SRDI Training Instructions

Cadaver

SRDI Training - Cadaver Page 1 of 5 Revised: 01/30/2003
Introduction

Cadaver is the remains of a human body (bones, tissue, hair, organs, etc.) that has lost its
personal scent; this process takes aproximately twelve hours. What this means to the Cadaver
Dog, is after twelve hours all human remains smell alike. SRDI requires our Cadaver Dogs to
locate and alert on all human remains. This is usually accomplished by working the dog off lead
in a grid pattern in a specific area. SRDI Cadaver Dogs must be obedient enough to work off
lead and follow a handler's verbal instructions (turn, over hear, stop, etc)

A. Cadaver - What is it?
1. Bones
2. Tissue
3. Organs
4. Hair
5. Dirt from a "burn" area

B. Precautions
1. Biohazard
2. Hand Sanitizer
3. Soap and water
4. Gloves/Biohazard Bag

C. Collection
1. Items needed for collection
a. Baggies, zip lock type bags
b. PVC tubes
c. Ammo cans
d. Gloves
e. Shovel, small hand digging tool, spoon
f. Panty hose
g. Tongs

D. Storage
1. Store in airtight container outside
2. Store in freezer. Be sure item is completely thawed to use.

E. Planting Cadaver
1. Ground
2. Camouflage
3. Hanging
4. Buried

F. Retrieval
1. Items for retrieval are same as items for collection

SRDI Training Instructions
Cadaver

SRDI Training - Cadaver Page 2 of 5 Revised: 01/30/2003
1) Precautions

Cadaver material is a biohazard; so all Body Substance Isolation (BSI) precautions must be
followed. Always use latex gloves, more than one pair if needed, when handling cadaver
material. Do not touch any other object after you touch cadaver material, or that item will now
become contaminated. When you are through handling the cadaver material, remove gloves and
wash hands with soap and water as an additional precaution. If you have hand sanitizer, use it.
If an item becomes contaminated, use bleach and water solution (1 part bleach to 4 parts water)
to decontaminate item.


2) Collection

SRDI dogs train on real cadaver material. Alternative sources are available, such as
pseudoscent. Pig flesh is similar to human and is used as a training aid if you do not have access
to cadaver material. SRDI also uses soil from a burn area for training aids. A burn area is an
area of earth where a body has been decomposing. Fluids from the body have seeped into the
soil.

To collect cadaver material our first step is to:
a. Get permission from law enforcement!
b. Gather your cadaver kit. Kits include:
a. Shovel
b. BSI material
c. Knee-high panty hose
d. Zip lock type baggies
e. PVC tube/storage container
f. Tongs and large spoon, funnel
c. This procedure can be very distressing. Know your limitations.


3) Storage - Storage of cadaver material depends on the type of material

1. Contaminated dirt can be stored in a PVC pipe or other airtight container (do not use zip
lock type bags - they are not airtight!).
2. Bones - same as above
3. Placenta, flesh, organs, etc. - same as above or frozen if you do not want them to age. Be
sure item is completely thawed before using in training.

Do not contaminate outside of storage containers. If they become contaminated wash with
bleach and water solution (1 to 4) to decontaminate the outside of the storage containers.




SRDI Training Instructions
Cadaver

SRDI Training - Cadaver Page 3 of 5 Revised: 01/30/2003
4) Planting Cadaver

The purpose of the group collecting and storing cadaver material is to use it in the training of
Cadaver Dogs. In order to use the cadaver material, we have to plant the material for the dogs to
find.


5) Procedures For Beginning Dogs In Cadaver

Cadaver Dogs work off lead in a specific area. Begin your cadaver training by teaching your dog
how to grid an area. Introduce the "turn" command to your dog so he will be able to stay in the
search area. When you are confident that your dog can work off lead and follow your verbal
instructions, begin working a grid pattern with your dog off lead. All training procedures for our
SRDI dogs are done in small, baby steps. Cadaver is no different. To begin a new Cadaver Dog
we have several steps to follow:


6) Ground

The Assist will take the cadaver material out of the storage container and place it on the ground
in plain view. Allow the item to sit for at least five minutes before bringing the new dog into the
area. If you are unsure the cadaver material is still viable, test the item by bringing an advanced
Cadaver Dog into the area to see if the dog alerts on the item. Make sure the handler knows
where the item is placed in the training area. The area should be small at this point in the
training and is visible on the ground. Once the dog and handler have cleared the area, retrieve
the cadaver material.

