People have long held the belief that the shape of a dog’s nose and skull makes some breeds better than others at scent-detection work. Due to their long snouts, German shepherds, Labradors and Belgian malinois have been considered optimal breeds for drug sniffing, bite work and bomb detection.
But does the shape of a dog’s skull and nose really impact its ability to perform certain scent-related tasks? A team of researchers at Chapman University decided to investigate this theory.
The study, led by Assistant Professor Lindsay Waldrop and postgraduate fellow Nicholas Hebdon, was recently published in Science Advances. It was co-authored by Justin Gladman, an imaging partner at Duke University, as well as five undergraduate students at Chapman, including Alexa Ortega, Alexander Orlove, Nichole Wheeler, Mia Pham and Vivian Nguyen.
Unexpected Results
The team studied a series of skulls from museum collections across the country to assess if the shape of a dog’s skull makes certain breeds better than others at scent detection.
When beginning the research process, the team’s primary questions were:
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Does the shape of a dog’s skull affect its ability to perform specific odor and bite-detecting tasks?
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Are certain breeds better than others at performing specific tasks due to the shape of their skull?
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Does the configuration of the nose make a difference on how much odor a dog can extract from the air?
Much to the team’s surprise, the answer to all of the above questions was a resounding no.
“When conducting the research, we reviewed hundreds of CT scans to landmark anatomy points shared between skulls,” Waldrop said. “We didn’t find any differences between the skulls, regardless of breed. This means that Chihuahuas and pugs are just as good at scent work as German shepherds and bloodhounds. We couldn’t differentiate between dogs that have been bred for scent work and those that are bred for other tasks simply by looking at the skulls’ shape.”
Their findings raise the question: if Chihuahuas and pugs are just as good at scent-related work, why does the police force continue to employ German shepherds and similar breeds for bomb and drug detection?
“Certain breeds are employed based on their personality and what motivates them,” Hebdon said. “German shepherds are extremely motivated to work. Greyhounds only care about running. Pugs just want their heads to be scratched. The size of the dog is a factor as well. Smaller dogs are going to struggle with TSA or police force-related tasks long term because they have decreased endurance.”
Dog selection is also partially informed by their historic associations and appearance. For example, travelers in airports were put off by the “scarier-looking” breeds with pointed ears, so the Transportation Security Administration now only employs floppy-eared breeds such as beagles, wirehaired pointers, vizslas and labradors.
“I hope our research leads police training programs and the TSA to consider other breeds outside of those that have been traditionally selected,” Waldrop said. “For example, springer spaniels are easier public facing dogs that don’t bite and have great scent-detection skills.”
The Undergraduate Experience
In a traditional lab experience, research is typically conducted by principal investigators, graduate and postgraduate students. But at Chapman, undergraduate students have the chance to take part in groundbreaking research, gaining exposure to diverse fields of interest while developing valuable skills that enhance their education and future careers.
“It’s rare that undergrads have the opportunity to engage in hands-on research of this caliber,” Hebdon said.
The undergraduate students involved in the study managed countless terabytes of data throughout the research process, and the work required extreme attention to detail.
“I am so proud of the undergrads for not only doing the work, but doing such a stellar and thorough job,” Waldrop said. “They did an excellent job maintaining data sets and taking meticulous notes. It was a lot of work.”
Additionally, undergraduate students from a wide range of majors had the opportunity to participate in the study.
“Students involved in the research are studying biology, dentistry, psychology, pharmacy and mathematics,” Hebdon explained. “This helped us approach the study from a wide range of disciplines and perspectives. I had the opportunity to learn alongside them.”
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