Dogs vary quite a bit in their abilities, training and success rates, particularly in the US. Research can only tell us about the performance of the dogs used in a study, it can't really claim to apply to all dogs working in the field as cadaver dogs.
In Amaral's book he shares Encarnacio's theory that Madeleine died when her father was speaking with Jes Wilkins. Interestingly, Rebelo's reconstitution would have covered the group's movements from 5.30pm to 11pm. Obviously he was interested in the period between 5.30pm and 8.35pm.
You resolutely ignore the fact that Operation Grange was set up for the purpose of investigating an abduction, so the fact that they are investigating that is hardly surprising.
Obviously the period of time in the days and hours leading up to a disappearance will be of interest to any investigating police force, it's a leap to suggest however that Rebelo gave serious consideration to the possibility that Madeleine died before the McCanns left for dinner - it's clear from the final report that that possibility was never seriously considered by the PJ IMO
"In a final synthesis,
based on facts, it seems to us that the following can be
asserted:
- On the 3rd of May 2007, at around 10 p.m., at the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, Kate Healy - like her, her husband Gerald and their friends, while dining at the Tapas, did with a periodicity that has not been rigorously established - headed for apartment G5A, in order to check on
her three children, who had been left there, asleep";
