05/02/2026
STARTING BUILDING SEARCHES WITH A YOUNG DOG!
Beginning with teaching them to sniff the bottom of each door seam to locate the suspect. We want no missed doors.
In the early stages, we've seen dogs alert just as they would a narcotics find. A sit and stare. This is where we have to teach them the difference between a narcotics alert and an alert to a man (bark).
When the frustration builds and begins to leak, the dog will begin to get vocal. With a young dog, it may come in the form of a whine and eventually they'll let out a bark. The decoy opens the door, marking the desired alert (bark) and the dog is rewarded with an apprehension. Rinse and repeat. One bark turns to two, then three. Eventually the dog understands that the alert (bark) AFTER locating the human odor is what unlocks the reward.
Throughout this process, we also require the dog to contain themselves before entering the threshold. The dog must maintain their silence before getting to have fun. For the handler's sanity, and to ensure announcements can be heard.
Nothing fancy or sexy about the process, but it's a foundation helps officers make it home safely!
