How Do Detection Dogs work - K10 Working Dogs Holland

How do detection dogs work?

If you wonder how detection dogs work, it is easy to explain. As working dogs, detection dogs are trained to point out to the handler where substances are located.

It takes of course training to have the dog work for you. Essential is that the dogs used all have a more than excellent drive to work.

“Lazy” dogs are ruled out in the selection process. All detection dogs also are trained on basic obedience commands.

What can detection dogs detect ?

Normally any substance can be detected by dogs. So basically, anything that provides a smell can be trained to detect.

At K10 Working Dogs we select and train our dogs on a daily basis. Our experienced trainers work on several detection programs and hand select their dogs from our suppliers. Most dogs are trained to detect :

Narcotics (NDD’s)
Explosives (EDD’s)
Money

On request we can train our dogs to detect our substances. This means that customers can contact us for special requests. Please free to ask a free quotation.

How do detection dogs indicate ?

Our dogs are trained to sit or lay down once they detect a substance. This is called a passive alert. The detection dogs are specially trained to alert or signal their handler (trainer). Once the have indicated the substance, they are rewarded with a kong or ball. Rewarding the dogs is essential for the dog.

Different ways detection dogs can be used ?

Detection dogs can be used in many ways. On demand we can train our detection dogs to detect substances in :

Luggage or packages
Vehicles
Buildings
Open area’s (like airports and translations)
Human detection (special request)
How accurate are our detection dogs ?

The accuracy of our detection dogs is of course essential once they are employed for our customers.

False alarms are however possible to happen. It is of course essential to minimize these false alarms, but consistent training and keeping records on the detection dogs whilst they are in training gives better results.

In general our detection dogs are very useful to detect any kind of substance.

Levels of training of detection dogs

At K10 Working Dogs we supply different kind of detector dogs. The level of training is essential. We supply :

Green detection dogs are carefully selected dogs by our trainers and are ready for any detection program. They have an excellent drive to work for the trainer/handler. They are not yet trained, but we guarantee that your trainers/handlers will have the excellent dogs to prepare for your own program.

Pre trained detection dogs had training to detect. Our trainers know the characteristics of these pre trained detection dogs. They do indicate on small pieces of a ball or kong (toy), by sitting down or laying down, once this is detected by the dog.

Fully trained detection dogs have had a full course. They have entered a program (EDD or NDD, or otherwise on request). Our trainers kept records of their training program and can advise our customer about the characteristics of the dogs.

Selecting detection dogs at K10

We offer a large selection of detection dogs at K10 Working Dogs. The most common breeds are :

Belgian Malinois
German Shepherd
Dutch Shepherd
Labradors
Springer Spaniels
Pointers

Normally customers come to hand select their detection dogs at our kennel in Holland. We prepare the dogs required and invite the customers. If necessary we assist our customers with facilities and transportation while visiting the Netherlands.

Our dogs are all supplied with international passport – incl. vaccination records
X-rays of hips and elbows.

Once the dogs are selected by our customers, we can provide assistance with the transportation of the detection dogs to the customers’ country.