SERVICE DOGS
Science & dogs
Cadaveral dogs
Trailing dogs
Informative
Air scenting dogs
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Trailing dogs
Reservation of the Book "The Kocher Method" in Various Languages
To keep shipping and customs costs as low as possible, the Traildogs Europe association has decided to organize the distribution of the book "The Kocher Method" in Europe.
Procedure: You can reserve the book using the form below. As long as the books are in stock, we will inform you via email. You can then pay for the book in advance. After receiving the payment, we will send the book.
If no books are in stock, further reservations will be noted for future deliveries from the USA. When there are enough reservations again, new books will be ordered.
Please always check your spam folder. It has become more common for our emails to end up in spam, so our confirmations and responses often go unnoticed.
If any problems arise, please contact inbti.com directly.
“How to Train a Police Bloodhound and Scent Discriminating Patrol Dog: The Kocher Method” is a practical, operations-oriented manual by Kevin Kocher (with Robin Monroe Kocher) that lays out the Kocher Method for mantrailing and for building a scent-discriminating patrol dog that can work a specific human scent reliably. (Dogwise)
What the book’s core promise is
It presents an “in-depth study” of Kocher Method trailing, built around intensity-level exercises and positive rewards/encouragement to create a dog that is more focused, driven, and reliable, and that can quickly establish direction of travel. It’s written primarily for law-enforcement handlers, but is also positioned as useful for SAR. (Dogwise)
The second edition is organized roughly like this:
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Principles / basics: what mantrailing is, choosing the breed, equipment (harness/lead), reward system, a targeting command, pre-start ritual, starting/scenting commands, and foundation work.
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Exercise “arsenal” for foundation & intensity: multiple “intensity” trail formats (including delayed starts, extended intensity work, scent-article intensity), plus tools designed to build drive and clarity.
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Reading the dog (“learning the dance”): key operational indicators and patterns such as No Forward Scent Indication (NFSI), beginning/start circle, trail circle, classic cutback, flowing negatives, head turn, and a “putting it all together” diagram.
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Scent articles & identification: collecting scent articles, transfers, recognizing bad scent articles/failed transfers, scent-article starts, and Identification (ID) including an ID format for patrol dogs.
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Continuing fundamentals: ongoing dog training within TKM/Kocher framework, teaching “rules,” positive trail reinforcements, and handler mechanics like the “walk back.”
The release of "How to Train a Police Bloodhound and Scent Discriminating Patrol Dog: The Kocher Method" by Kevin and Robin Monroe Kocher is one such point in time--operational mantrailing will be forever changed.
The operational mantrailing community has been struggling for years to break from "old school" training techniques of sport tracking for which texts are plentiful but describe techniques and expectations that are wholly inadequate for the operational handler.
The Kocher's book is the first textbook aimed at the operational patrol and search and rescue (SAR) handler that provides a comprehensive training program with techniques, performance, expectations and solutions to training through difficulties.
KEVIN JOHN KOCHER was a U.S. law-enforcement K9 handler and bloodhound handler who became widely known for developing the Kocher Method (TKM)—an operational mantrailing approach used for police work and search-and-rescue—and for founding the INBTI (InterNational Bloodhound Training Institute).
He co-authored the core manual “How to Train a Police Bloodhound and Scent Discriminating Patrol Dog: The Kocher Method” (with his wife, Robin Monroe Kocher) and is credited by INBTI with being the first to formalize and publish the concept of “Negative Indications” (how to read a trailing dog) in the booklet “Read Any Trailing or Tracking Dog by Understanding Negative Indications.”
Professionally, published bios and an obituary describe him as a Deputy Sheriff / Bloodhound handler for many years, later associated with the Pentagon Police, with retirement forced by multiple sclerosis; he died in 2017
Currently in the European Union (EU) The Kocher Method Book can be official orderd from the Assosiation Traildogs Europe.
