Scenting Conditions?

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MataPAto
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Scenting Conditions?

Post by MataPAto » Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:14 pm

Hi everyone,

I have read many comments about "good scenting conditions" and "bad scenting conditions," but nothing really definitive. It is my understanding that humidity, temperature, and wind all have a huge impact on how easy it is to pick up scent. If I were to summarize what I think I've read, it would be that higher humidity, consistent breeze (not still, not hootin'), and warmer (i.e. not freezing) temperatures are best for scenting. But I have little experience with such, so I would love it if you all could step in and clarify a bit from your experience, or maybe point me at a thread I have missed.

Many thanks!
-John

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by BigShooter » Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:21 pm

In my mind the best conditions are early morning or late afternoon on cool, cloudy days with a light breeze. When the ground is wet & the air is cooler than the ground the scent hangs around better. A light wind picks up scent particles and disburses them from the one single spot they originate from. You'll notice under these same conditions smoke hangs around instead of disappearing up & away.
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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by BigShooter » Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:44 pm

I recall reading that the longer a dog's nose the more receptor cells it has & the better it can pick up scents. If I recall correctly one scientific study also concluded a dog's ability to smell is directly related to its skin pigmentation. Lighter dogs do not have the same ability to scent as do darker dogs. I'm guessing under most hunting conditions you would never be able to discern the difference and we're probably talking about splitting hairs here.

A dog's nose requires moisture to convert scent particles into a mixture or solution the receptors can accept. So very dry conditions or a partially dehydrated dog will present some scenting difficulties.
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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by DGFavor » Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:08 pm

I recall reading that the longer a dog's nose the more receptor cells it has & the better it can pick up scents. If I recall correctly one scientific study also concluded a dog's ability to smell is directly related to its skin pigmentation. Lighter dogs do not have the same ability to scent as do darker dogs.
I've never heard that but I've totally observed and wondered that myself. Two of our dogs through the years with the longest snouts (and I guess maybe darkest pigment too now that you bring that to my attention) always seemed to pick up birds at longest range. My dog Scoots looks like a grizzly bear I swear and he in my observations will pick up and work birds from farther back than his kennels mates...but he's dumber than his kennel mates soooo....maybe his olfactory center is takin' up too much of his brain!! I need a scientific study on that one!! :lol: :lol:

Image

Best thing I've heard you can do to improve their scenting is clean their teeth.
Last edited by DGFavor on Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by birddog1968 » Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:09 pm

I want the dog that can nail em in hot dry no wind situations after he's ran for 3 hours :D :wink:

And so far that's been a white dog in my case.
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TAK
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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by TAK » Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:54 pm

BigShooter wrote:
A dog's nose requires moisture to convert scent particles into a mixture or solution the receptors can accept. So very dry conditions or a partially dehydrated dog will present some scenting difficulties.

So true! I have worked with a lot of scent dogs in my line of work. I have helped train with some Cadaver(sp? Dead people) dogs that the handlers kept a spray bottle and would mist the dogs nose many times during training an searches.

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by TAK » Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:03 pm

My opinion of the best conditions are after a light snow, or rain and so slight of a draft. My aviater dog seemed to always amaze me on the days you have a temp of 104 degrees and a ground temp of the surface of the sun!

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by snips » Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:19 am

I always thought Barometric pressure had something to do with it. Have heard and experienced when fronts are moving in it can be real tough. There are times it seems when you would think all is just right for scenting, damp, cool, breeze and a dog cannot smell their bu@#...Other times it is hot and dry and they nail them great... I remember a NSTRA Endurance Trial that ran in Sparta Ga in Sept...It was 95 degrees, I overheated in a couple of braces:( The best birdwork I can remember seeing at a trial...Go figure...
brenda

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by Meller » Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:01 am

I think everyone can conduct an experiment on thier own to help get a better understanding of how scent travels under different weather conditions and with the fourth of July upon us not a better time to do so; buy 30 or however many day's in a row worth of the smoke bom's and place out one per day, and record temperature ,barametric pressure, and weather conditions; watch the pattern of the smoke, does it hug the ground, or does it spread all around or does it rise straight up, just what it does will give a better understanding or I believe it will.
Now this experiment does'ent tell how much scent the bird's are releasing on any given day, as reserch has already shown that a bird does'ant release as much sent while nesting.
JMO!

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by BigShooter » Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:27 am

We haven't talked at all about the condition of the prey. Seems to me scent is produced at least two ways. One is the interaction of the feet of the prey with the ground. I've noticed with nylon dress stockings and somewhat airtight dress shoes I can get pretty stinky feet. It must be due in part to the trapped odors produced by bacteria or fungus. So I'd guess prey with "dirty" feet leave better scent. That could in part explain the differences in planted birds between different days or different trials. I would think the interaction of bacteria with moist soil partly explains why ground moisture is good for scenting.

