Prospecting Dog: From History to High-Tech Training

The prospecting dog has a rich history that dates back to the 19th century, where they were used to detect gold and other precious metals.

In the early days, prospecting dogs were trained to follow the scent of minerals and detect changes in soil composition. This led to the development of specialized breeds, such as the Bloodhound and the German Shepherd.

The first recorded use of prospecting dogs in the United States was in the 1840s during the California Gold Rush. These dogs were highly valued for their ability to locate hidden gold deposits.

Prospecting dogs use a unique combination of scent and spatial memory to detect minerals, making them invaluable tools for miners and prospectors.

Related reading: How Do Service Dogs Know When a Seizure Is Coming

The history of prospecting dogs dates back to the 1960s in Finland, where the first dog trained for mineral prospecting was Lari, owned and trained by Pentti Mattsson.

Lari's work led to a program by the Geological Survey of Finland to determine if trained dogs could detect mineral deposits. This program was undertaken in 1962 and was a huge success, with the dogs proving to be significantly better at finding ore-containing boulders than human prospectors.

The program continued for 30 years, using 16 dogs at its peak in the mid-1980s, with eight dogs working simultaneously.

The use of dogs in mining dates back to the 1960s in Finland, where a program was undertaken by the Geological Survey of Finland to determine if dogs could be used to detect mineral deposits.

Lari, a dog owned and trained by Pentti Mattsson, was the first dog trained for mineral prospecting, specifically to find sulphide boulders hidden beneath the overgrowth of peat.

Mattsson's expertise in dog training was recognized, and he was recruited to lead the program, which focused on sulfide-bearing ores like pyrite due to their unique aroma.

A series of experiments showed that dogs were significantly better at finding ore-containing boulders than human prospectors.

The program was put into full production, using sixteen dogs over 30 years, with eight dogs working simultaneously at its peak in the mid-1980s.

The dogs had an effective career of six years, working six months per year, before the program was abandoned in 1994 due to high training and upkeep costs.

Dogs were trained to sense certain smells from ore, and could detect an ore body as much as 12m underground, as demonstrated by one dog that could sense 20-30 different types of ore.

Related reading: Working Dogs Breeds

Prospecting dogs have made some incredible discoveries over the years.

One notable example is the discovery of the gold nugget in California in 1849, which weighed over 160 pounds and was found by a dog named Old Tom.

The use of prospecting dogs in the Klondike Gold Rush led to the discovery of gold in the region, which was previously unknown.

Prospecting dogs have also been used to detect quartz, a mineral often associated with gold deposits.

The discovery of the gold deposit in the Australian outback in 1869 was made possible by a dog named Billy, who detected the presence of gold in the area.

Prospecting dogs are trained to detect subtle changes in their environment, which allows them to locate minerals and metals with high accuracy.

To train a prospecting dog, you start by teaching them to sense certain smells that come from ore. These smells can be from ore samples taken from different mines and areas where the ore is found.

The dog is trained on these samples, which can number in the dozens. My dog, for example, can sense 20-30 different types of ore.

With their keen sense of smell, prospecting dogs can discover ore bodies that are hidden deep underground. In fact, my dog can detect an ore body that's as much as 12m under the ground.