"Tracker dogs" refers to specially trained dogs that can detect and follow scents to locate people or objects. They are often used by law enforcement and search and rescue teams to help find missing individuals or track down criminals.
Full definition
This breed belongs to a group
of tracker dogs that work only with the sense of smell.
According to the different types of breeds, the work method
for tracker dogs is different.
Although the experts discuss about the Asian origin of the Dalmatian, there is no doubt that in Asia there were
tracker dogs with a similar fur.
This was shown when
police tracker dogs were given a scent trail that seemed to run in the opposite direction to a set of footprints on the ground; they invariably followed their noses and ignored the contradictory visual cues (Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol 84, p 297).
The Bloodhound is considered as the descendent of the
Celtic tracker dogs, and it also has the blood of a mastiff.
It has as a descendant, the Dunker, a
Norwegian tracker dog breed that at the beginning of the 19th century was especially raised to hunt hares.
Labrador Retrievers proved worthy,
as tracker dogs over the German Shepherd with the latter being more a scout than a tracker.
Later
these tracker dogs were forgotten and almost disappeared.
The tracker dogs also follow the wounded prey, especially deer, roe deer and wild boars.
Assistance animals also fulfil many other invaluable roles, including working as sheep and cattle dogs, as sniffer dogs used for detection of drugs,
tracker dogs, mountain, sea and avalanche rescue animals, and police dogs.