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Glossary of Terms
Agility - A descriptor for the natural (running) speed, surefootedness, and coordination, and the ability of the dog to correct and recover (awareness of body position).
Air Scent (Dog) - A dog that searches for the source of human odor. They are typically "nose up" when they work, and are usually non-scent-discriminating. Air scent dogs do NOT require a scent article.
Back-Chaining - A teaching methodology, where the training of the chained behaviors occurs in reverse order. The final behavior is taught first, and the second-to-last behavior is added and taught next, and so on.
Behavior Chain - a series of learned behaviors, carried out, after one command.
Blank Search - A training or certification exercise in which the target odor is not present.
Blind (Problem) - A training exercise is considered blind if the person searching does not know the location of odor(s), and/or if any are present, BUT the accompanying Instructor/Evaluator DOES know.
Change of Behavior (COB) - A characteristic pattern of behaviors, as interpreted by the handler, that occurs when the dog detects an odor which it is trained to detect.
Chimney Effect - Warm air rises from the source, cools, then drops a distance away from the source.
Diffusion (of scent) - the even distribution of air in all directions.
Double Blind - A training exercise is considered Double Blind if the person searching does not know the location of odor(s), and/or if any are present, AND the accompanying Instructor/Evaluator doesn't either.
Eddying - When flowing air moves along/over a large linear obstacle, like a treeline, and the air curls around the edges and swirls.
Fanning Plumes - When air holds at the same elevation, without rising or falling. Occurs at night, and in valleys. Visualize the air like a thermocline.
Fumigating - When scent from the source disperses evenly, and saturates the area. For example: a closed room.
Last Known Point (LKP) - the last location of the missing subject, substantiated by evidence or clues. The LKP changes with the discovery of clues/evidence.
Laminar Air Flow - a straight flow of air without any interference.
Looping Scent - when scent travels upwards from a source, and settles down away from the source. Occurs with little to no wind at the source.
Point Last Seen (PLS) - a point where a witness actually saw the subject. The PLS is usually the IPP (Initial Planning Point).
Probability of Area (POA) - The chance that a missing person (or clue) is in the search area.
Probability of Detection (POD)- The chance that an object or missing person will be detected if present.
Rafts (skin rafts) - dead or dying skins cells that have left a human body. They are composed of 1 or more cells, carry bacteria, and are microscopic. An average human sheds around 40,000 cells each minute.
Scent Cone - movement of scent away from subject/source -in the shape of a cone.
Shaping - Building new behavior by selectively reinforcing variations in existing behavior, during the action rather than after completion, to increase or strengthen the behavior in a specific manner.
Stimulus - A change in the environment. Dog training focuses on discriminative stimuli, which a dog can detect, resulting in emission of a specific behavior.
Target Odor - (aka Source) odors which detector dog are trained to detect.
Temperament - The general consistency with which the animal behaves.
Thermal - Layers of air, separated by temperature (and humidity).
Tracking (Dog) - dogs are able to follow a human scent, by following the footsteps. Tracking dogs may also be following the odor of crushed vegetation and soil bacterial action. Visualize the dog nose-down following footstep to footstep.
Trailing (Dog) - dogs are scent-specific and require a scent article, with a track. Visualize the dog's nose down and up, working some distance from the actual footsteps.
Turbulent (Air) Flow - When flowing air hits an obstacle/object and causes airflow chaos.