It isn't reliable at all. When narcotics canines are trained, it is done by conditioned response. When the dog smells an odor the handler wants him to detect, he alerts and he receives a reward. In order to certify, the dog has to pay attention to the area he is searching and has to work into what is called a "scent cone" and work to source. A common mistake that new handlers make is to try and second guess the dog into an area that the handler thinks, subconsciously, that he thinks the drugs are at. If he coaxes an alert in that area and rewards the dog then the dog begins to cue on the handler and will false alert because no odor is present. That will not pbutt certification. The handler is then corrected and told to let the dog work without input from him. The idea is to let the dog work on his own and find the odor and only reward when he alerts correctly. Long story short, if a dog learns to alert when the handler tells him to then the dog is not reliable for finding odor and will not pbutt certification. A dog who is not certified is not legally allowed to work.
-- --- jaybird --- I am not the cause of your problems. My actions are the result of your actions. Your life is not my fault.
