Initial trail selection in mantrailing dogs under double-blind field conditions: a statistical evaluation of scent discrimination performance
Vera Volmary · 2026
Read Initial trail selection in mantrailing dogs under double-blind field conditions: a statistical evaluation of scent discrimination performance by Vera Volmary (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13158615.txt.
Description
Vera Volmary tested whether tracking dogs truly pick the right person scent at a trail start, in a 2026 study. Seventy working mantrailing dogs joined a double-blind field trial. Handlers and testers alike were kept in the dark. Dogs faced single trails and scent discrimination setups.
Success rates matched plain chance across all conditions. Statistical intervals fully overlapped the luck range. Training level, breed, age, and weather showed no effect. Positive and negative scent articles were both included in the design. The sobering result questions how courts and searches should weigh dog picks.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Vera Volmary |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 42 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |