How often these days do we read in the newspapers or hear on the wireless that a dead body has been found, in wasteland, or perhaps on a beach, by 'A local man walking his dog'? The dog, I would imagine, is always the first at the grisly scene, but never gets any recognition for its service.

I propose a counselling service be established for the poor mutts thus traumatised, just the same as that available to humans involved in tragedy.
-- Mickey the Fish, Aug 16 2000

Study of Cadaver Scenting http://www.prusik.c...ensic/cadscent.html
More than you want to know re. how dead bodies smell and when [magrak, Jun 10 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Yes. I would guess that the dog is only thinking "Tastes like chicken!" rather than sorting through his emotions.
-- blahginger, Aug 20 2000


If anything, wouldn't dogs need therapy more when they see a dead *dog*? People don't usually get therapy after encountering a dead animal.
-- egnor, Aug 20 2000


I believe dogs try to roll around on dead things. They actually like it.
-- caspuh, Aug 20 2000


Or, it's possible that a dog finding a dead body is simply trying to find the source of the god-awful stench that is wreaking havoc with its ultra-sensitive sense of smell.....
-- BigThor, Aug 29 2000


I think caspuh's dog needs therapy.
-- RenegadeChopstick, Feb 13 2001


You've raised a good point. But I'm not sure that therapy is the main issue. Maybe it is because men take dogs out for walks that causes the dead bodies to be there. So a better solution would be to stop men taking dogs out for walks, that way dead body finding would stop and the sum of human happiness would increase. The thing is then to explain to dogs that although they'll miss walking they'll avoid the terrible trauma of dead body finding. Then again, do they actually suffer trauma? If they found dead dogs' bodies, for sure, but human bodies?
-- mkirksmith, Dec 12 2001


I think it is -- briefly -- traumatic for a dog to find a dead body. Probably largely because of reaction of their human. This is why they don't usually teach search dogs (that look for live victims of disaster) to find cadavers.

There are other dogs specially trained to find cadavers only. In huge crises, like after 9/11, these lines get blurred. Cadaver dogs are, of course, trained using a vial of synthetic cadaver scent. Erk.
-- magrak, Jun 10 2002


My fiancee did search and rescue, and her dog, a normal SAR dog, was trained to find corpses. Using synthetic corpse reek indeed.
-- StarChaser, Jun 10 2002



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