Detector dog training shows companion-dogs rapidly remember the what and where of instinctively significant scents

Companion dogs with no previous experience were trained in a drug detector dog adapted method to recognise the scents of ‘prey’ animals and allowed sleep their natural habitat, at home owners. After each two consecutive nights they evaluated on next days. We tested declarative memory (knowing that) also procedural how), by using chase-and-fetch training testing routines, which involved walking running around as well sniffing. All able remember what trained-for most where against distractors. There indications that scent could be reinforced can further learned day. training, when denied day time evening sleeps instead provided stimulating activities, surprisingly still showed ‘first-night-effect’ (of disrupted subsequent reduction) successfully found scents, was attributed either robust short sleep-wake cycles, them being highly motivated habitat. Our evidence after (using dominant sense smell) our all aspects including both NREM REM demonstrated especially memories significant difference number sessions per hour, asleep, session length, percentage or latency between normal night compared day/evening sleep.
 These findings provide indication dogs’ self applying same criteria for humans. sign old is not reduced are monitored home. believe it possible companion owners whose enthusiastically fetch, readily train own this