Köss's Story - How a Dog Abandoned on the Side of a Spanish Motorway Saved Lives in Finland
Kössi, one of Finland's most famous corona dogs, was not always an accurate sniffer. His story began on the side of a Spanish highway in a cardboard box, where he was rescued from harsh conditions. Köss's journey from a street dog to a special scent dog is an inspiring story of rescue, training and finally heroism.
Salvation and a New Beginning
Kössi was just one of many dogs who lived without a home in Spain. He was abandoned in a cardboard box with two other puppies, with no knowledge of the future. Fortunately, Kössi was saved, and his life took a new direction when he was brought to Finland. Here his life changed completely when he became part of a loving family and got the opportunity to train as a sniffer dog.
As a Köss owner, I quickly noticed that Köss had an exceptionally accurate sense of smell. I decided to start odor separation training with Köss, and Köss soon became a mold dog. The training program we participated in was specialized in odor discrimination, which allows dogs to identify desired smells.
From training to Hero tasks
Kössi was thoroughly trained in smell discrimination, which made him one of the first dogs to be able to identify the COVID-19 virus from human samples. Previously, Kössi was trained to recognize cancer, but when the pandemic started, he switched to sniffing out the corona.
Kössi worked at Helsinki-Vantaa airport together with three other corona dogs. He played an important role in the screening of arriving passengers, where dogs sniffed skin swab samples to identify the virus. Köss' abilities were so precise that he was able to detect the infection often before the person even developed symptoms ( University of Helsinki ) ( Selkosanomat ) .
Heroism Recognized
The work of Köss and other corona dogs received widespread praise both in Finland and internationally. They were even recognized by the Kennel Union as "Special Hero Dogs", which underlines their importance in the fight against the pandemic. Köss's story is proof of how a rescued dog can change the world - not only his own life, but also the lives of many other people ( mtvuutiset.fi ) .
Köss' journey from the streets of Spain to the airports of Finland is a great example of how the right education, love and opportunity can work wonders. Kössi is not just a dog, he is a hero who left a lasting mark on the history of fighting the pandemic.
Starting odor discrimination training at home
Köss's story is a good example of how a dog's precise sense of smell can lead to significant achievements. But did you know that you too can start your own dog's scent discrimination training at home? Training is not only for professionals - any dog owner can start this fun and useful hobby.
Starting the odor separation training
In scent discrimination training, the dog is taught to recognize certain smells and react to them. This can be simple at first, such as teaching the dog to distinguish the owner's scent from other smells. The training develops the dog's ability to concentrate, problem-solving ability and strengthens the relationship between the owner and the dog.
To begin odor discrimination training, you can use a variety of tools to make training easy and consistent. One of the most popular ways to start is to get a scent trail that provides the dog with clear tasks and challenges.
Hajurata – The basis of education
Odor track, can board, can track (different names are used) is a great tool to start training in smell discrimination. Jars are placed in it, in which you can put teaching smells that the dog must find and distinguish from others. In our online store you can find a versatile scent track designed for both beginners and more experienced dogs. With the help of the smell track, you can practice smell separation gradually, allowing your dog to progress from easy exercises to more difficult ones.
Order your own deodorizer from our online store and start this interesting journey together with your dog!
