Dogs are used differently, and there are pros and cons with different operational procedures. Intensive analysis of the operational structures of MDD field programmes will identify the links between behaviour, routine and efficiency of work, potentially leading to optimisation of the use of dogs. This is a more time consuming but effective alternative to traditional evaluation methods, which tend to oversee field operations without making in-depth analysis of procedures.
There will therefore be a stronger emphasis on studies of MDD operations in the future. A series of case studies will eventually be available for comparison, some of which have already been completed. Some of the results show surprising dependencies between speed and applied procedures, dependencies that the demining organisations themselves had not yet observed or recognised. Countries where operations studies have been undertaken include:
- Cambodia (CMAC)
- Afghanistan (MDC)
- Bosnia (NPA)