Please accept, this assosiaton does not sell the book directly, but they organice the shipping from US and delivering to EU-Countries.
Science & dogs
Canine Olfaction Science and Law
Advances in Forensic Science, Medicine, Conservation, and Environmental Remediation
This work serves as a practical guide for forensic scientists, legal professionals, law enforcement, medical researchers, and conservationists, highlighting both the scientific underpinnings and legal frameworks governing canine olfactory applications.
Canine olfaction—the exceptional sense of smell in dogs—has been extensively studied and applied in both scientific and legal contexts. The book Canine Olfaction Science and Law: Advances in Forensic Science, Medicine, Conservation, and Environmental Remediation, edited by Tadeusz Jezierski, John Ensminger, and L.E. Papet, provides a comprehensive exploration of this interdisciplinary field.
Scientific Foundations
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Anatomy and Physiology:
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Detailed examination of the canine nasal structures, olfactory receptors, and the neural pathways connecting scent detection to the brain.
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Functional specialization in processing odors, effects of disease on olfaction, and comparative insights from wild canids.
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Genetics, Evolution, and Behavior:
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Genetic basis for olfactory acuity and variability among breeds.
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Learning theories, conditioning, and behavioral reinforcement affecting scent detection skills.
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Chemistry and Detection Mechanisms:
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Odor plume dynamics in the environment.
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Analytical methods such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to correlate chemical signals with canine responses.
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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as targets in forensic and medical detection.
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Legal Applications
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Forensics and Investigations:
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Use of detection dogs in drug, explosive, and contraband identification.
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Standardized training, certification, and performance documentation to ensure admissibility in court.
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Challenges in legal scrutiny: reliability, potential for bias, and “black box” concerns regarding canine scent identification.
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Cadaver and Crime Scene Applications:
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Locating human remains, even those that are buried, burned, or submerged.
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Techniques in scent lineups and target scent validation to support forensic evidence.
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Judicial Integration:
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U.S. court practices in evaluating and admitting canine scent evidence.
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Statutory considerations and precedents affecting admissibility and the weight of canine-derived evidence.
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Broader Applications
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Conservation and Environmental Use: Detecting invasive or endangered species, identifying infestations, assisting in habitat preservation, and disease monitoring in wildlife.
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Medical Detection: Dogs trained to recognize cancers and metabolic changes such as seizure or glycemic episodes in humans.
Key Insights
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The book emphasizes evidence-based training and the necessity for rigorous statistical validation of canine detection results.
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It provides interdisciplinary perspectives, combining neuroscience, genetics, chemistry, law, and practical canine handling.
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Legal discussions focus on making canine evidence scientifically defensible to withstand scrutiny under standards such as Daubert and Harris.
Reference
Jezierski, T., Ensminger, J., & Papet, L.E. (Eds.). Canine Olfaction Science and Law: Advances in Forensic Science, Medicine, Conservation, and Environmental Remediation. CRC Press, 2016. ISBN 978-1482260236
Science & dogs
The use of mantrailing dogs in police and judicial context, future directions, limits and possibilities – A law review
Leif Woidtke a, Frank Crispino b, Barbara Ferry c, Udo Gansloßer d, Nina Marie Hohlfeld e, Tom Osterkamp f
Highlights
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In Germany, France, and the US, law enforcement agencies employ mantrailing dogs and scent discrimination dogs.
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The outcomes of these canine deployments are admissible as legal evidence.
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The typical perception assigns them a role of supporting evidentiary weight in Germany and the US.
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In France, mantrailing leading to a particular person is described in a technical report and recorded in the investigation files but has no probative value.
