Dogs have incredible noses, and can trained to search for the scent of human remains, bringing closure to those who are grieving and the opportunity to memorialize. As well as recent remains, they can also search for historic remains. We're joined by two experts in the field, Kim Cooper of Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue, and Cat Warren, author of the NYT-bestseller What the Dog Knows, to learn more about these dogs and the work that they do.
We talk about:
- How Kim and Cat got started in working with human remains detection dogs and how the dogs are trained
- Historic human remains detection dogs
- How these dogs can help with searches at the sites of former residential schools in Canada
- The emotional side of a search from the handler's perspective and the skills a handler needs to work with communities
- Working with communities and the role of oral history in historical searches
- What type of dog is best suited to this work (breed, personality, size, etc.)
- And finally, we talk about the books we're reading
The books we recommend:
- The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods
- Native Nations: A Millenium in North America by Kathleen DuVal
- Words Are My Matter: Writings on Life and Books by Ursula Le Guin
- Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures by Katherine Rundell
Also mentioned:
- The work in Croatia is described in this article by Cat Warren https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/dog-archaeology-ancient-human-remains-bones-croatia-a9522776.html
- Cat Warren at Bark! Fest (with Marc Bekoff and Zazie Todd) https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/16276537
Cat Warren's books are What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World, and the Young Reader's Edition of What the Dog Knows. They are available wherever books are sold.
Learn more about Kim Cooper on the Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue Dog Association website: https://www.ovsarda.on.ca/
Learn more about Cat Warren: https://catwarren.com/
About the co-hosts:
Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.
Kristi Benson's website Facebook
Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat.
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