# HRD literature?



## Kat Hunsecker (Oct 23, 2009)

Hello

I was wondering if anybody has a recommendation to HRD, scent specific things. I know how to train it. But I was wondering if there is anything good out there, that might help with showing how scent distributes underground etc...
also about the degeneration of personal scent in source...
I do have a copy of "Training The Cadaver Detection Dog" by Todd Terrill
But would like some more input...


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Kat,

As far as I know, there have not been alot of work along the lines you are looking for. Most of what I have located was anecdotal and not "scientific". 

So much of what goes on underground depends on soil type (clay, sandy, etc), underground rock formations (limestone vs shale vs sandstone, etc) depth of burial, drainage patterns, climatic conditions (rainfall, desert vs temperate, etc), vegetation cover, terrain gradiant, age of burial, whether put inside some kind of container or just thrown in, and so forth and so on. The best thing I could suggest is to read some hydrology reports to see how ground water acts under the above stated conditions and where the water flows, the odor will follow.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

The cadaver dog handbook is still an essential read if an oldy. I go back to it at times. Not familiar with the book you referenced.

I don't know of much good literature other than handouts here and there from seminars etc.

But scent specific cadaver? Not sure I have seen anything on that topic.


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## Kat Hunsecker (Oct 23, 2009)

Yes, there is not much out there... but even in a book like "Buzzards and Butterflies- human Remains Detection dogs" by J C Judah one can find some valuable information... was hoping for more like this....

Maybe even a collection of cases or something...


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

No not much in writing. To some extent, the more I learn the more I value training with people with lots of real world field experience. May not fully understand scent transport / scent changes but learning pinpointing techniques such as probing/aerating or wooden staking....and I don't think you EVER get so good you have nothing to learn.

Sometimes I think more an art than a science. Maybe some of these training venues at the FOREST and the newer facility in Texas will help formalize gather some of this info.

Neat training scenario at Edwin Grant's seminar this past weekend. There were plenty-it was a good seminar and my only complaint is too many people at one seminar- but we visited a site where a man had decomposed ( only what the bears did not drag off which was upper torso and head) in 2007-08. I had been on the original search for the dis-articulated remains in 08 after he was found. 

My young, certified but relatively inexperienced, dog detailed it and worked to the point without any help though it took him some time. You could see how odor had moved downhill and pooled in low spots, though not far even after 6 years and heavy rains in the rich and rocky forest soil and the indication was given at the original spot. This had been , however, a surface body on a hill.


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## Kat Hunsecker (Oct 23, 2009)

Not much of this around here... I would be fine with anecdotal... scientific is not always applicable in real life scenarios.
I'd take anything...lol


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## Jim Delbridge (Jan 27, 2010)

Forensic Taphonomy, Volume 1, by Haglund and Sorg. Not dog specific, but I think a must read for HRD dog handlers.

Rebman's book is more an air scent dog handler's view of how to cross-train towards cadaver work, which is what King County pretty much did. I think it will misdirect HRD-specific as much as help. I tore it a new one for a graduate course and it wasn't hard to do.


Jim Delbridge


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## Kat Hunsecker (Oct 23, 2009)

Wow that is a pretty spendy book, well this one gonna have to wait - but it sounds very interesting... thank you


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