Abstract
The extraordinary capabilities of the canine nose are increasingly being used by law enforcement agencies in many countries to solve and reconstruct crimes. As a result, this type of forensic evidence can be and is still being challenged in the courts. So far, only a few publications have addressed the jurisprudence concerning mantrailing. We provide an overview of the jurisprudence in Germany and the USA, as well as insights from France. Relevant databases were searched, and 201 verdicts from Germany and 801 verdicts from the USA were analyzed. As a result, 16 published verdicts on the topic of mantrailing were found for Germany, and 44 verdicts since 2010 were found for the USA. The use of mantrailers and human scent discrimination dogs is employed in the investigative process in all three countries. The results derived from these methods are admissible as evidence in court, albeit not as sole evidence.
8. Conclusion
The evidence has underscored the significant role of scent dogs in both investigative and subsequent judicial proceedings. Nevertheless, it is evident that a heightened awareness of the stringent admissibility requirements for trailing evidence can be beneficial for handlers and law enforcement officers. When evaluating the suitability of canine deployment results as evidence, the examined countries consider factors like the handler’s qualifications, the dog’s training and reliability, the appropriateness of the deployment location and timing, and the specific circumstances of the deployment. However, it’s important to note the absence of definitive training and examination standards for both dogs and handlers. The criteria established by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Academy Standards Board could serve as a useful model [[168], [169], [170]]. These standards incorporate insights from canine research, but no analogous framework is currently known for Germany. Valuable insights into the approach to scent dog deployment can be gleaned from case law. Prior to deployment, investigators, prosecutors, and judges should engage in discussions with handlers or other experts in the field to ascertain the feasibility of addressing the investigative query or scenario through the use of a mantrailer or scent discrimination dog. This assessment should encompass the potentials and limitations of canine deployment. Particularly when canine deployment results are presented as substantial court evidence, adhering to the aforementioned guidelines [76] can bolster the assessment of their evidentiary value. This includes measures like video documentation of canine deployments. The handler and dog should be filmed diagonally from an appropriate angle behind the team, capturing both the handler’s interaction with the dog and the leash handling. Ideally, an individual unfamiliar with the case details should carry out this documentation, aligning with the “Clever Hans effect.” During searches on public roads, personnel should be designated to control vehicular traffic, thereby preventing abrupt disruptions to the dog’s search. These personnel should also remain unaware of the case particulars. Furthermore, they should be pre-instructed on how to respond to the dog’s movements (e.g., dog reversing and approaching the safety post) during the search, so as not to impede the dog’s work. Employing multiple dogs can heighten the probative value. It is prudent to utilize only well-documented and qualified dog teams for deployment tasks. The extensive realm of canine research is likely familiar to only a limited number of prosecutors, judges, or jurors. This familiarity gap can influence their decision-making [163]. It’s crucial to acquaint this group more comprehensively with pertinent knowledge within the context of respective proceedings. The inclusion of relevant expertise during trials is paramount. On the other hand, gaps in knowledge regarding certain pivotal questions persist. For instance, the identification of chemical components constituting an individual’s scent remains inconclusive [171]. Similarly, it remains uncertain which constituents dogs employ for scent detection [172], or how long scent trails endure in the environment and remain perceptible to dogs. These uncertainties contribute to the skepticism surrounding canine work outcomes. The necessity for research tailored to practical deployment scenarios in forensic canine applications is evident, extending to other application domains as well [173].
Case law has demonstrated that the courts acknowledge the inherent fallibility of the dog-handler dyad. The deliberations presented underscore the importance of integrating additional corroborative evidence in evaluating canine work outcomes. The analyzed jurisprudence reaffirms this aspect. Moreover, it showcases that administering justice does not necessitate the exclusion of canine work from investigative efforts and courtroom proceedings. Instead, it necessitates adherence to professional standards in training and deployment, anchored in scientific insights and practical studies.
Science & dogs
Canines: The Original Biosensors is a large, technical edited volume (814 pages) that treats working dogs as “whole-animal” chemical sensors and explains—across science and operations—why they outperform many mechanical detectors in real environments, and how to build, evaluate, and deploy them more reliably. It’s edited by Lauryn E. DeGreeff and Craig A. Schultz, published in 2022 by Jenny Stanford Publishing / CRC Press (Routledge/Taylor & Francis).
