#05/4
Sniffer dogs II

The bark beetle is the most dangerous pest in our forests. Due to climate change, it is spreading ever faster and causing great damage. A trained nose can help!

In the first project "#04/4 Detection Dogs", we got to know the initiators of today's Graubünden Bark Beetle Detection Dogs Association - dedicated foresters from Scuol and Bregaglia who set up the project in their spare time. The Pignaverde Foundation supported them financially in the development of a training program for species detection dogs. A lot has happened since then: The association was founded, new dog handlers and more sniffer dogs joined. Now the next step follows - with the aim of better protecting the mountain forest through the early use of sniffer dogs.

Why the "Sniffer Dogs II" project is important!

Working with sniffer dogs requires patience, time and a lot of training. Only through regular practice, repetition and continuous development of the training can the dogs' performance remain reliable. For example, it is important that the target scent (aggregation pheromones) can be sufficiently generalized so that the dogs can recognize it in any context. This is precisely where "Detection Dogs 2" comes in: The training conditions are to be further expanded and professionalized - so that the sniffer dogs can be used even more precisely and efficiently. The Pignaverde Foundation continues to support the Graubünden Bark Beetle Detection Dogs Association - for the protection of our forests through the fine nose of a dog.

_{Photos: Species Tracking Dogs Switzerland, Helena von der Heyde}