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.  

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