Using Dogs for target pinpointing and recovery

[West Jersey Detecting]

I just got a dog, and I began to wonder if anyone has trained a dog for metal detecting use. As a child I trained my pet to find a quarter by having the dog sniff the coin, and then throwing it into the rocks and tall grass of my yard. The dog always recovered the coin!

Has anyone ever heard of dogs used in pinpointing and recovery?

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

No, but I had this wild idea one day: I had a dog that loved to dig hole in our back-yard. I mused that perhaps I could teach him to dig on command, at spots I would point to on the beach. I would pinpoint a target, show him the spot, and let him go at it! Never got around to actually doing it though

 

[N.J.THer]

Neil,
I don't think the dog was locating the smell of the quarter. It was most likely locating your scent. I'm not sure if silver or gold has a scent. Any scientists out there that can weigh in on this one. I would have to say though if it was possible it would have been done already.
NJ

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Neil,
I don't think the dog was locating the smell of the quarter. It was most likely locating your scent. I'm not sure if silver or gold has a scent. Any scientists out there that can weigh in on this one. I would have to say though if it was possible it would have been done already.
NJ

I might have to disagree on you with this one. You are correct about the dog picking up my scent, I am sure. But next time you find a coin, give it a good whiff. I think you will agree that silver does give off an odor, as does copper, nickel and clad. I guess the best way to describe it is a "metallic" odor .

I once knew the owner of a termite extermination company that used beagles to detect termites in wood. They were a very successful company and I think they may still be in business. I think it is possible to train a dog to find metal, and I will be following up ( hopefully soon) with a post featuring Cooper's first copper!!

 

[N.J.THer]

Neil,
I don't think the dog was locating the smell of the quarter. It was most likely locating your scent. I'm not sure if silver or gold has a scent. Any scientists out there that can weigh in on this one. I would have to say though if it was possible it would have been done already.
NJ

I might have to disagree on you with this one. You are correct about the dog picking up my scent, I am sure. But next time you find a coin, give it a good whiff. I think you will agree that silver does give off an odor, as does copper, nickel and clad. I guess the best way to describe it is a "metallic" odor .

I once knew the owner of a termite extermination company that used beagles to detect termites in wood. They were a very successful company and I think they may still be in business. I think it is possible to train a dog to find metal, and I will be following up ( hopefully soon) with a post featuring Cooper's first copper!!

If it works change his name to Gold and let me know so I can use it as leverage with my wife to get a dog. LOL

NJ

 

[bigfish31]

Call me when you can train a gopher to find and dig nuggets.

 

[bushlight]

Took my dog the other day.And all she wanted to do was.Stomp around in the creek and get those little green balls all over her.

 

[rust in peace]

You might want to consider whats going to happen when your dogs paw goes across a pulltab or rusty piece of tin.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

You might want to consider whats going to happen when your dogs paw goes across a pulltab or rusty piece of tin.

Good point...Or even worse, scratch that 1916D Merc!!!

 

[rommelvon]

My German Shepherd helps me dig, I do have to point at the ground and say "BUG!!!! BUG!!!! then he digs a bit and he looks at me like I'm crazy when he dont find a bug

 

[Old Dog]

When the Spanish came through the central and western US they had a myriad of different types of dogs.
I have heard from many sources and have had the opportunity to hold a couple of the bowls they used for food and water for them.
Yes they were made of gold alloys,

the theory seems to be if the dog ate from a golden dish he would naturally associate the gold with food. So these dogs were supposedly used as sniffers.
Or gold hunting dogs.

I do know that copper has a smell that is different from other metals.

Why not.
I have an open mind

OD

 

[geckokid]

That is dangerous, what if the item the dog digs is sharp! it will hurt the dog or worse a [size=10pt]UXO![/size]

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Of course caution would be necessary. There are areas where there is little trash, and no cans or sharp objects. The dog would be used primarily to pinpoint a coin in a dirt pile. At that point, I think you all would agree, that you are fairly confident when you have dug a coin, versus a junk target. A person would know if they had dug up a UXO (unexploded ordanance) before the object was in a dirt pile.

If I was unsure what was in the pile, I would simply pinpoint the object myself!

I think the more difficult part of the formula is actually metal detecting and trying to control the dog.