RU2637614C1 - Method for determining threshold sensitivity of olfactory analyzer function in working dogs - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: veterinary medicine.

SUBSTANCE: searching reaction is assessed when using cotton pads impregnated with meat broth, cooked from meat of bullocks by boiling 100 g of meat in 1 litter of water for an hour. The primary broth is titrated with distilled water at a dilution from 1:2 to 1:1024. Then 2 mm³ of titrant is applied on the cotton pads and the speed of the batch titre detection is determined, and the threshold sensitivity of the olfactory analyzer function is determined by dilution titre which is 1:512 in dogs of German shepherd breed.

EFFECT: method allows to increase the accuracy of determining the threshold sensitivity of the olfactory analyzer in working dogs, which is achieved by finding the graduated batch titre.

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Description

A number of different methods for determining the sensitivity of the olfactory analyzer are known. When selecting dogs for training in the search service, it is necessary to determine the quality of flair. Primitively, at the first stage, the sense of smell can be checked by the dog independently finding several pieces of meat scattered in different places, while the dog must be in a free state and pre-walked. The place to check should not have objects distracting the dog. The meat is scattered unnoticed by the owner and the dog [1].

According to another method, the dog is offered to choose the one in which the meat is located in two completely identical boxes. The boxes are designed in such a way that the dog can smell the meat inside the box only through the hole in the box lid, into which filters with different numbers of layers of matter are inserted [5, 7]. By inserting filters with different numbers of layers of matter, you can determine the minimum number of layers through which the dog is able to sniff meat. Studies show that different dogs sniff meat through a very different number of layers. Determination of a dog’s instinct using this method takes about 30-40 minutes and makes it possible to evaluate not only the severity of the dog’s sense of smell, but also the activity of its search. The totality of the sense of smell and the activity of the search is evaluated as a flair. Previously, the dog is trained to touch the box in which the meat is located. At the second stage, the quality of intuition is refined when practicing such techniques as sampling and tracing. Dogs with weak instincts are not “interested” in instinctive work - they are not suitable for the search service [2].

The above methods for testing the function of the olfactory analyzer of service dogs are not suitable for the following reasons:

In the first case, the tested dogs are accustomed to picking up scattered food from the ground and unwanted connections are reinforced by eating food and emotional positive reinforcement of the trainer (joy for the found bookmark). The so-called effect of “Smart Hans mistake” [2].

In the second case, the work of the dog will largely depend on its training for working on boxes, that is, the work of the trainer himself. In our opinion, both of these testing methods are not entirely suitable for testing the function of the olfactory analyzer of service dogs [9].

The technical result of the invention is the ability to identify the most promising for search work service dogs.

The technical result is achieved by using an unconditioned irritant (the smell of meat broth) and determining the time of detection of the bookmark. The sensitivity threshold of the olfactory analyzer is defined as the time of detection of bookmarks, in which the intensity of the influence of the smell of the broth is stepwise reduced due to dilution of the meat broth with distilled water

The method is illustrated by the following examples.

An experiment to study the function of the olfactory dog analyzer was performed on dogs of the German Shepherd breed. 43 dogs took part in the experiment, 21 of them were males. Dogs age - from 1 year to 10 years.

The experimental group of dogs was trained in specialized dog training centers, and were used in the border guard service [10]. In addition to developing methods of general obedience, training also included training dogs to work on the smell track, selecting a thing and person, searching the area, as well as other methods of special training. When leaving school, search dogs were trained to assist the squads in detecting traces, stalking and detaining offenders. Special dogs are prepared for the search and detection of weapons and ammunition, explosives and drugs. When released from dog training centers, the work of these dogs was rated “good” and “excellent”. Drill dogs are a repair livestock that has not undergone a special training course.

