Detection dogs are intense and obsessive over a reward – usually a toy. This obsession can be used to train them to find something by scent in order to receive that valued reward. Ideal detection dogs not only love their toy but also love to search, are a balance of independent and compliant, and have a strong work ethic. Toy obsession is the easiest aspect to evaluate and other qualities are demonstrated later during training. The R2R Evaluation was designed to take a snapshot of many of these qualities and assess the degree of toy obsession. Since so much work goes into training, most candidates should not be more than two-years old so that they can enjoy a long career. Additionally, dogs must be healthy and agile.
You can watch our video to learn more about the evaluation process.