How do I Train Bomb Dogs?
Training dogs to detect bombs is similar to the methods used to train drug detecting dogs. Bomb detecting dogs are trained to recognize the smell of bomb components. Training a dog to detect explosives in bombs generally takes anywhere from 70 to 120 days. The right age for training can be anywhere between eight and 22 months.
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Breeds
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Select a dog for its stamina and ability to stay focused. Some breeds that excel at sniffing out explosives are Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, Belgian malinois, and Australian cattle dogs. It should become used to other people and dogs, and feel confident in unfamiliar surroundings and situations.
Training
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Repetition and reward are the basis for training a bomb detecting dog. Dog trainers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) expose their dogs to an explosive repeatedly each day in varying amounts. Dogs should also be able to detect the core scents in all combinations, according to the K9 Centre. Reward explosive recognition with praise and food. Use positive reinforcement to promote confidence.
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Certification
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To get ATF-certified, a dog must pass a blind test where it has to detect the odors of 20 different explosives, including two that are new to the dog.
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References
- Photo Credit police dog image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
