Drug Dogs & What They Can Detect

Drug dogs are trained to sniff out narcotics to aid in police investigations. Each dog requires intensive training and conditioning to learn to detect specific chemical odors. They are used to detect narcotics in schools, airports, government buildings and anywhere else police or private citizens suspect the presence of narcotics. Drug dogs are used by government agencies and are for hire from a variety of organizations worldwide.

  1. Substances

    • According to Sniff Dogs, a narcotic-detecting dog supplier, dogs can sniff out many recreational and illegal narcotics, including marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, Xanax and ecstasy. Specific dogs are trained to detect specific substances. Accuracy varies with individual dogs and according to their level of training.

    Reliability

    • According to CNN, drug dog reliability is extremely variable. Drug dog suppliers struggle to keep up with demand, as more and more law enforcement outfits and individual citizens are purchasing drug dogs. There are many good programs with high standards that produce reliable dogs, but other programs do not hold their dogs to these high standards and sell high-priced, unreliable animals. In many programs, trainers are not required to be licensed.

    Training

    • According to Dope Dog, a company that trains drug-sniffing dogs for the Ohio police, training courses are individualized, based on the learning curve of the dog. Each dog is evaluated based on its performance, and is required to pass a series of stringent results-based exams to earn certification. Training is reward-based, relying on toys or treats to teach the dogs. The dogs are trained to associate their favorite toy or treat with the smell of the narcotics. Handler training is an important part of the process, since the handler's behavior affects the reliability of the dog's detection.

    Towel Technique

    • The towel technique is one of the most popular training methods for drug dogs. According to the K9 Global Training Academy, playing tug-of-war with a towel is the first step in training a dog to find narcotics. By rolling the towel in different narcotics, the dog learns to associate the narcotic smell with the enjoyable game of tug-of-war. Eventually, the dog will seek out the familiar smell, hoping to find his favorite toy towel.

    Cost

    • According to CNN, the cost of trained drug dogs has gone up in recent years, as a response to increased security after 9/11. In 2000, drug dogs were retailing for $1,000-$2,000. Today, drug dogs are sold for around $6,000.