Zoey Searches a Bed

Zoey focusing on following my instructions on where to search.

Here are some pictures from a recent training session with Zoey. She was searching a bed for bed bugs. In some of the photos, you can see her eyes looking towards me (the handler). It shows how the dog is really following the handler's lead and looking toward the handler for their responses and changes in body language, just as much as the dog is searching out the intended scent.


This is a very important thing to understand when working with scent detection dogs. Not understanding this can skew the results of the search. The handler needs to be aware of how their actions can influence the dog's search. The training of the team (the dog and the handler) is just as important as the scent detection training of the dog. 


Thanks to our great trainers at Ironheart Dogs, we learned about this immediately and Zoey and I can be the most effective team possible!

Zoey's eye peeking towards me as she is trying to pick up a 
scent in the mattress.

 Zoey is observing me (the handler) almost with both eyes as she 

continues on in her search. 

Of course the dog is not focused entirely on the handler during a search.
Here Zoey is shown pushing her nose with a bit of force, as she picks up 
scents through and beyond the bed covers.

Another shot of her obvious attention to the handler as she 
 carries on her search.