Canines: The Original Biosensors connects three domains into one reference work:
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Olfaction + odor chemistry (what odor is, how it behaves, what information it carries),
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The canine as a sensor system (neurobiology, cognition, behavior, sensitivity/selectivity), and
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Operational performance (training design, handler interpretation, testing/standards, field case studies).
How it’s structured
Publisher and Google Books listings show a multi-section structure, including:
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“A Dog’s World: Chemical Sensing through Olfaction” (e.g., dogs vs. machines, sensitivity/selectivity, odor detection concepts).
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“Understanding the Canine Biosensor: Fundamentals” (neurobiological/cognitive bases, odor dynamics, human scent modeling).
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Later major sections such as training/evaluation and practical applications (“Fostering an Effective Sensor Training and Evaluation” and “The Canine Biosensor in Practice”).
Examples
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Comparing dogs with odor-detecting machines and sensor arrays.
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Odor dynamics to support detection work (how scent moves/changes and what that means tactically).
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Handler + team performance (train the handler/dog/team; when handler perception distorts “detection”).
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Testing operational capability (evaluation considerations).
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Field case material such as canine teams supporting oil spill response surveys and broader operational case studies.
Who it’s for
It’s best suited to detection-dog program managers, trainers/instructors, operational units (LE/MIL/SAR), and researchers who want a science-grounded reference rather than a step-by-step beginner training manual.
If you tell me your use-case (police trailing, HRD, explosives/narcotics, wildlife, etc.), I can summarize the most relevant sections and turn them into a short reading list + key takeaways for handlers.
Lauryn E. DeGreeff is a U.S.-based forensic/analytical chemist and Associate Professor at Florida International University (FIU). Her research centers on volatile (odor) sampling and analysis—specifically how vapor is generated, transported, and measured—so that detector-dog performance and instrument detection can be better understood and standardized.
Craig A. Schultz is a U.S.-based animal behavior and working-dog/detector-dog professional with 30+ years of experience across animal behavior programs and detection-canine work. Publisher biographies describe his work with organizations including Disney’s Animal Kingdom, multiple zoos, the USDA National Detector Dog Training Center, and the FBI, and he has presented/lectured widely in academic and professional settings. He is also published in the scientific literature in the context of the FBI Forensic Canine Program.
Together, DeGreeff and Schultz are the editors of Canines: The Original Biosensors (2022), a reference work that bridges olfaction science, odor chemistry, and operational detection-canine practice.
Science & dogs
Individual human scent as a forensic identifier using mantrailing
Author links open overlay panelLeif Woidtke a b, Jan Dreßler a, Carsten Babian a
Highlights
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Individual scent article allows mantrailers to differentiate an odour trail.
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Saliva as well as DNA extracted from whole blood are sufficient as a key stimulus.
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Mantrailing appears as a reliable and useful tool for law enforcement authorities.
Abstract
Specially trained dogs have long been used by law enforcement agencies to help in criminal investigations and in searching for missing persons. Still, it is unclear which components of human scent released into the environment contribute to successful searches of individuals. In this study, saliva and axillary sweat samples were taken from a total of 190 people. Additionally, DNA was extracted from whole blood of seven different people and used as an odour sample as well. Overall 675 tests (trails) were performed during a period of 18 months. The ability to track individuals with the odour samples mentioned above was examined with seven dogs, four of which were specially-trained dogs (mantrailer) from the Saxony Police. Results indicated that specially-trained police dogs can track a person with an average success rate of 82% and correctly identify the absence of an odour track with an average success rate of 97% under various conditions. Private rescue dogs were less successful with an average success rate of 65% and 75% respectively. These data suggest that the potential error rate of a well-trained handler team is low and can be a useful tool for law enforcement personnel. Saliva, as a reference odour source, was found to be particularly suitable for the search. The results of the study suggest that the components contained in axillary sweat, saliva and DNA extracted from whole blood are sufficient, serving as a key stimulus for individualized searches.
