Scent canines have one of the most dangerous jobs on the entire planet. They expose illegal drug stashes, search for outlaws, and even trace guns and explosives. However, you’ll never find them grumble and fear these missions that they risk their lives going into.
Dogs that finish the training and become successful scent dogs are the crème de la crème among all canine prospects. Studies show that as few as 1 out of 100 dogs have the potential to become a scent dog, and only 50% --or even less -- of these qualified dogs make it through the detection training successfully.
Not all breeds have what it takes to become a scent canine. Dogs from shelters, dog pounds, and even from households are carefully screened to see if they can be qualified for the training. The German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers are preferred more than any other breed.
Conventionally, staff members of Canine Detection Training Centers would scout for prospective dogs in shelters and pounds for scent detection work and adopt them. Only those dogs that have the right qualities and skills are accepted for the training. Being a purebred or crossbreed isn’t really a factor in choosing potential trainees, just as long as they have what it takes to be a good scent detector.
Also, house dogs are screened if they are fit to become scent canines, especially those that are hyperactive and persistent in every way. These great qualities for scent dogs could have driven their previous owners batty. Shelters are also good sources of candidates for the job. In fact, most scent dogs today are abandoned dogs turned heroes.
Some owners, as well as breeders, donate their dogs to training centers. Among the agencies that accept donated dogs is Auburn University’s Canine Detection Training Center. Although they already have a special breeding unit producing potential detection dogs for their own facility, the demand for scent dogs continues to increase. Hence, they need another source of dogs to train, and this includes private donations. However, most dogs that are donated to the agency are not fit to do detection work. Nevertheless, some have what it takes to become a scent dog.
In the United States, there is already a rampant market for green-trained -- in other words, half-trained -- detection dogs. They are usually sold to government agencies and private companies. These are dogs that have already gone through scent detection training but didn’t have enough drills, exercises and reinforcements of their trainings.
You can buy these green-trained dogs from a lot of different sources, such as from overseas trainers and breeders. Usually, these dogs are bought by agencies that have their own trainer or handler. They will be the ones to finish training these dogs.
Another good source for potential scent dogs is breeding facilities. There are breeding programs specially created to produce highly-qualified dogs for scent detection training, such as the Australian Customs Service Detector Dog Program. This program started breeding Labrador Retrievers in the 1990’s. They make sure that their dogs have the right qualities, drives, and work attitudes. And their goal is to provide prospects that have what it takes to become great detection canines.
And in just 10 years, the Australian Customs Service Detector Dog Program has eliminated common illnesses of the Labrador, such as eye problems and hip and elbow dysplasia. Also, they were already producing to a breed of dogs with boundless vigour and great sporting abilities -- just the right type for the job.
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