On the Trail in the U.K.

It seems that more and more people are using dogs to aid them in their daily life and in their work. In the U.K., dogs are now being used to sniff out endangered species, based on evidence of their signs of existence such as nests, carcasses or droppings. The program is called Conservation Dogs and it is all based on the dogs' incredible sense of smell.

"Some estimates suggest that [the dogs'] sense of smell is at least 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. As a result, scat detection dogs have been able to determine greater success at locating scats than human search teams using visual detection," notes Louise Wilson, director of the organization. "Each animal's scat contains DNA specific to it. By collecting scat samples, we can help get a population count for a location. This allows conservationists to formulate an estimate for a larger area."

Working on a zig-zag pattern, a dog like a Labrador or a spaniel, two of the more popular breeds used for this work, can work six to eight hours with regular breaks. To train them to find specific types of droppings, trainers rely on zoos to supply them. Dogs are rewarded for finding these samples.

Scat training has proved useful for other commercial organizations in Britain. One pest control company uses dogs to pinpoint the entry and exit point of mice! Hotels may soon use them to detect bed bugs.

Best of all, dogs love to have a job, especially one that feels like a walk in the park!