We passed the border yesterday and the drug dog came to sniff. It was interested in something on the camper cover (which we think could have been something bad) Needless to say they had us put the camper up and the dog had to sniff again inside...We didn't go to jail

I was interested to know however what a drug dog has to go through. This dog had a choke chain on and was pulling full force when away from all cars. Is there a reason for this that I don't know? When he was sniffing the dog did no pulling as the handler gave leash. Would it not be hard on the dog to be constantly pulling on a choke collar? Are these dogs only taught basics and focused sniffing?

Generally drug dogs are taught to respond to marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin. Some, depending on where they work are taught raw opium and some other things. Basically though, it's the "big four". Many single purpose drug dogs, which you will generally see working the border, aren't taught all that much obediance. They are however in the program because of their intense drive. It's not at all uncommon to see a dog pulling to get to the search and then more relaxed and persistent when working. Working a border with a drug dog is a different world than working within the border. Without getting into a lot of technical, legal definitions,if an officer working the border sees, what he determines, increased interest while the dog is working, his options aren't as limited. The officer can keep the vehicle detained, pull it to secondary, search it if he feels it's necessary. An officer working within borders doesn't quite have that lattitude. It's that pesky 4th Amendment. When a dog shows "interest" in something, that doesn't necessarily mean what the dog is trained to detect is present. It just something that interested the dog. The "what" could be anything. The defining moment, however, is the trained response (often called the alert). When the dog responds, then the handler knows the odor of what the dog was trained to find is present.

DFrost

All our detection dogs (3 drug and 3 explosive) are trained as detection primary and minimal obedience secondary (sit, down, stay and recall for off-lead work). The reason for the pulling is typical...they are so toy driven that detection work is their biggest chance to play the game. Although, we never use choke collars except in a "dead" hookup, so I don't know what you actually saw.

I've had our dogs display "interest", even "excessive interest" but not an alert. The interest ranges from food odors, animal odors, urine on wheels and tires....but the handler certainly knows the difference between interest and alert. If we see excessive interest in a drug search for schools, we have the school personnel open a locker or get the student to open their car for further inspection.

Richard

Will the dog bark if he detects drugs? It did seem interesting that the dog was on a choke... The handler was worried that the dog would get loose because he turned him loose in a car and when getting him out was very careful to block the way. That is why I was wondering because I know that if I say wait to Zuki she won't move unless I say ok. Seems to me it would be somewhat useful, but maybe not. "dead" hookup? you mean when you KNOW there are drugs?

Dead hook up means on the dead ring, so that it does not tighten at all. The live ring is the one that if used attached to the leash, it will tighten up.

Detection dogs are taught to indicate. That indication could be a sit, down or some other passive indication that the odor was found. A passive indication may not be obvious to the average observer; as long as the handler knows the indication. It could also be an active indication like scratching at the source and a scratch could be one paw touch to digging and ripping.

All dogs have slightly different indications.

Well now that I know what a head hook up is....I am learning quite a few terms here. I know that it was not. It was tightening.