Equipment for Training Explosives Detection Dogs

Training of an explosives detection dog begins with standard obedience and goes on to incorporate the specialized training. Dogs are trained to detect the odors of explosive substances in vehicles, mass transit environments such as airport terminals and railway stations, baggage, vehicles, cargo and buildings.

  1. Basic Equipment

    • Basic training equipment includes a collar or choke chain, a heavy duty lead, clickers, and treats or toys to reward the dog when it succeeds in a task. Trainers may use items such as silent whistles or buzzers to signify particular commands.

    Explosives

    • In a report on the use of dogs in homeland security, the Department of Energy estimates that there are 19,000 known explosive compositions in the world. A majority of explosives, however, are made with a fairly small number of chemicals, so the dogs are trained to detect 5 basic chemicals. Passive explosives are used for training purposes, and these include ammonium nitrate, nitroglycerin, chlorate explosives, trinitrotoluene (TNT) and dynamite.

    Training Aids

    • Dogs are trained to sniff out explosives hidden in cell phones, computers, purses, backpacks, unattended packages, children's toys and clothing. All these items are used to train the dog in how to approach the source of the smell. To teach the dog to identify the odors, a "scent box" is used first to orient the dog to the various odors, and later the dog progresses to a "training wheel." The wheel has four or more scent boxes on a rotating base. One box will contain the explosive training odor, while the others may be empty or contain food as a distraction. Scent boxes are made of metal, and each box is used for a specific item to avoid cross-contamination of the explosive odors.

    Safety Gear

    • Explosive detection dogs may need to wear tracking or safety harnesses or working vests during detection work, so training includes getting the dog accustomed to wearing the gear while working. Harnesses are made from leather or nylon and are heavy duty to control the dog even when it pulls towards a scent.