FAQ
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| • How do you select the dogs? |
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We travel to European kennels several times a year which specialize in breeding 'work dogs.' We spend several days running the dogs through a series of tests before selecting the very few that we believe can ‘get the job done’ as it should be.
We look for four or five basic personality traits in a dog: responsible, determination, perseverance, courage and intelligence. We put the dogs through a series of tests to help us determine to what degree and extent they possess these traits.
Dogs that pass these tests ‘with flying colors’ are brought back to Israel for further training.
In spite of the excellent pedigree of all the dogs that are bred in these kennels, we may find one out of every 32 that we will consider suitable to invest in for explosives and/or drug detection.
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| • Is there a difference between training dogs to sniff out explosives vs. drugs? |
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In actuality, training dogs to sniff out drugs is easier than training dogs to sniff out explosives, for two very specific reasons.
First, drugs possess a more powerful and definitive smell than explosives, so it is easier for dogs to uncover drugs.
Second, once the dogs detect the drugs, they are commanded to bring them back to their handlers. This is a very natural reflex for the dog -- finding and retrieving. With explosives, the dogs are trained to find and then simply sit in the vicinity. This requires us training the dogs to ‘work against their natural reflex’.
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| • Are there particular breeds of dogs better at explosive and drug detection? |
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Most definitely yes. Europeans have been breeding work dogs for hundreds of years, and as such dogs that can be trained for detection have what we might call a genetic imprint that works in their favor -- their ancestors have been trained to perform specific tasks.
There are a handful of dogs that make ideal candidates for explosive and drug detection, and while this list is not comprehensive or final, it is an excellent starting point. These dogs are: German Shepherds, Malinois, Labrador Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Weimaraners, Vizsla, Springer Spaniels, Dachshunds, Pointers, and now we are beginning to test the viability of working with a particular Australian breed.
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| • Is there an international standard for training dogs? |
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Presently, there exists no universal EDD (explosive detection dogs) standard for dog and handler training, evaluation and certification. However, Israel is the only country in the world that has developed its own standard for certifying dog trainers and handlers. The Israel Police Force’s standards are exceedingly stringent, as explosive detection dogs are widely used and widely depended upon in Israel.
Each year Israeli trainers and handlers must undergo testing to requalify for their certification. Eran Oren, Professional and Operations Manager of Dogsense, is but one of five Israel certified dog trainers and handlers.
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| • What is the ideal age to start training dogs for these tasks? |
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We never work with dogs younger than one; ideally the dogs that we begin to train are around 1.5 years of age. Currently, we are training dogs who are ranging in age from 14 to 21 months.
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| • Till what age can the dogs be working? |
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Explosives detection and drug detection require dogs to ‘be on their toes’ at all times. This work requires a lot of energy -- intellectual, physical and yes, even psychological. The dogs can be expected to work efficiently until the age of 7, perhaps 8 years of age. After that, they should be retired from this grueling routine.
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| • What happens to the dogs when you retire them? |
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When it’s time to retire our dogs, we look for suitable homes, where we know that the families will treat the dogs well. Our dogs are not aggressive. Just the opposite, they are well-behaved, disciplined dogs that are accustomed to receiving a lot of love and attention.
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| • Why are dogs trained better in Israel? |
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As much as it pains us to write this, we simply have more practical experience than most countries around the world. Our dogs are exposed to more types and quantities of explosive devices on a regular basis, both in the field and in Dogsense’s enhanced training sessions.
Once a month all of Dogsense’s canines working in the field are brought in for a full day session of supplementary training. Each month, our handlers and trainers work hard at creating new scenarios exposing the dogs to as many possible situations as possible. Much of these scenarios are based on actual experiences encountered.
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