Dogs have a prodigious sense of smell, since they have between 200 and 300 million olfactory receptors. It is notably higher than the human sense of smell, which is around 5 million. In addition, dogs have been shown to be able to detect human cancer [1], as well as moth eggs [2] or explosives [3]
It is not surprising that more and more professionals and companies decide to have a canine team to detect odorous substances, well let's talk about police forcesor insurance companies. But have you ever wondered how drug detection dogs are trained?
There are many myths surrounding this type of training, however, on our site we invite you to discover the reality and discover how drug detection dogs are trained. You can not lose this!
Odor detection dogs
dog training is a professional qualification that belongs to the Safety and Environment Professional Family, in which we find various levels. On level three we find the training module dedicated exclusively to the search and detection of odorous substances with dogs. [4]
Odorous substance detection dogs are those that have been trained by qualified professionals for this purpose and, depending on their training, can search for explosives, tobacco, narcotics, exotic animals… They are practically capable of detecting any substance.
It is important to point out that, although the figure of the German shepherd or the Belgian Malinois has become popular, any dog can be an excellent detector of substances, even if it is mixed or small in size. While it is true that some have a better sense of smell than others, the important thing is that the dog has temperament and predisposition for this type of work.
Furthermore, although many dogs can perform this task well, police dogs that detect drugs begin extensive training that can last for months, and then pass complementary tests that ensure their emotional well-being, physical capacity and perform screening tests correctly.
What drugs do dogs detect?
Generally, drug detection police dogs are capable of locating any type of common drug, such as heroin, marijuana, cocaine, LSD or methamphetamine among others. In addition, their incredible sense of smell allows them to identify drug residues up to 48 hours after being consumed, due to the remains that can remain in the tissues, in addition to being able to do so at a reasonable distance.
How do you train a dog to detect drugs?
Before starting to search for and detect odorous substances, drug detection dogs are trained in basic obedience, fundamental for good communication between the handler and the dog, as well as for them to learn to "point out" the narcotics. Dogs typically "mark" the drug by sitting up, barking, or learning to scratch the ground. This first phase ends when the obedience orders are fully consolidated.
Whenever the dog carries out the action desired by the handler, positive reinforcement is used so that the dog associates that, by performing a certain behavior, it receives a reward. Toys such as teethers, knots and even balls are generally used. The choice will depend on the preferences of the dog.
Further on, the professional handler teaches the dog to identify the "pseudo-narcotics", which are basically synthetic copies of the odorous substances that the dog must learn to identify and mark. These pseudo-narcotics are hidden inside boxes or containers so that the dog does not have access to them, following a technique known as the "Jalom" method. Meanwhile, positive reinforcement is used so that the dog, upon detecting the substance, marks with one of the previously worked signals.
The handler's motivation, the structuring of the exercises and the absence of frustration in the dog are basic pillars so that the entire process is carried out properly and the dog does not confuse the exercises to be performed.
Are drug detection dogs addicted?
Now that you know a little more about how drug police dog training works, you will know that this widespread myth is totally false. The dog never takes the drug or ingests it, therefore, drug detection dogs are not addicted in any case. The motivation of the handler and the expectation of receiving reinforcement is what makes the dog so willing to locate and point out the hidden drug, whether in a work camp or in real life.
How to make the dogs not smell the drug?
After reading this article you will know why dogs detect the drug, even when it is well hidden or when it has already been consumed, since residues remain in the tissues. Therefore, the best way to prevent an odor detection dog from detecting the drug is to do not use or carry it for at least 48 hours.