The Handler - After the item has been placed, bring your dog into the area. Unleash your dog
and allow him to roam freely. Do not lead your dog up to the cadaver material. Let the dog go
up and investigate on it's own. When your dog finds the cadaver material praise him profusely
and give him his reward (food or play). Continue this process by introducing the search term
you will use for cadaver with his praise. Remember, take small steps, be sure your dog
understands each step thoroughly before introducing a new step. Once your dog begins to
recognize the cadaver smell, introduce the command with the smell. Have your dog smell the
storage container and give him his cadaver command. Begin by working the dog close to the
cadaver material so his interest and drive stays high; slowly have the cadaver material placed
farther and farther away. Begin working your dog in a grid pattern, left to right across the given
perimeter of the cadaver area. Once your dog picks up the smell, allow him to go into the
material. Praise him when he finds the article and give him his reward (food or play). Once
your dog understands these steps, begin teaching him his alert.

Most dogs have an instant attraction or aversion to cadaver material. If your dog does not have a
strong desire to find cadaver material at this point, re-evaluate your dog for training in the
cadaver field.

SRDI Training Instructions
Cadaver

SRDI Training - Cadaver Page 4 of 5 Revised: 01/30/2003
7) Camouflage

Once your dog has mastered the beginning steps, it is time to move on to camouflaging the
cadaver material

The Assist - takes the cadaver material to a specific area and plants the cadaver material above
ground, but the article is hidden from view; either under vegetation or covered with debris. The
assist sets the perimeter of the search area by using landmarks, flagging, roads, fences etc. The
assist informs the handler of the boundaries of the search area and lets the handler know when
the dog is close to the cadaver material. After the team is through working the area, the assist
retrieves the cadaver material.

The Handler - brings the dog into the search area. At this point the handler can either scent the
dog (this is done by bringing the dog up to the cadaver storage container and giving the dog his
cadaver command) or give the cadaver search command. Unleash the dog and begin to grid the
search area. Allow your dog to work freely, but do not let him get to far from you, if he tries to
go out of sight, call him back and tell him to search here first or we'll come back. Once your dog
commits to a direction, observe his body language as he works out the problem. At this point
your dog should be able to grid on his own and work out where the cadaver smell is emanating.
Once your dog has found the item and alerts, praise him and give him his reward.


8) Hanging

The Assist - takes the cadaver material out of the storage container and places the item above the
ground (on top of a bush or hanging in a tree). The item should not be visible. Inform the
handler of the boundaries of the training area and inform the handler when they are near the site.
Once the dog alerts on the material or shows the handler where the item is located, retrieve the
cadaver material.

The Handler - brings the dog into the search area. At this point the handler can either scent the
dog or give him the cadaver command. Unleash your dog and begin to search the area in a grid
pattern. Give your dog time to work out the problem. Hanging cadaver can be very difficult for
your dog to pinpoint. Encourage him and show your dog that cadaver can be above the ground
as well as on the ground. Lead him to the item if necessary and praise him when he alerts on the
cadaver material.


9) Buried

The Assist - takes the cadaver material out of the storage container and finds a place to bury the
cadaver material. The cadaver material should be a strong item. Bury it at least six inches under
the ground. Allow the item to percolate for at least a half an hour before bringing in the cadaver
dog. Dig several dummy holes also, and disturb the earth in the search area, so the dog is not
clued into the cadaver material by the smell of the freshly overturned earth. Inform the handler
SRDI Training Instructions
Cadaver

SRDI Training - Cadaver Page 5 of 5 Revised: 01/30/2003
of the search area boundaries. Inform the handler when the dog is close to the item. Retrieve the
cadaver material after the training session.

The Handler - brings the dog into the search area. At this point the handler can either scent the
dog or give him the cadaver command. Unleash your dog and begin to search the area in a grid
pattern. Give your dog time to work out the problem.
Buried cadaver is the most difficult for your dog to discover. Encourage him and show your dog
that cadaver can be below the ground. Lead him to the item if necessary and start to kick up the
dirt covering the cadaver material. When your dog starts to dig, praise him and encourage him to
give you his cadaver alert at the site of the buried cadaver material.