Most people know that a dog’s sense of smell is much more powerful than that of a human…but did you know that a dog’s nose has as many as 300 million smell receptors compared to humans who have only around 5 million? This keen ability enables dogs to detect another dog’s sex, diet, reproductive status and other identifying factors when they sniff urine on a tree or fire hydrant. No wonder dogs love to go outside!! This unique ability has given many dogs in peril a new leash on life with jobs that give them direction and purpose. A dog’s sniff ability coupled with their need to please their owners make it possible for canines at shelters who were deemed bad pets, to be put to work.

Dogs can be trained to find anything with a distinctive odor ranging from bombs to pirated DVDs and CDs to mold and bedbugs. Detection dog trainers look for high energy and obsessive personalities in their canine candidates which makes shelters an excellent place to find a good working dog. The detection dog field permits unwanted or problem dogs to be useful or to become a hero. When a criminal tries to hide illegal items in pungent products like tobacco or coffee, a detection dog not only smells the type of coffee – they also smell the gram of cocaine or the bomb hidden inside. Finding bombs and illegal contraband is amazing but the ability to detect illegal discs like DVDs, CDs and computer software is remarkable. The Motion Picture Association of America recently let their business ‘go to the dogs’ after a multimillion-dollar profit loss from piracy. They employed detection dogs trained to tract polycarbonate compound to conduct a big bust in Malaysia that exposed two million dollars’ worth of illegal products.

I recently viewed a news segment featuring dogs who sniff out mold and bedbugs. These particular detection dogs can locate 18 different types of mold and keep homeowners and their children from becoming ill. What is fascinating is that the mold detection dogs go unharmed since they have the ability to purge their noses from scents without breathing them into their own nose. Also, we will all sleep better knowing that there are detection dogs who make a living by finding live bedbugs in mattresses to help stop a national pest infestation. Other detection dogs are being trained to screen for cancer by sniffing the breath of patients. That talents displayed by detection dogs are remarkable and we are fortunate they can be trained to help keep us safe in many ways.

 By David Greenwood