Conclusion
Test series are often carried out under laboratory conditions. In this study mantrailer dogs were tested under real police operating conditions. With a scent article from a person, they could follow the individual human scent trail of that person statistically highly significantly. Furthermore, they differentiate highly significantly between the presence and the absence of an odour trace using a scent article containing human scent. The best results were achieved with scent articles using...
Informative
What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World is a narrative nonfiction / popular-science book by Cat Warren.
What it’s about
Warren uses her real-life work training her German Shepherd Solo (including cadaver-dog training) as the spine of the story, and builds around it a deeply reported exploration of canine olfaction, working-dog training/handling, and the real-world jobs dogs do with scent.
Why people recommend it
It’s often described as both science reporting and memoir—you get the “how it works” plus the practical reality of building a reliable working dog team. It’s also been marketed as a New York Times bestseller.
Topics you’ll see throughout
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How dogs perceive the world primarily through odor, and what science says about their noses and scent processing (explained for non-specialists).
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Field examples of scent work (publisher materials highlight dogs detecting things like human remains, truffles, bedbugs, and potentially disease-related odors).
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The human side: the handler’s learning curve, training decisions, and the emotional/moral weight of work connected to forensics and death investigations. (simonandschuster.com)
Cat Warren is an American journalist and author best known for her nonfiction book What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World.
She was also a university professor at North Carolina State University (NC State), teaching science journalism, editing, and creative nonfiction; she notes that she retired in July 2021.
A major part of her public profile comes from her long-term work training her German Shepherd Solo as a cadaver dog (starting in 2004) and volunteering on searches—experience that became the narrative backbone for her writing about working dogs and scent science.
Informative
William “Bill” G. Syrotuck was an early search-and-rescue (SAR) innovator (especially active in the 1960s–1970s) whose work helped shape modern thinking on search management, search theory, and the training/use of air-scent and tracking/trailing dogs.
He’s best known in the K9/SAR world as the author of the classic handbook Scent and the Scenting Dog (first published in 1972, later reprinted/updated), where he focused on the practical “scent picture” and how environmental factors affect what working dogs can detect and follow.
Beyond the scent book, Syrotuck published influential SAR search-planning material such as An Introduction to Land Search: Probabilities and Calculations (1975), which is frequently cited as a major early contribution to ground SAR search planning.
His impact is reflected by the fact that a professional SAR event is named after him: the William G. Syrotuck Symposium on Search Theory and Practice.
He (together with Jean Syrotuck) founded the American Rescue Dog Association (ARDA) in 1972—described by ARDA as the nation’s oldest air-scenting search dog organization.
Scent and the Scenting Dog
2000
Scent and the Scenting Dog is a compact, highly practical “how scent works in the field” primer for handlers, written by William G. Syrotuck. It’s widely treated as a foundational text in modern scent-work/trailing education because it explains what the dog is actually working in (odor + environment), not just how to run drills.
What the book covers
The book is organized as a short, chapter-based walkthrough of the “scent picture” a working dog encounters:
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Sense of smell + anatomy/physiology (human and dog): the basic mechanics behind scenting behavior.
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Odor theory (including classic odor-model discussions referenced in the chapter descriptions): a conceptual frame for what “odor” is and why it behaves the way it does.
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The human as a scent source: how “human scent” is produced and why it can vary.
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Atmospheric factors / airborne scent movement: wind, weather, and other environmental variables that shape the plume and therefore the dog’s indications.
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A recurring operational aim is helping handlers “develop a scent picture”—i.e., to interpret the dog’s behavior through the lens of odor availability and movement.
Who it’s best for
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Mantrailing/tracking/SAR handlers who want a clear mental model of why the dog works the way it does in different conditions (rather than a step-by-step training program only).
Practical note
It’s a classic, older text; some terminology and science framing may feel dated compared with newer works on scent dynamics, but many teams still use it as a baseline “scent fundamentals” reference because it’s concise and handler-oriented.
