You’ve probably seen dogs on TV alerting police officers to a drug stash or a missing person. These types of dogs exist in the real world too! What you’ve seen on TV is called a detection dog, and did you know you can hire them as well?

You may be wondering, why would I ever need a detection dog? There are a ton of reasons! From protecting the guests of a large event to ensuring your home and office are drug-free. 

Want to know more about the types of dogs out there? Keep reading.  

What is a Detection Dog?

A detection dog is a dog trained to seek out drugs, contraband, explosives, and more. They can also run patrols with security officers or work with police departments to protect the public. 

Types of Detection Dogs

There are detection dogs out there trained for specific purposes. You can find dogs for drug prevention and even dogs that can help sniff out COVID in patients. Below are just a few examples of detection dogs and an overview of what their jobs entail. 

Drug Detection dogs

Most people will recognize what a drug detection dog is. You may have seen them on TV or in the movies, sniffing out the suitcases of the bad guys trying to smuggle drugs on a plane. While this is a good use of their talents, you can also hire a detection dog to prevent illicit substances from being brought into an event, on your school campus, or in the office. 

These dogs can be trained to seek out a variety of legal and illegal substances. If you suspect a loved one is abusing drugs, you can also hire some of these dogs to come to your home to search the premises and ease your concerns. 

Crime Dogs

Some dogs are trained to search out specific contraband, like guns, illicit substances, alcohol, and cell phones. Some dogs are even trained to sniff out bombs and explosives! If you work security for large events or in transportation and want to ensure there is nothing dangerous on your bus or plane, having a detection dog can help keep you safe.  

Police Dogs

Police dogs go through extensive training to assist officers in a variety of ways. They may search out missing people, find crime scene evidence, find drugs and explosives, or attack criminals attempting to flee a scene. These dogs are usually selected when they are puppies and are trained from day one to work with their handlers. 

Do You Need a Detection Dog?

Hiring a detection dog may not have been your first thought when you planned your last big event or implemented a drug-free policy at your office or school campus, but hiring one of these dogs can protect a ton of people and give you peace of mind. These dogs are truly unique, and we only scratched the surface of the types of detection dogs out there. Did you know you can also hire dogs to detect pests in your home? The options are endless. 

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