From: DWEISS@american.edu (DJW)
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 95 12:28:15 EST
In article <17FEB95.03060161.0089@VM1.MCGILL.CA>
Veghead <ICER000@MUSICB.MCGILL.CA> writes:
>Does anyone know how police train dogs to sniff for drugs or
>explosives?
Wow - a question I can answer, cool.
My dad trains dogs as a hobby, and has done some sniffer-dog work. This is
the way that my dad and his other dog-friends do it, I dunno if everyone does
it this way:
The key ingredient is a ball-crazy dog. You know the type; a dog that is
totaly nuts about chasing, catching, and otherwise frolicking with a tennis
ball. They find these dogs through a very scientific process whereby they
get a bunch of puppies together and throw tennis balls around until it becomes
apparent that one puppy is especially interested in ball-activities.
That puppy is rewarded with his very own ball, one scented with eau de cocaine
or eau de semtex, or whatever. They get these scents from a police-supply
outfit. They're just smells, no narcotic/explosive properties, so don't get
any ideas.
The puppy grows up with the scented ball. Whenever the dog is playing, it is
with the scented ball. If the dog seems pretty adept with scents, it might get
another ball with a different scent, but two seems to be the limit. Besides
just playing "catch," and other doggie-sports, the dog eventually learns the
game "find your ball!"
Thats the funny part. When the dog goes charging around the airport and starts
clawing at your suitcase, he's just looking for his stupid ball.
Dad's trained dogs for several state police forces, so this must work pretty
well. The key is linking the dog's entire sense of fun with that scent. Hey -
I know some people just like that.
Dan Weiss || Washington, DC
--------------------------------------------------------
From: maynard@oregon.uoregon.edu (Tom Maynard)
DWEISS@american.edu (DJW) writes:
[details of teaching dogs to search for scents deleted...]
>That puppy is rewarded with his very own ball, one scented with eau de cocaine
>or eau de semtex, or whatever. They get these scents from a police-supply
>outfit. They're just smells, no narcotic/explosive properties, so don't get
>any ideas.
Speaking of "Eau de semtex", there are some really wonderful scents to be
found. While skimming through the Sigma Catalog (a major chemical supplier),
I found the section of "Forensic Chemistry". Just because the Teeming
Millions surely want to know, here's what's available:
Sigma Pseudo(TM) Narcotic Scents:
- cocaine formulation
- heroin formulation
- marihuana formulation
Sigma Pseudo(TM) Corpse Scents:
- Formulation 1 (for early detection or below 0C)
- Formulation 2 (for post-putrification detection)
- Drowned Victim Scent Formulation
Sigma Pseudo(TM) Distressed Body Scent
Sigma Pseudo(TM) Powder Explosive Scent
These scents make great gifts, I'm sure. I'm wearing the Distressed Body
Scent right now! Drives women WILD!
- --Tom Maynard (maynard@oregon.uoregon.edu)
"We were poor, but we didn't know we were poor...
We thought we were starving to death!"
- --- end forwarded message ---
[scs here]
And, in response, someone else (name witheld to protect the
guilty) suggested:
> Oh boy. ``Sabotage an airport of your choice with nothing
> but a squirt gun TODAY!'' :-)
-- SENT BY:
>>>Dad's Frapulous Tape Torture<<<
**Send a tape. Get a tape. It's that sleazy!**
Mail to: Dad's New Slacks - P.O. Box 4272 - Portland, Maine 04101-4272
::::or kill me for more email:::::
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