Advanced Electronic Canine Bite Performance Monitor

Currently, nearly 2,200 working dogs are assigned to every branch of the U.S. military and are deployed worldwide. These specially trained MWDs are force multipliers, guarding military installations and detecting explosives. These highly trained working dogs receive extensive training and not every canine successfully achieves the desired standards, and some must be removed from the program. Each MWD, therefore, requires a significant time and monetary investment to train. The key functions of a MWD are its ability to detect, smell, warn and bite. Biting training aids such as a bite pillow, sleave or suit are commonly used during initial and continued training. Proper bite performance must be trained to ensure the MWD achieves a full-mouth bite with more pressure on the molar teeth and not the canines. The working dog must bite firmly, pushing into the target, maintaining bite pressure, grip, and stability. Currently used training aids require the trainer to feel the muscles on the canine’s head during bite to subtly assess the bite performance, however this process can be influenced by anatomical, biomechanical, and neurological factors. TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) proposes to develop an advanced electronic canine bite performance training aid to measure, and store important bite metrics during training. Biting is a key function of a MWD and by providing a technology that allows trainers and handlers to measure and characterize it, they will be able to evaluate and improve a canine’s bite performance. Measuring canine bite performance will have the operational impact of enabling data sharing between trainers, allow comparisons of training events, and allow bite evaluations throughout a working dog’s career which can then be used to track chronic conditions, detect new health or dental concerns, assess injury, recovery, and maximize training effectiveness. By enabling a trainer to quickly and easily determine the proper bite positioning, completeness, and evenness of the bite, the trainer can build confidence, validate their training effort, and receive a measurable indication of success, which can be very motivating. Ultimately, an advanced bite training aid that can measure bite performance will help ensure that working dogs are able to perform a key function safely with minimal chance of injury.