Some years ago many mine detection dog organisations claimed to be a
ble to train their dogs to detect tripwires. Today most of the same organisations have abandoned this practice, claiming that dogs have problems in reliably finding tripwires. They also claim that tripwire detection can have a negative impact on cost-effectiveness due to prolonged training and increased false alarms, due to the failure of the dog to discriminate between scrap metal and metallic tripwires.
The presence of tripwires is a major delaying factor to demining in general, and if dogs are able to detect them, the potential for the use of dogs is clearly increased. Safety for dogs and handlers will also be greatly increased. GICHD therefore aimed to facilitate the implementation of a small study where the focus is put on tripwire detection.
The objective of the sub-study was to determine whether, and how, dogs are able to detect different types of tripwires (such as metallic and non-metallic) and where limitations exist. The study also addressed possible negative aspects of dog tripwire detection, including:
- Increased number of false indications
- Prolonged training periods
- A possible reduced ability (interest) to detect explosive vapours
The US State Department decided to provide direct funds to Global Training Academy to implement the study in accordance with the Terms of Reference prepared by GICHD. Global Training Academy has completed the study and prepared a report for the GICHD. The report has been incorporated into the MDD book (see MDD book index, chapter 2, part 3).
