detection Dog Training

Recent work from our lab has shown the importance of progressively incorporating "blank" areas to help build search reslience for detection dogs.

Handout Material

Scientific Articles

1. Aviles-Rosa, E. O., DeChant, M. T., Prada-Tiedemann, P. A., & Hall, N. J. (2023). A laboratory model of canine search vigilance decrement, I. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.
2. DeChant, M., Aviles Rosa, E. O., Prada-Tiedemann, P. A., & Hall, N. J. (2023). A laboratory model of canine search vigilance decrement, II: Noncontingent reward and Pavlovian appetitive stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.
3. DeChant, M. T., Aviles-Rosa, E., Prada-Tiedemann, P., & Hall, N. J. (2023). Part, III: Increasing odor detection performance after training with progressively leaner schedules of odor prevalence. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Odor Imprinting Methodology Can Enhance Generalization to Target Odor Variants

There are many ways to imprint dogs to new odors. You can train one at a time (like a list), you can mix multiple odors together, or you can introduce your dog to a range of odors from the start (not mixed but not training only one at a time). This last method of introducing many different odors from the start, promoted enhanced generalization to novel variations. 

Podcast

Scientific Articles

1. The effect of training paradigm on dogs’ (Canis familiaris) acquisition and generalization of smokeless powders
2. Effects of training paradigm on dogs’ (Canis familiaris) acquisition and generalization of odors when trained with multiple explosives classes

 

Tools 

Free tool to create randomized odor recognition tests and search scenarios