Madeleine's last movements tracked by the GNR sniffer dogs.

[sadie]

According to much of what we know, Madeleine was carried out of the apartment in windy conditions.  In those circumstances it is almost impossible for tracker dogs to follow a trail since the scent will have dispersed.

Quite right, John.

....... and as far as we know her feet never touched the ground either, so not much of a scent trail there ... if any.

[stephen25000]

Quite right, John.

....... and as far as we know her feet never touched the ground either, so not much of a scent trail there ... if any.

Actually nothing concrete is known how Madeleine was taken out of the apartment and WHEN.

It is merely speculation

[sadie]

Actually nothing concrete is known how Madeleine was taken out of the apartment and WHEN.

It is merely speculation

I agree with you there Stephen , but had her bare feet touched the ground, I would have expected some resilient scent for the dogs tp pick up on, wouldn't you?

[stephen25000]

I agree with you there Stephen , but had her bare feet touched the ground, I would have expected some resilient scent for the dogs tp pick up on, wouldn't you?

Unfortunately, we will probably never know one way or the other.

[sadie]

Unfortunately, we will probably never know one way or the other.

We dont, that's for sure.

Maybe SY will know.  And they are the ones thta matter.

[pegasus]

Quite right, John.

....... and as far as we know her feet never touched the ground either, so not much of a scent trail there ... if any.

Think of all the people who have been successfully found by tracking/trailing dogs .
Hundreds.
How many of them were barefoot?
Probably none.

[sadie]

Think of all the people who have been successfully found by tracking/trailing dogs .
Hundreds.
How many of them were barefoot?
Probably none.

And how many of them were small and carried, so that their feet were about a metre from the ground ?

[pegasus]

And how many of them were small and carried, so that their feet were about a metre from the ground ?

IMO a human continously sheds clumps of dead skin cells, which are infused with various biological substances, and also infused with various bacteria.
IMO the combination of those 3 components has a chemical signature unique to each human, and dogs detect this.
IMO a human will deposit a trail of these particles, at a rate of hundreds per second, into the environment along their every route, and IMO this happens even if the human is carried.

At least we know that definitely no shoes were being worn.
"she asked the parents whether Madeleine's shoes were there, to which they replied that they were"
(statement of MW employee AT)