Unveil the mysteries of Scent! Now you can understand how and why a dog can work scent. This fascinating book explains the composition of scent, how it works in the dog's nose, and what affects scent and much more! · The Sense of Smell · Anatomy and Physiology · Theories and Odor · The Human as a Scent Source · Transmission · Atmospheric Factors and Airborn Scent · The Ground Scent Picture · Working on Dog's Scent · Snow Experiments
Trailing dogs
Csaba Gránicz
Csaba Gránicz is a Hungarian police K9 mantrailing handler and instructor, best known in the European mantrailing community as an INBTI (International Bloodhound Training Institute) Instructor and Evaluator.
He is affiliated (per INBTI’s instructor listing) with the Police – Budapest Chief K9 Unit, and provides training in mantrailing and law-enforcement applications.
Csaba Gránicz’s book commonly searched as “MANTRAILING” exists in at least two versions:
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Hungarian (printed): Mantrailing finomra hangolva – Gyakorlati útmutató haladók számára (“Mantrailing fine-tuned – a practical guide for advanced handlers”).
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English (Kindle e-book): Mantrailing fine tuned (English Edition) — Amazon lists the publication date as 15 June 2023 and ASIN B0C8BWPQ1Z.
MANTRAILING
This book is aimed not at absolute beginners, but at the stage where teams already “can trail” yet hit a plateau or start struggling in more complex conditions. It is positioned as a practice-focused guide with case-based learning, designed to “fine-tune” performance for a specific dog (temperament, working style, sensitivity, current state) and to solve common advanced-level issues.
What it covers
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A brief historical introduction, then progress from puppy selection and early-stage mistakes to how these later affect advanced performance.
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Fine details and typical pitfalls: where teams most often go wrong in training, and how to correct course.
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Blind trails (vaknyomok) and challenges typical for real deployments / call-outs, especially relevant to police and rescue work.
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Teamwork and roles: dog–handler interaction, the role of a helper/runner, coordination inside a unit and between teams.
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The handler factor: handler-driven errors and difficulties, plus mental readiness.
The author emphasizes that it is not a dry theoretical outline, but a practical, story- and scenario-driven book with immediately usable solutions.
Who it is for
People who already understand mantrailing basics and want to improve for:
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Search and Rescue (SAR)
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Police / law-enforcement applications
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or sport/hobby mantrailing at a higher level
Author background
INBTI profiles Csaba Gránicz as an INBTI instructor and evaluator, linked to Police – Budapest Chief K9 Unit, with focus areas including Mantrailing and Law Enforcement. He is described as a professional K9 handler/instructor with 20+ years of experience, using mantrailing both for law-enforcement and missing-person searches.
Where to get it
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The Hungarian site offers the printed edition (price shown as 9,500 HUF + shipping, subject to change).
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The English edition is available on Amazon as a Kindle e-book (Mantrailing fine tuned).
If you want, paste the exact Latvian/Russian paragraph you need to translate (if it differs from what I wrote) and I’ll translate it word-for-word in the same structure.
Detector Dogs and Scent Movement: How Weather, Terrain, and Vegetation Influence Search Strategies is a 2020 CRC Press / Routledge (Taylor & Francis) handbook by Tom Osterkamp (often misspelled “Ostercamp”). It’s written for working detector-dog handlers and focuses on one practical question: how odor actually moves in the real world, and how that should change your search tactics.
Canine scenting basics: the dog’s olfaction, scent properties, surfaces, and residual odor—enough science to support operational decisions.
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Training aids and odor availability: discussion of aids (e.g., explosives, narcotics, human remains), how placement affects what the dog can access, plus common handler errors with aids.
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Scent plumes + meteorology: wind, atmospheric stability, and turbulence (thermal vs mechanical) as the core drivers of plume behavior.
