Blood Dog is just another name for a Dog that is performing a scent trailing function with the same discipline to find wounded animals or one that tracks human beings.

Trailing Dogs can be classified broadly as either trailing or air-scenting Dogs and tracking Dogs. Trailing frequently is confused with tracking, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Tracking is based on the human visual visible tracks or spoor. In the wilderness Tracking & Trailing, Dogs can be deployed from the animal or human last known point. Dogs tracking, trailing, air scenting, and scent discrimination abilities are all helpful sniffing methods.

Trailing dogs follow the scent. The Dog focus on detecting flakes (skin cells) fallen off the surface of the skin. The use of Blood Spoor Trailing and Tracking Dogs is a valuable component in wilderness trailing and human tracking. Dogs will keep their head low to the ground or higher depending on how old the scent is and the weather conditions. Blood Trailing Dogs detect animal and human scents which may include skin rafts (scent-carrying skin cells that drop off living humans and animals), evaporated perspiration, or respiratory gases. Trailing is training a Dog to follow a particular scent pattern wherever it might lie, on the ground or in the air. If the Dog is following a scent trail on the ground and suddenly detects the same odor on the wind coming from a direction where the suspect animal or human is located, the Dog will follow the air scent and deviate from the ground track. A Trailing Dog is scent specific and will work on lead. Trailing Dogs will venture off the actual path that a subject took should a scent pool be discovered, as they are following a specific scent and working through all other scents to get to the source. K9 Blood Spoor Trailing Dogs rely on the scent of the specific subject.

Tracking dogs follow footprints. The Dog carries his nose close to the ground to track any scents left behind and mainly focuses on following footsteps by detecting the scent of broken vegetation. Scent Discriminating Dogs have the ability to alert only on the scent of an individual animal or person, after being given a scent sample. Considering that ground scenting Dogs focus on footsteps and the effect of the weight of the person causing ground disturbances and crushed grass. Tracking Dogs will typically work on lead and will mostly have their nose to the track following ground disturbance. A good Tracking Dog will be able to work through a variety of terrain as well as successfully maneuver turns and double backs.