Why Are Sniffer Dogs Important To The Police Force

Sniffer dogs are very important to the police force; they are trained to detect drugs, firearms, explosives and much more. ICTS explains “Their sniff reshapes their nose so that air and odours from the substance, hit their odour receptors. The signal then moves from their nose to their sensory cortex, which is an area of the canine brain that processes sensations, as well as smells”. Puppies are trained early on which is important as it can give the trainer an indication as to whether the dog is suitable for the job, obedient and willing to be trained. German Shepherd dogs are frequently selected for police dog training – there is a possibility that this stems from their ability and willingness to work and were originally used for sheep herding. Neuropsychology …show more content…
The puppy remembers the smell. Drugs are then hidden inside of the towel for the dogs to find in various locations. When the dog finds the drugs, they will be treated – this shows the puppy that they will be rewarded every time they find the drugs, and will remember the smell to find drugs again in hopes of gaining a reward. The towel will be used to play with the dog afterwards as a reward, (HowStuffWorks). They use aggressive alert when they find the drugs – by digging and pawing. This would not work for dogs finding bombs, so instead passive alert is used. This method can involve the dog just sitting down to indicate a find which is often used in customs when people are carrying certain food they shouldn’t be. Dog Behaviourist, Cesar Milan claims dog training should be started immediately – “the most important thing you can do is become your puppy’s pack leader. This role doesn’t begin when your dog is six months old or when he’s bad; it should be maintained throughout the entire dog training experience”. This is vital as dogs can naturally become the alpha. Police dog trainers must become the alpha for the dog to follow commands and be