True North Canine Scent Trailing

Ever wondered what Scent Discriminant Trailing is?

Scent Discriminant Trailing is the process of a dog following the unique scent of a specific individual and locating them. It takes dedication, training, and regular practice to develop and maintain these specialized skills.

We're always looking for volunteers to act as "hiders" during our training sessions. No experience is necessary—just a willingness to help and maybe spend a little time outdoors while our dogs put their noses to work.

Being a hider is an important part of training. It gives our dogs and handlers the opportunity to practice real-world scenarios, build confidence, and continue developing their abilities. Plus, it's a lot of fun watching the dogs work out the puzzle and find you!

Our dogs love what they do, and every volunteer helps strengthen a valuable community resource.

Interested in helping out? We'd love to hear from you.

What is Scent Discriminant Trailing, and Why Do We Do It?

Many people are familiar with search dogs, but fewer know about Scent Discriminant Trailing.

Scent Discriminant Trailing is the process of a trained canine following the unique scent of a specific individual. Every person has their own distinct odor profile created by skin cells, bacteria, and other biological factors. Even identical twins have differences in their scent that trained canines can detect.

When provided with a scent article connected to the person they are looking for, a trained trailing dog can work to identify and follow that individual's specific scent trail through a variety of environments.

This valuable skill can support searches for missing or vulnerable persons and provide another tool for locating individuals when time is critical.

Our approach is collaborative, respectful, and trauma-informed. We recognize that every missing person situation impacts families, friends, and communities differently. By working alongside loved ones, community partners and First Responders we strive to provide a compassionate resource during difficult and uncertain times.

Scent Discriminant Trailing is one of the many community resources available to support search efforts and help bring people home safely.

If you would like to learn more about trailing canines and how they are used in missing person searches, feel free to reach out.
Everyone deserves someone looking for them!

We’re running another Intro to Discriminant Scent Trailing class this June, with a few spots still open.

This has been part of our program since 2022, and it’s led by a certified Discriminant Scent Trailing handler with real life rescue experience.

The work is straightforward and practical — giving dogs a chance to use their nose in a way that makes sense to them. It tends to settle busy brains, build confidence over time, and give handlers a clearer way to read and support their dogs.

No pressure for perfection — just developing skills, letting dogs work things out, and building a better connection along the way.

Rural setting, small groups, all dogs welcome.

If you’ve been thinking about doing something like this, feel free to reach out for details: [email protected]