do border collies...

[katy_harvey]

Sniff out scents and follow them usually? Harvey does it ALL the time, I just think "but you're not a sniffer dog, you're a herder!" lol !

He didn't see the deer next to us, but he sure as hell smelled it when he walked past where it had been, then he went looking for it haha

[rachd38]

I think most dog breeds do. Conan does it and our old border collie used to follow scents you could always tell if someone had been at the house while we're out as he used to smell the ground along the path lots!

[Tassle]

Yep - he is a dog!!

[trickytrip]

BC's have a fabulous sense of smell. They have to be able to sniff out predators and lost sheep. Play the treat under which cup game with him.

[kglacer]

I've done the "pick which hand the treat is in" game with finn, he always gets it right!!

[katy_harvey]

I thought it sounded stupid but I thought I should ask anyway! You never see Border Collies used for their scent, like police sniffer dogs...

[Fergus10]

(01-12-2012 11:32 AM)katy_harvey Wrote:  I thought it sounded stupid but I thought I should ask anyway! You never see Border Collies used for their scent, like police sniffer dogs...

I think it's more that BC's work drive is channelled towards herding more then finding drugs etc, saying that a few of Fergus' relatives are search and rescue dogs up in the highlands of Scotland

Having a Collie and a Spaniel I can see how their brains are wired differently. If we lose a tennis ball when out walking if I send the dogs to look for it Fergus will very quickly get bored and lie down looking at me like, 'what? I looked but I didn't find it! Throw the other ball, PWEAAASEEEE'. My spaniel will search until he finds it, his search is very methodological and intense while Fergus just has a quick sniff and gets on with his day.

[katy_harvey]

(01-12-2012 11:43 AM)Fergus10 Wrote:  

(01-12-2012 11:32 AM)katy_harvey Wrote:  I thought it sounded stupid but I thought I should ask anyway! You never see Border Collies used for their scent, like police sniffer dogs...

I think it's more that BC's work drive is channelled towards herding more then finding drugs etc, saying that a few of Fergus' relatives are search and rescue dogs up in the highlands of Scotland

Having a Collie and a Spaniel I can see how their brains are wired differently. If we lose a tennis ball when out walking if I send the dogs to look for it Fergus will very quickly get bored and lie down looking at me like, 'what? I looked but I didn't find it! Throw the other ball, PWEAAASEEEE'. My spaniel will search until he finds it, his search is very methodological and intense while Fergus just has a quick sniff and gets on with his day.

That makes sense!

[Tassle]

(01-12-2012 11:32 AM)katy_harvey Wrote:  I thought it sounded stupid but I thought I should ask anyway! You never see Border Collies used for their scent, like police sniffer dogs...

There are a lot of BCs used in WT

[bocobutz]

(01-12-2012 11:32 AM)katy_harvey Wrote:  I thought it sounded stupid but I thought I should ask anyway! You never see Border Collies used for their scent, like police sniffer dogs...

Borders are used a lot as search and rescue.....in talking w/ people i have gotten to "feedbacks" on that.....a couple i talked w/ said they don't like using BC's b/c they're too "intense" and hard to pull off till the job is done....then others i have talked to said they love working w/ BC's b/c they are "so intense and won't quit till the job is done"....and both said that they do best for live find cuz they are very sensitive to finding cadavers....one gal even said that one BC she worked w/ for live was on search for a child and, unfortunately, when they found the child she was dead....dog shut down for about 2 wks and they had to really work to bring her back around....

[jossiemarie]

Bc are often used for search and rescue and all most dogs have a good sense of smell, certainly miles better than our own lol.

[GreensMom]

(01-12-2012 11:21 AM)trickytrip Wrote:  BC's have a fabulous sense of smell. They have to be able to sniff out predators and lost sheep. Play the treat under which cup game with him.

Green loves this game!

[emzilouu]

We have both a collie and a spaniel and milo seems to use his nose alot more inside then holly does. milo will actually sniff around say if he looses his toy he will sniff it out where as holly will just destroy everything in its path to get to it. but when were out holly always picks up scents of deer, rabbit, phesant etc but milo wont use his nose as much outside apart from when hes sniffing to go to the toilet hes always too busy playing lol