The other scent must come from body odor particles wafting in the air. I'm guessing here too there are days more stinky or less stinky birds are planted.

I don't think we spend much time thinking about trying to decrease or increase pen raised bird odors for planted bird trials. We have enough problems just keeping them alive and in decent shape.

On hot still days while you may not have much of a horizontal breeze you'll always have upward air movement as well as some movement of air molecules between areas with slight differences in temperatures or moisture.

These are my theories so they sound good to me. :lol:
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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by BigShooter » Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:33 am

Meller wrote:I think everyone can conduct an experiment on thier own to help get a better understanding of how scent travels under different weather conditions and with the fourth of July upon us not a better time to do so; buy 30 or however many day's in a row worth of the smoke bom's and place out one per day, and record temperature ,barametric pressure, and weather conditions; watch the pattern of the smoke, does it hug the ground, or does it spread all around or does it rise straight up, just what it does will give a better understanding or I believe it will.
Now this experiment does'ent tell how much scent the bird's are releasing on any given day, as reserch has already shown that a bird does'ant release as much sent while nesting.
JMO!
So you liked my reference to smoke movement! I've got a better idea. Why don't you take 30 stink bombs and .......... :P :lol: :lol:
Mark

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by BigShooter » Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:41 am

TAK wrote: the handlers kept a spray bottle and would mist the dogs nose many times during training an searches.
Lets offend everybody.

Now we know why:

the setters at our local AKC trials all head for a splash in the pond on their way around the course on a hot day. They're not hot ... they're just moistening up their noses! :P

labs spend so much time in the water, they're just trying to improve their sense of smell! :P

certain lines of pointers have a great affinity for water! :P

versatile breeds, spaniels & brits all hit the water with gusto! :P

etc., etc. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Mark

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by Mountaineer » Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:51 am

DGFavor wrote:...Best thing I've heard you can do to improve their scenting is clean their teeth.
Not sure that cleaning will improve scenting but poorly maintained teeth can increase the likelyhood of an infection impacting the ability to scent.

There is no doubt, to me, that raised birds have a stronger scent, that dogs learn to follow various odors to planted birds besides the birds themselves and that good dogs use more than scent to locate birds....scent is, often, simply the final ticket.

Speaking of wild birds, especially, cover many times dictates a dog's success in scenting.

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by mudhunter » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:10 pm

I have found smoke is a good indicator. where I train I can see one of those outside woodfurnaces. If the smoke is rising slowly and blowing lightly it will usually be good scenting. If the smoke is going down after leaving the chimney scenting is usually lousy. Cool temperatures are ideal, once the dog starts to over heat they struggle to smell anything, but I have setters so they get hot often!

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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by BigShooter » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:30 pm

BigShooter wrote:
Meller wrote:I think everyone can conduct an experiment on thier own to help get a better understanding of how scent travels under different weather conditions and with the fourth of July upon us not a better time to do so; buy 30 or however many day's in a row worth of the smoke bom's and place out one per day, and record temperature ,barametric pressure, and weather conditions; watch the pattern of the smoke, does it hug the ground, or does it spread all around or does it rise straight up, just what it does will give a better understanding or I believe it will.
Now this experiment does'ent tell how much scent the bird's are releasing on any given day, as reserch has already shown that a bird does'ant release as much sent while nesting.
JMO!
So you liked my reference to smoke movement! I've got a better idea. Why don't you take 30 stink bombs and .......... :P :lol: :lol:
Meller, I thought you made a good post & a great little experiment most people could relate to. I apologize for my inappropriate humor. I was imagining one of us lighting off a stink bomb & going around sniffing for the scent cone like a dog rather than taking the easy way out by watching smoke. I was laughing at the idea not at you.
Mark

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Tall Pines Hits The Spot
Tall Pines Queen Eleanor
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Re: Scenting Conditions?

Post by TAK » Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:17 pm

BigShooter wrote:
TAK wrote: the handlers kept a spray bottle and would mist the dogs nose many times during training an searches.
Lets offend everybody.

Now we know why:

the setters at our local AKC trials all head for a splash in the pond on their way around the course on a hot day. They're not hot ... they're just moistening up their noses! :P

labs spend so much time in the water, they're just trying to improve their sense of smell! :P

certain lines of pointers have a great affinity for water! :P

versatile breeds, spaniels & brits all hit the water with gusto! :P

etc., etc. :lol: :lol: :lol:
See everyone can learn a new trick now and then! And Ron White said you couldn't fix Stupid! Guess he was wrong! :mrgreen:

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