Can volunteers train their pet dogs to detect a novel odor in a controlled environment in under 12 weeks?

Conservation Detection Dogs (CDDs) are trained to locate biological material from plants and animals relevant to conservation efforts. CDDs can be more effective and more economical than other survey methods, yet financial costs associated with training and maintaining CDDs, while meeting their welfare needs, can prohibit their use. It takes a great deal of time and effort to train operational CDDs, but an important foundational skill is being able to detect a target odor in controlled conditions. In this study we developed and evaluated a program in which community volunteers trained their own companion dog in such a task. Following an initial assessment, 19 dog-handler teams were selected to work with two professional CDD trainers in a 12-week training program. Teams were assessed in Weeks 8 and 12 in scent board and room search activities. Seventeen teams completed the full program and located the target odor in a minimum of 75% of all search trials in which the odor was present. Search performance was re-assessed in 11 teams after a 14-week period without maintenance training, with no significant reduction in performance being found in search time, proportion of correct responses or number of false alerts. These results suggest that companion dogs can be successfully trained to locate a target odor in controlled conditions in 12 weeks and that this skill is retained for at least several months. While this is a far cry from what might be expected of a fully operational CDD, it is an important first step in demonstrating that a volunteer training model may provide one way to help address financial limitations and welfare implications that can be associated with professional CDDs, while engaging community members in important and sustainable conservation work.