Does anyone have any experience with how much bomb dector training cost on average? How long does it take? Are there a certain amount of hours required? Who would be a good person to talk with concerning testing and evaluating a dog for this? What is the accuracy and failure rates of certified dogs?

Thanks,

Rebeca

Since we train all our own dogs and handlers, the only way to caculate the cost would be to itemize all that goes into putting a dog on the street. For an explosives detector, for example, you must figure the cost of outfitting a canine cruiser, 14 weeks of a Trooper off the road, quarters, per diem etc, and the cost of buying an untrained dog if a suitable candidate can not be found through donations. The cost of all this can easily approach $8,000 to 10,000 dollars. AS far as eliminations from explosives detector dog training, I eliminate about 1 out of every 10 dogs I select for training. I only select about 1 out of 15 to 20 dogs that I evaluate. Hope this helps you some.

DFrost

Thank You David for the information. Wow I didn't realize that it was such an intensive training process. How many types of bombs can a dog detect? What kind of remedial training is needed to keep these dogs up to snuff?

Can a bomb dog also become a narcotics dog?

Thanks,

Rebeca

Rebeca,

Relative the behavior selection process that is required for a dog to be trained, there is not much difference in the selection of a dog for either type of training. But can a dog be a drug and an explosives dog, NO. It would be possible to train a dog on explosive and drug odors, an odor is an odor,but it would be most unwise. No reputable law enforcement agency would utilize such an animal.

DFrost

REbeca,

Sorry, missed part of your question. AS a matter of policy, we don't publish the odors the dog is trained to detect, the total number however is 11. Explosives detector dogs are required to attend 16 hours of inservice training monthly. All training is documented, proficiency rates are reviewed monthly, the records are reviewed on a quarterly basis and the canine team must undergo an extensive practical evaluation annually.

DFrost

David, thank you for helping me understand the process of bomb dog training. Do you have a bomb dog or do you train them? Why don't you hear about these dogs compared to drug dogs?

Thank You

Rebeca

hey rebeca,
first im sorry if my spelling is not to good but ill do my best! nor,aly i dont speak english...
First i agree with david, it takes around two to four monthes to get a "green" dog to detect explosives in all it forms and that is if you dont rush things and do it for 30 mn twice a day. there are few main oders we we give more attention to since it's bein used more often to make bombs! in ISAREL were i live, my work is mainly over at GAZA strip and around there the you will find mostly bombs made out of: TNT-C4-and T.A.T.P.
We do not sell our dogs but 8000 to 10000 sounds right if you count around 4000 to 6000$ for a green dog and the rest on it's training...

As for who would be good to talk to i wouldnt know unless you will come over to ISRAEL... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
what do you meen when you say accuracy???

I can tell you that we can't aford to have a dog that does not work good!!! so if a dog is "graduating" and later on not doing good in our tests it's either trying to fix it and when this is not working then this dog is getting a new home if you know what i meen...
At this time, me personaly im not training but just working with them, what we do is having them train three times a day or so during work after checking the same area we practice first so we won't get blown off......
hope you got all the info. you wanted from me and david. there are some things i can't say but if you meat some one who works with this kind off dogs who knows you im sure he will give you the rest.
good luck!
edo

hey rebeca,
first im sorry if my spelling is not to good but ill do my best! nor,aly i dont speak english...
First i agree with david, it takes around two to four monthes to get a "green" dog to detect explosives in all it forms and that is if you dont rush things and do it for 30 mn twice a day. there are few main oders we we give more attention to since it's bein used more often to make bombs! in ISAREL were i live, my work is mainly over at GAZA strip and around there the you will find mostly bombs made out of: TNT-C4-and T.A.T.P.
We do not sell our dogs but 8000 to 10000 sounds right if you count around 4000 to 6000$ for a green dog and the rest on it's training...

As for who would be good to talk to i wouldnt know unless you will come over to ISRAEL... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
what do you meen when you say accuracy???

I can tell you that we can't aford to have a dog that does not work good!!! so if a dog is "graduating" and later on not doing good in our tests it's either trying to fix it and when this is not working then this dog is getting a new home if you know what i meen...
At this time, me personaly im not training but just working with them, what we do is having them train three times a day or so during work after checking the same area we practice first so we won't get blown off......
hope you got all the info. you wanted from me and david. there are some things i can't say but if you meat some one who works with this kind off dogs who knows you im sure he will give you the rest.
good luck!
edo

Edo, you're English is wonderful. Thank you for you're informative post. This is such an interesting topic that I would love to find more stuff on these bomb sniffing dogs. I would guess that these dogs would have to have better nerves than a dog that sniffs for drugs, or is that not an issue?

Thank You,

Rebeca

Rebeca,you are very welcome it's nothing...
May i ask why you are so interested in this matter?
better nerves?? im not sure if it should be better or not. i can tell you that some of my dogs work food and the others do the jobe with the reward of a puppy roll
(am i spelling it right?!) so basicly some are very calm and some are not, it all depends on the trainer if he can get the dog to find the bomb and not scrach or chew it and blow us up... once he coltrole it he can work with any kind of dog! just one thing, all the above is not insted of all the other things we look in a dog that will work in this field.
I think in order for you to find out more tou either meet some one who work with this kind of dogs or try to become one!
(become a police k9 handler)
good luck!
edo

p.s
david or any one else, if you have more to it please write it down so ill know to
thank you!