NEW JOBS FOR DOGS
One sunny day in Iowa, USA, two dogs are running around a large field of corn. With their noses close to the ground, they are searching for a plant called "silky bush clover." Each of these specially trained1 dogs locates the plant by its smell, and sits down next to any that it finds. Then the handler2, Kate Banville, goes to the dog and gives it a reward3 – a ball to play with.(lines 1–4)
The silky bush clover is originally from Asia, where pests4 and diseases prevent it from spreading. However, in the USA it has no natural enemies5, so it can quickly cover whole fields. This stops other plants from growing there. Therefore, efforts are constantly being made to find and remove6 silky bush clover plants before they spread. "Discovering a single plant in a large field is impossible for humans," says Banville. "But trained dogs can do the job easily."(lines 5–9)
Dogs like these are being used in conservation7 projects all over the world. Each dog is trained to recognize only one specific smell – of a plant, an animal, or even just part of an animal. For example, in Africa, conservation dogs help find the world’s rarest gorillas so that scientists can study them. And in India, dogs are helping to catch people who kill elephants for their valuable tusks8. They are able to smell even the smallest amounts of tusk hidden inside a bag.(lines 10–14)
Many of the conservation dogs used to be pets. "They were abandoned9 because they're so full of energy," says Banville. "That was difficult for their owners, but for us it's perfect. They also love playing with a ball, and that makes them easy to train." However, she explains, not every dog is right for the job. "All our projects require the dogs to spend all day running great distances. Only big, strong ones can do that without getting too tired."(lines 15–19)
But it's not enough to have the right dogs – the handlers, too, must be suited to the job. "You need a lot of patience10 and mental concentration," says Banville. "During all the hours the dogs are working, you have to keep an eye on everything they're doing. So while a lot of dog lovers are interested in this job, not many can actually do it. But when you do have a good handler and a smart dog, they're an amazing team."(lines 20–24)