The tracker dogs

[Brietta]

Wouldn't they just be tasked to find any human ahead of them regardless of the scent.

That might be a possibility in a wilderness into which no-one but the missing person had ventured.  In an urban environment, particularly one where many people had been walking about dropping skin cells and sweat ... how could any dog be expected to know whose scent to follow and whose to ignore?

[Robittybob1]

That might be a possibility in a wilderness into which no-one but the missing person had ventured.  In an urban environment, particularly one where many people had been walking about dropping skin cells and sweat ... how could any dog be expected to know whose scent to follow and whose to ignore?

i'm not sure, but that was why I thought they would do the searches in the populated areas in the evening and overnight when there should be few people about.

[slartibartfast]

In simple terms - you stick a dog in a field, you give it an item of clothing to scent then you ask the dog to find the source of the scent. That's called air-scenting/tracking.
A trailing dog works with its nose to the ground following a specific scent.

Actually a tracking dog follows a scent with its nose to the ground and follows a single route, a trailing dog follows the strongest scent wherever it is, so would be diverted of the original course if a stronger scent where nearby.

[Brietta]

i'm not sure, but that was why I thought they would do the searches in the populated areas in the evening and overnight when there should be few people about.

Fewer people might have been about but the odours left by all who had passed that way previously would be evident to the dogs.  How would they know which scent would be of interest to their handlers?

[Robittybob1]

Fewer people might have been about but the odours left by all who had passed that way previously would be evident to the dogs.  How would they know which scent would be of interest to their handlers?

If you were to find every person within a zone the dogs don't need to know who you are looking for.  In the end the handlers will do the assessment - is the person found a 4 year old girl?  If not keep looking.

[G-Unit]

So now you're saying the first team of S&R dogs was sent out without scenting an item. What, exactly, were they expected to find without a scent to locate?

They were looking for a lost, possibly injured child. Have a try at discovering how search and rescue dogs are used; they look for any human being, not a particular one.

[G-Unit]

That might be a possibility in a wilderness into which no-one but the missing person had ventured.  In an urban environment, particularly one where many people had been walking about dropping skin cells and sweat ... how could any dog be expected to know whose scent to follow and whose to ignore?

There were many areas within and around PdL full of rough brush type vegetation, bushes, etc where it would be easy to miss a child. These S & R dogs were used in those areas, on the beach and so forth. Look at the terrain leading to the Boavista golf club, foe example.

[Brietta]

There were many areas within and around PdL full of rough brush type vegetation, bushes, etc where it would be easy to miss a child. These S & R dogs were used in those areas, on the beach and so forth. Look at the terrain leading to the Boavista golf club, foe example.

Which is well within the training parameters and capabilities of search and rescue canines. That or the areas they efficiently searched are not subject to any dispute whatsoever.  Undoubtedly, had Madeleine been there to be found these dogs had the capability to find her.

[sadie]

All I can say is - no wonder they couldn't find Joana Cipriano if they had no proper trailing dogs.

Touchee, misty 

I sometimes wonder if they wanted to find her TBH

[Robittybob1]

Which is well within the training parameters and capabilities of search and rescue canines. That or the areas they efficiently searched are not subject to any dispute whatsoever.  Undoubtedly, had Madeleine been there to be found these dogs had the capability to find her.

I was thinking if they came across an occupied farm building they could give the dogs the clothing to sniff and let the dogs move around the building to see if there is any interest.  Principally they must have been looking for a deceased child  hidden somewhere in the countryside.  I suppose if they thought the parents and friends could be involved in the disposal of the body, and they were out "searching" until 4 AM they would need to check an area within a 1-2 hour  walk away from OC.
I just can't imagine Madeleine doing the distance herself, walking over that rough ground without footwear.  Couldn't be done.  She would need to be carried.  Where was this person taking her? 
It doesn't seem to be logical just to carry a child across rough ground with no destination in mind.