A standardised approach for evaluating detection dogs searching for rare species

Detection dogs are increasingly engaged to support conservation efforts by using their powerful nose to sniff out hidden species. However, like other methods, dogs don’t always find everything, and understanding what is found and what is missed is critical in rare species surveys. This thesis offers a standardised approach to how we evaluate dogs during field surveys, providing a consistent measure to adjust raw data and account for imperfect detection. Adopting this approach will facilitate meaningful comparisons within and between studies, allow for the various influences on dog performance to be examined, and allow direct comparison with other survey methods.