Just wondered !! With all thats going on im sure theres a market for them!!

-- Grizz in Western Maryland (southerneagle@yahoo.com), February 23, 2002

Answers

Boy, you are so right Grizz. I was just in New Orleans working during Super Bowl week and it was a real hassle because there were only two dogs available for the Secret Service and EVERYTHING had to be searched. No one and no-thing could get closer than 5 blocks without being searched. With all the newly-designated National Security Events happening all over the country there is a definite increase in demand for dogs. The Olympics are even worse because the venues are so spread out. Also, there has been a corresponding increase in security amongst private, non government entities (corporations, etc), and the airports are only going to increase their needs as time goes on.

I used to train search and rescue dogs and one of my friends in Tennessee just called to ask if I wanted to start training bomb dogs with him- he also sees a market. I liked the idea, but just don't want to stop what I am doing now to get into dogs again. BUT, if I wasn't traveling so much I would do it in a heartbeat.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

I've been kicking this idea around for months. The market is definitely wide open right now. I've never done bomb dogs, but I have worked with drug dogs and SAR dogs. It's the same general principles...........you just can't have them do an excited response or KA-BOOM!

The trouble would be in where you would have to go to use them. There wouldn't be much call for them at my local airport, and I really have no interest in being at BWI, Dulles, or Philly International.

-- Fran (on MD's Eastern Shore) (simpleplesurzfrm@dmv.com), February 23, 2002.

Fran, I think the opportunity is in training, then selling the dogs rather than trying to just handle them. As you pointed out- not enough demand in any single locale. The Secret Service and FBI dog/handler teams are moved around constantly to wherever the demand is at the time.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

I was thinking in terms of contracting the sniffing services, but the training and selling of the dogs could work from here. Maybe it's time to give this some serious thought. Thanks!

-- Fran (on MD's Eastern Shore) (simpleplesurzfrm@dmv.com), February 23, 2002.

I was in a local college library a few days ago to read a report. While I was waiting I picked up a copy of the magazine Police Chief. I'd never seen the magazine before that.

There were lots of articles on terrorism, etc. Among the ads was one for a device that "sniffed" drugs and explosives. The bomb sniffing dog gets tired. The machine won't.

Before investing in training dogs, I'd read up on what the competition is. Buying batteries may be cheaper than taking care of a dog. At the end of the cold war a lot of companies that sold stuff to the military reoriented their research for the war on drugs. There's a lot of high tech stuff out there now for the police.

With grants from the feds, even the locals can buy stuff that would have been sci fi only a few years ago.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), February 23, 2002.

Elizabeth, is your friends name Dwight? I got in 6 BC's for training, 7 month olds, and I was going to contact him about them. Detection and tracking is what he does. They want dogs with high ball drive, they are looking for BC's.

Passive alert dogs, sit on find, calmer but intense dogs.

Active (bark, scratch, dig) more outgoing but intense dog.

None of them want BC's trained to herd at all, just balls and toys. It's all so interesting and exciting. These new ones I got in have not been to stock, and I am doing their obedience, in and out of the house, thru doorways, over shinny floors, rides in truck, anything and everything you can think of to get them used to everything.

Plus, BC's are needed for the airports and golf courses for bird control. That is all really taking off fast.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), February 23, 2002.

My DH was a bomb dog and narc dog handler whe he was in the service. Too bad he didn't follow tht vocation when he got out. He still has the knowledge though. BTW Fran, what county are you in? We are in Wicomico.

-- Gloria in MD (mullinaxclan@webtv.net), February 25, 2002.