• Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I suppose that’s true, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t smell anything. Your conclusion may be correct, but your initial claim isn’t, and that’s something I’m seeing on lemmy more than I’d like to.

    • Scubus@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      He didn’t say they don’t smell anything. He said they’re trained to respond to their handler. What he said is true. Even if it’s not what they’re intentionally training, it is a verifiable fact that most k9s respond more to their handlers body language than to any actual substance they’re smelling.

      • Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Of course K9’s aren’t trained to actually smell anything

        He didn’t say they don’t smell anything

        Anyways, I wasn’t able to find data on police K9 units. I found this which has some good data with references further down the page, but it’s pretty far from a field environment. Do you have a study (“verifiable fact”) that has this data?

        • Scubus@sh.itjust.works
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          2 months ago

          they are not trained to smell

          but that doesn’t mean they don’t smell anything

          These are two different statements saying different things. Yes, police dogs often have noses that function. No, police dogs often do not require their noses in order to get the response the handler is wanting.

          And I was specifically referring to US k9s, but here are polish dogs. Their efficacy in cars, which is what I was referring to although did not explicitly state, is only 57%. Im still looking at other sources to find a more reliable, hopefully first hand, study.

          • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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            2 months ago

            The question wasn’t about the efficacy of dogs but about the “only respond to handler” part and you didn’t provide a source for that.

            Edit: another comment provided a study for that.

            • bane_killgrind@slrpnk.net
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              2 months ago

              Right- if the dogs alert based on the handler’s behavior, they shouldn’t be used as probable cause and probably aren’t legal to use.

              Change in policy and consequences for the police aside.