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Environment effects: terrain, vegetation, soils/ground cover, and water—how each setting changes plume shape, pooling, channeling, etc., and what search patterns are more likely to work.
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Applied tactics & problems: gridding/detection distances, handling “distant alerts,” and special effects (e.g., valley/slope winds, channeling, “chimney” effects).
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Special topics: buried-source scent transport in soil, and water searches (including thermoclines and surface pooling).
What the book is trying to do
Osterkamp “translates” scent-dynamics research (normally buried in technical journals) into field-usable guidance—so handlers can better predict where the scent plume will go and how to get the dog into it efficiently. (Dogwise)
Who it’s for
Primarily K9 handlers in public/private sectors (law enforcement, military, homeland security), but it’s also relevant to SAR and anyone who needs a more technical, environment-driven understanding of detection work.
Why people use it
If you already know training mechanics and you want the missing piece—why the dog is indicating “there” when the source is “over there”—this book is essentially a field guide to scent physics and search planning.
Tom Osterkamp is a U.S. physicist and long-time K9 search practitioner/instructor best known (in the working-dog world) as the author of Detector Dogs and Scent Movement (CRC Press, 2020).
Professionally, he holds a PhD in physics (Saint Louis University) and spent about 30 years teaching physics/geophysics and researching “frozen” environments (e.g., ice covers and permafrost) at the University of Alaska, and is listed as Professor Emeritus.
On the operational side, he has been active in K9 Search & Rescue (SAR) for decades and is described as having held training/leadership roles such as founding member and former Training Officer of Gateway Search Dogs, and a former board member of NASDN (North American Search Dog Network), along with other SAR leadership positions.
Detector Dogs and the Science of Scent Movement will be a vital resource for K9 handles in the private and public sectors―including in Homeland Security, law enforcement, and military settings―as well as a useful guide for lawyers, forensic, and investigative professionals who need to better understand K9 operations.
Information on the physiology of the dog’s nose, their sense of smell, and the properties of scent provide the essential information on the process of scenting. The composition of training aids for explosives, narcotics, human remains and other sources is discussed. Recommendations are made on the use of training aids, their placement during training, and the resulting availability of scent. Potential problems and handler errors in the use of training aids are also examined.
The characteristics of scent plumes and how wind influences their movement are a key focus of the book. The primary task for the handler is to get the dog into the scent plume so that the dog can detect the scent and follow it to the source the handler seeks. As such, a knowledge of scent and scent plume movement will vastly improve the ability of the handler to accomplish this task.
The influence of weather and physical settings such as terrain, vegetation, ground cover, soil and water on scent movement are examined in detail. Strategies for searching, detecting, and locating sources in all physical settings are presented. Specific effects associated with hills and mountains, fields and forests, bare soils and soils covered by vegetation, different soil types, and lakes and rivers are examined in detail. This includes specific recommendations are made about weather and physical settings that result in higher probability of success on searches.
Trailing dogs
Trailing dogs
Методическое пособие” (Yeisk, 2020), issued by the professional canine association “Следопыт Асгерт K9.”
What the handbook is about
It describes the training of trailing/tracking dogs using an approach the authors call the “method of preliminary teasing” (метод предварительного дразнения)—a motivation-building, decoy/helper-driven foundation designed to develop stable work on a human track. The text is presented as methodical guidance for instructors and handlers, with emphasis on a consistent step-by-step progression.
Intended audience and use
The document is aimed at preparing specialized dogs for track/trail work in both urban environments and natural terrain. It focuses on pre-training and laying the core foundation before moving to more complex tasks.
Lyubov (Lubov) Koshevaja / Koshevaya is an INBTI (International Bloodhound Training Institute) instructor.
What public sources indicate about her:
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Instructor, with training areas including Mantrailing, Airscent, and HRD (Human Remains Detection).
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Has delivered training for Turkish military personnel.
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A specialist trained in the Kevin Kocher method, noting (as they present it) that she has been a student since 2010, an INBTI instructor since 2012, and a judge.
