Detection Dog Terminology: Final response, indication, alert, or change of behavior?

Here are the definitions from ASB 025.

Making sure we are all speaking a common vocabulary is important! It helps foster clear communication between all parties and circumvents confusion. Also, when we use very precise terms, we can have robust and productive conversations around the same thing! Whether we are talking to fellow canine trainers, clients, scientists, or our family, using the same words is always helpful.

In my travels, one of the most confusing terms are those surrounding the dog’s behavior telling us it found target odor. Depending on where you live alert, trained final response, or indication can all mean the same or different thing. In addition, there are the terms of change of behavior(CoB) and interest.

As you read through the definitions, notice the slight differences in the definitions. Alert encompasses the entire sequence of behaviors whereas final response is about one specific behavior. Change of behavior is how the handler interprets that the dog detects the trained odor/scent so being able to differentiate those behaviors from when a dog is working a distractor/diversion.

Why does this matter?

We do serious work with our dogs. We need to have robust and respectful conversations about training, deployments, and capabilities.

When the conversation stakes are high, having a common vocabulary reduces confusion, which is always good!

Tell me about a time where having a training conversation and you realized part way through you were talking about different things?

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You can check out all of the great documents that the ASB Dogs and Sensors committee has been up to. Make sure to look filter for Dogs and Sensors and published standards: https://www.aafs.org/search/standards