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Cadaver Dogs
- Jeff Minder
- Jul 9
- 1 min read
Cadaver dogs, also known as human remains detection dogs (HRDDs), are specially trained canines that locate the scent of human remains. They play a vital role in search and rescue operations, criminal investigations, and even historical research. These dogs are trained to detect the unique scent of decomposing human flesh and alert their handlers to the location of the remains.
The devastation of the Texas flash floods has increased requests for Cadaver dogs. A Tier 3 certified Foundation Dog® can have the scent of human remains added to it's scent portfolio in less than a week. A Tier 3 certified Foundation Dog has high levels of obedience, tracking, scent detection and socialization already engrained within it's brain at the age of 20 weeks, so having a Foundation Dog on staff gives great flexibility to those who want to provide "services on the fly" as the community needs it.
Adding new odors to a dog's scent portfolio is a very easy and straightforward process when working with Foundation Dogs.
Our next Masters in Scent Detection begins September 9th, 2025. Top Tier K9® Masters classes are designed for trainers to take certified Foundation Dogs and finish those dogs for specific missions. This deep dive into the dog's olfactory system, handler training, and adding a specific odor whereby the dog will hunt for and indicate on that odor, is the content of the class.
Consider a Foundation Dog as an operating system, with core elements that are accepting of new functions and features creating multi-purpose dogs that can be modified for changing mission demands.