Dogs were kept in standard enclosures consisting of a cabin and a walking area. Cabin dimensions: length - 2 m; width - 2 m; front wall height - 2.5 m; the height of the back wall is 2 m. The front wall of the aviary is made of coarse mesh. The door of the cabin has a hole 46 × 46 cm. Dimensions of the range: length - 4 m; width - 2 m; height - 2 m. The walls of the aviary are made of brick, the floor is concrete. Inside the cab, the concrete floor is covered with collapsible wooden floors (shields). The ceiling of the cabin is wooden, the roof is covered with slate from above.

In winter, a wooden booth is located in the cabin. Sizes of the booth: length -100 cm; width - 88 cm; height of the front wall - 87 cm; the height of the back wall is 70 cm. The width of the manhole in the booth is 36 cm; height 40 cm. The lid of the booth is removable. For the winter, the booth is insulated.

Dogs were fed according to the usual diet for service dogs: meat -400 g, cereals (barley, millet, oat, oats, buckwheat, rice) - 600 g, vegetables (cabbage, beets, carrots) - 100 g, potatoes - 200 g ., food fat -13 g, salt - 15 g. Feeding was carried out 2 times a day: the first at 7-8 o’clock in the morning, the second - at 18-19 o’clock in the evening [3]. Dogs got plenty of water.

Dog food was prepared only from benign products. Feeding leftovers from canteens is not allowed. From the products obtained, a soup is prepared at the rate of 1.5-2 liters per feeding an adult dog.

By the time of distribution, the food is cooled to a temperature of 25-30 ° C.

The norms for providing fodder (products) for regular service dogs established by order of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation dated February 14, 2011 No. 55 “On the establishment of ration rations, diets and emergency reserve kits, norms for providing regular animals with fodder (products), norms for replacing some products with others and norms providing littering materials for regular animals in the bodies of the federal security service ”(Table 1) [4].

Before the experiment, the dogs were not fed (a hungry diet for 16 hours), but the animals had unlimited access to water.

Service dogs kennels are safe for infectious diseases. Clinical examinations of service dogs are carried out regularly, at least once a week. All dogs participating in the experiments were clinically healthy.

The experimental design and general guidelines for their implementation.

For the preparation of meat broth, chilled beef meat (young gobies), its femoral part, was used. The meat of young gobies was purchased in the market from the same farmer.

The meat broth was prepared as follows.

Pour 1 liter of bottled water into the pan and place 100 g. beef uniform piece. Beef was weighed on an electronic scale.

At 5.00 a pot of water and beef was put on fire.

At 5.12, water began to boil in the pan, and the fire was switched to slow burning.

At 6.30 we finished the preparation of the broth.

From 6.30 to 8.00 the broth was in a pan with the lid closed.

From 8.00 to 8.01, the broth was poured into containers with a tight-fitting lid for its transportation [6,8].

The selection of the broth from the transport container and filling the bookmarks was carried out with sterile disposable syringes in 5 ml ³ .

The broth was poured into sterile Petri dishes with a diameter of 60 mm (TU 9398-046-00480230-2005 Р№ ФСР 2010/09056) at the bottom of which sterile cotton pads were placed.

The time taken by the dogs to designate the bookmarks was measured using a stopwatch (Ministry of Instrument MPO “second watch factory” stopwatch SDSPR-1-2-000 GOST 5072-79).

The study to determine the optimal amount of meat broth involved 6 dogs aged 1 year to 10 years, including 3 dogs and 3 females. The group includes search and special dogs of the German Shepherd breed, all dogs are directly involved in protecting the state border.

It was found that when laying small doses of undiluted (1: 1) broth (1 ml), the concentration of odor molecules is low and it takes more time than large bookmarks of the broth to make the bookmark significant for the dog. Bookmarks 3-5 ml for dogs are too good irritants and their detection rate is high. So the average speed for detecting bookmarks is: 1 ml - 39.6 s; 2 ml - 14.6 s; 3 ml - 13 s; 4 ml - 11 s; 5 ml - 7.6 s. Bookmarks with 3 and 4 ml of broth are close in detection time by their dogs. A bookmark of 5 ml for them is too strong a stimulus and the speed of their detection ranged from 6 to 9 seconds. The optimal amount of meat broth can be considered 2 ml.

