another introduction

[NCSteve]

I am Steve with Specialized K9 Services. We are a search and detection team. We mainly work criminal investigations. We have certified trailing dogs that meet federal standards along with cadaver and a drug detection dog. We stay out of search and rescue, but respect those that do it. You may learn more by visiting www.sk9s.com

[Robert Bradley]

Steve,

Thank you for posting links to some of the research into scent on your website.

I was particularly interested in some of the FBI studies, and details of their procedures. They seem very conscious of, and cautious towards, false positives - something that can sometimes be ignored by some handlers.

Unless it is commercially sensitive, can you tell us a bit about your work with negative IDs with your dogs?

[NCSteve]

Our trained negatives are indication to let the handler know that scent given to the K9 is not present or is very old (year or more) If it is aged scent the K9 will ponder looking around and back at handler not moving and come back to him. A complete negative the K9 within seconds comes to the handler and jumps him.
I demostrated this not long agao for Washington County Sheriffs on a case. They thought foul play was involved at an accident scene from a chase. They felt some gang bangers had murdered the driver and one of them was driving the truck. I was called in a week later when it became a missing person case. The missing mans scent was there and seemed to have stayed in the woods and exited, by leaving in another vehicle (probably next day). They were still stuck on it was a crime scene. I asked to collect scents from the suspects which they did. We gave the K9's 3 different scents of suspects, all were negatives to the scene. 2 weeks later, they called and said they believe in the dogs, there was a 911 call one minute apart from the 911 call of the wreck. The suspects where on the otherside of the county involved in a fight with about 40 other people there. There was no way they could of been at the wreck site.