Canadian Criminal Evidence/Model Examinations/Dog Tracking Experts

Qualifying Expert

Counsel will attempt to make two qualifications: the dogmaster in the field of interpreting the actions of the dog, and the dog in tracking human scents or drug scents.

• duration the dogmaster has been member of force / duration the dogmaster has been with dog team / duration the dogmaster has been with <dog>
• Dogmaster training course / duration / coverings tracking of human scents or drugs
• prior experience qualified giving evidence in court as dogmaster / prior testimony with current dog
• dog breed of <dog> / relevance of breed to tracking / ability of breed to track
• method of tracking / method of communicating
• whether training is needed / history of training of dog / whether with dogmaster or with others
• performance on simulated and real cases
• how dogmaster learns particular communication style of <dog>
• on-going training / frequency
• duration <dog> has been tracking / number of investigations used for
• success rate / false positives

Subject to cross-examination, counsel will then request the dogmaster and dog be qualified as experts.

Methodology

• how dogmaster communicates to dog (types of signals)
• how dog communicates with dogmaster (types of signals)
• dogs ability to follow scents
• effects of environment (terrain, climate, obstacles, persons etc) / types of distractors
• possibility of dog losing scent / reasons
• possibility of dog catching scent of another track that crosses first track

Tracking Evidence

• dogmaster responds to request for services / time of request
• time and location that the dog was deployed (use map)
• commands or signals communicated to the dog
• response from the dog / interpretation of the response
• route traveled during tracking (draw on map)
• whether there were other people discovered during track
• further signals given to dog during tracking
• further signals given from dog during tracking
• any item(s) or person(s) found / identification of person
• opinion of relevance of item or person found / signals from dog relevant to discovery
• what happened to item or person