In the experiment to determine the speed of finding bookmarks from meat broth, 26 dogs aged 1 year to 8 years participated. Of these, search 12 (7 dogs), special - 7 (3 dogs), drill (repair young) - 7 (4 dogs) (Table 3-5).

Group of wanted dogs.

Group of special dogs wanted dogs.

Group of combat dogs.

Studies have shown that within the same breed of German Shepherd the results of the functioning of the olfactory analyzer (studied according to the method developed by the authors) largely depends on the degree of training of dogs. So, dogs working for several years as search dogs found the proposed irritant-bait for an average of 15 seconds, special ones for 10.4 seconds, drill dogs for 29.1 seconds.

Determination of the threshold sensitivity of the function of the olfactory analyzer for meat broth

The broth was prepared similarly to previous experiments. To determine the olfactory sensitivity of the olfactory analyzer, we titrated the primary broth with distilled water according to the following scheme (Table 6).

Bookmarks titrated broth were collected with sterile syringes 5 mm ^3. Poured into Petri dishes on sterile cotton pads of 2 mm ³ titrated solution. Dogs detected bookmark detection time with a stopwatch. Petri dishes were arranged in a semicircle in the amount of 4 pieces. The distance between 1 and 2 cups was 1 m, the distance between 2 and 3 cups 2 m, between 3 and 4 cups 1 m. Dogs, as in previous experiments, were in a half-starved state. A total of 11 search dogs (5 dogs) were examined. Age from 1 year to 10 years.

Testing for threshold sensitivity of the olfactory dog analyzer.

This table indicates that a dilution of meat broth 1: 1024 is the limit for its detection, and a dilution of 1: 2 is the initial in a series of dilutions. The threshold sensitivity of the olfactory analyzer function for meat broth is 1: 512 dilution.

[1] Breeders P.A., Kurbatov V.V., Mazover A.P., Nazarov V.P. Reference book on dog breeding. M.-L. Selkhozgiz. 1960 320 s.

[2] Mazover A., Krushinsky L.I. and others. Service dog. Guide for the training of service dogs. Moscow Ban, 1994 574 s.

[3] Memo to the cook of the border outpost (practical guide). The KGB Economic Administration under the Council of Ministers of the USSR. - Moscow, 1967 - 266 p.

[4] Order of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation dated February 14, 2011 No. 55 "On the establishment of ration standards, rations and emergency reserve kits, norms for providing regular animals with feed (products), norms for replacing some products with others and norms for providing litter materials for regular animals in federal service bodies security. "

[5] Wright R.H. The science of odors. Publishing house "Mir". Moscow, 1966 - 233 s.

[6] Guidelines for catering for units located separately from their military unit. USSR Ministry of Defense, Central Food Administration. Moscow, 1983 - 247 p.

[7] Guidelines for the training of dog breeding specialists. - M. State Publishing House of Agricultural Literature, 1952 - 616 p.

[8] Cooking guidelines for military units, military schools, and army and navy institutions. Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

[9] Service dog. Guidelines for the training of service dog specialists. - M. State Publishing House of Agricultural Literature, 1952 - 616 with a service dog.

[10] Service dogs at the border outpost. Tutorial. Yu.L. Lysenko, N.E. Jalabot. The Border, Moscow, 1993

Claims (1)

A method for determining the threshold sensitivity of the olfactory analyzer function in service dogs, characterized in that the search reaction is evaluated using cotton pads soaked in meat broth made from meat of young calves while boiling 100 g of meat in 1 liter of water for an hour, the primary broth is titrated with distilled water at a dilution of 1: 2 to 1: 1024, followed by 2 mm ³ titrant solution is applied to the cotton discs are titer speed detection tabs, and the threshold sensitivity of an olfactory function and alizatora determined by titer dilution which breed dogs German Shepherd is 1: 512.