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In connection with volunteer search work (e.g., LizaAlert) and K9-related professional initiatives/organizations.
Structure
According to the table of contents, the handbook is organized into three main parts:
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Introduction — explains the logic of the approach and stresses the importance of correct, sequential preparation.
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“Preliminary preparation” (Предварительная подготовка) — how to prepare a dog for trailing/tracking work (motivation, adaptation, correct start routine, risks of handler mistakes, etc.).
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“Basic placement on the track” (Базовая постановка на след) — foundational skills built around three key components:
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“End of the track” (Окончание следа) as a base element — teaching the dog the finish logic and reward structure;
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“Working the track (retention)” (Проработка следа (удержание)) — how to build sustained work along the track line;
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“Start” (Старт) as a base element — start procedure and gradual complication.
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The handbook also includes a training planning section (frequency and progression of workload), plus diagrams/schematics showing exercise layouts and track patterns.
The practical “face” of the method
From the way the method is described, the authors emphasize:
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precise selection and consistent use of the reward object (motivation item);
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the role of the helper/decoy (помощник) and how their actions are organized so the dog clearly understands the task;
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a gradual shift from simple to more complex scenarios (hiding, direction changes, start/segment complications), while controlling difficulty so the dog does not lose clarity.
Appendices
The contents indicate an extensive appendix block covering operational details such as: the helper’s role at the beginning/end of the track, direction changes, equipment choice and handling (long line/leash), individual differences, track “segments,” work in open terrain, use of cover/hiding spots, handler actions when the dog makes an error, “acoustic markers,” and related topics.
Trailing dogs
Paul Green’s mantrailing book
MANTRAILING: WHAT IT IS AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT (English).
2025
What the book is about
This is a short, introductory overview that frames mantrailing as a human–dog partnership and then explains the core science concepts that make mantrailing work—i.e., what “human scent” is in practice, how dogs discriminate an individual scent, and why conditions in the environment can change what the dog experiences on a trail. The sales description emphasizes the blend of instinct + trust + science rather than being a purely sport-oriented guide.
What you can expect inside
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A clear explanation of what mantrailing is and what it is not (compared to other scent disciplines).
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A science-facing lens aimed at handlers—why trails “behave” differently depending on conditions (wind/terrain/contamination concepts are typically the kinds of “science behind it” readers expect from this positioning).
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A companionable, accessible tone aligned with K-9 Enrichment’s broader positioning as science-based search-dog training.
Small Title
Small Title
Paul Green is a UK-based dog trainer and scentwork instructor who runs K-9 Enrichment and delivers training in areas like mantrailing, open search, lost property search, and lost pet trailing (based around Horley, Surrey).
He also writes and publishes educational material on scentwork—e.g., the book “MANTRAILING: WHAT IT IS AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT”—and posts articles under his name on the K-9 Enrichment site.
Science & dogs
Inside The Canine Nose: The Science Behind a Dog’s Superpower is a short, science-forward primer by Paul Green (K-9 Enrichment) that explains how a dog’s nose works and why that biology matters for training, handling, and everyday understanding of canine behavior.
What the book covers
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The structure of the canine olfactory system and what makes it so effective (the “hardware”).
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The science of scent and why dogs experience the world primarily through odor (the “why it works”).
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Practical implications for trainers/handlers—how understanding scent and the dog’s nose can change expectations and improve decision-making in scentwork and training (the “so what”).
Who it’s for
It’s positioned for trainers, handlers, and curious owners who want an accessible explanation that links basic science to real-world practice.
Paul Green is a UK-based dog trainer and scentwork instructor who runs K-9 Enrichment and delivers training in areas like mantrailing, open search, lost property search, and lost pet trailing (based around Horley, Surrey).
He also writes and publishes educational material on scentwork—e.g., the book “MANTRAILING: WHAT IT IS AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT”—and posts articles under his name on the K-9 Enrichment site.