Using differential reinforcement and extinction to increase specificity in cheetah scat detection dogs.

ABSTRACT: Detection dogs are trained using limited samples and then expected to generalize this ability to recognize wild samples while maintaining specificity to a target category. Such specificity is critical because dogs are often used to locate targets that are difficult to visually identify. Little is known about how to regain target specificity when false alerts become frequent or established. This case study assessed the training of two conservation dogs that alerted to off-target caracal (Caracal caracal) and leopard (Panthera pardus) scat samples during training to detect cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) scat. The dogs were trained using an extinction-based differential reinforcement protocol consisting of the non delivery of reinforcement to reduce false alerts to caracal and leopard scats while

SUBMITTER: Fratt K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11961458 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature