Gun-Sniffing Dogs

DWalt

DWalt

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2009
Messages
35,713
Reaction score
32,329
Location
South Texas & San Antonio
I was watching some TV show yesterday, and part of it was about dogs used by the Canadian border patrol (or whatever the Canadians call theirs) using dogs specially trained to detect guns, and it went on to tell about how effective they are and how many guns were intercepted from people going into Canada.

While I wasn't aware of such dogs, they obviously exist. I wonder what it is about a gun they can smell?
 
Register to hide this ad
A dogs sense of smell is far better than a human can even imagine and they "see" the world through their nose more than any other sense they have. As an example, when a human smells something like spaghetti they smell a combination of all the ingredients mixed together. When a dog smells it they don't smell spaghetti per se but instead they smell each individual ingredient that was used.

With that in mind I would assume they are trained to identify traces of gun powder, copper, lead and probably even a variety of various gun cleaning solvents.
 
My agency has a dog that does nothing except bodies, explosives, and guns. He is part black lab mixed with something else. The dog is flat out incredible. There have been many times he has been called out to find a gun thrown after a chase or otherwise disposed of. Not only has he found the weapon in question, but frequently finds multiple other guns that were not the subject of the search. He is also trained to sniff out explosives. I can ask next week when I go back to work, but I'm pretty sure he smells the chemicals produced by the combustion of the powder.

He is also trained to find bodies and boy is he good. One of the boats our dive/search/recovery team uses has a special platform built on the front. The dog lies down on the platform and sticks his head out over the water. He can actually detect bodies underwater. According to his handler, what he smells is the methane (and other chemicals from the decaying body) bubbling up to the surface. In fact, this is the second dog our agency has had that can do this. The platform on the boat was actually constructed for the previous dog. On more than one occasion, both dogs have smelled the chemicals so strongly that they dove off the platform.

I have watched both the retired and the active dog search for both guns and bodies. it is impressive. Each dog has or had a very specific indicator for explosives, guns, or bodies. I am always amazed when I watch my agency's canines work.
 
Another endorsement for Frog Lube! :D

Unless you gotta dog that searches for Ben Gay...


But seriously, won't animals/insects/machines that sniff for gunpowder residue at airports and such alert if you've fired a gun recently, just from what's still on your hands? Imagine if you're wearing the same jacket that hasn't been washed.
 
codenamedave said:
But seriously, won't animals/insects/machines that sniff for gunpowder residue at airports and such alert if you've fired a gun recently, just from what's still on your hands? Imagine if you're wearing the same jacket that hasn't been washed.
Click to expand...

I always make sure the clothes I wore shooting are well laundered before traveling just to avoid any potential problems. I bet a dog would still smell residue on me, if a dog were sniffing me directly, but it's never been a problem yet.
 
I worked with a dog handler in the past. It is the solvents and lubes used on guns that the dog smells and then alerts. A good dog will find a clean unfired handgun just as fast as one that was fired. .....
 
I would worry more about a dog than any machine sniffer... had a friend go straight from a machine gun shoot in Colorado to the airport... machine sniffer did not detect anything... and he had literally been firing a Ma deuce 90 minutes earlier and only washed his hands... did not change clothes... those machines are a waste of money...
 
4506517 said:
My agency has a dog that does nothing except bodies, explosives, and guns. He is part black lab mixed with something else. The dog is flat out incredible. There have been many times he has been called out to find a gun thrown after a chase or otherwise disposed of. Not only has he found the weapon in question, but frequently finds multiple other guns that were not the subject of the search. ...
Click to expand...
I assume when he does that he gets a bonus in addition to his regular paycheck.
 
This all brings to light where we need to aim with our man-made technology. Dogs can detect and smell cancer, impending death, guns, drugs, and lord know what else, all because the molecules are there; someday we'll have man-made technology that will sniff the air to make all kinds of medical diagnoses, to find people, maybe even specific people, the sky will be the limit. In 50 years a visit to the doctors office might consist of walking by a machine, it sniffs you, then tells you what's wrong and what you need to do. We ain't seen nothing yet with technology, and perhaps dogs have been the catalyst for creative ideas of where technology should take us.
 
My friend trains and runs cadaver dogs for the County Sheriff. One of hers recently located a body in a car with windows and doors closed under 30 feet of water. I think dogs can be trained to alert on about anything.
 
4506517 said:
My agency has a dog that does nothing except bodies, explosives, and guns. He is part black lab mixed with something else. The dog is flat out incredible. There have been many times he has been called out to find a gun thrown after a chase or otherwise disposed of. Not only has he found the weapon in question, but frequently finds multiple other guns that were not the subject of the search. He is also trained to sniff out explosives.
I can ask next week when I go back to work, but I'm pretty sure he smells the chemicals produced by the combustion of the powder.

He is also trained to find bodies and boy is he good. One of the boats our dive/search/recovery team uses has a special platform built on the front. The dog lies down on the platform and sticks his head out over the water. He can actually detect bodies underwater. According to his handler, what he smells is the methane (and other chemicals from the decaying body) bubbling up to the surface. In fact, this is the second dog our agency has had that can do this. The platform on the boat was actually constructed for the previous dog. On more than one occasion, both dogs have smelled the chemicals so strongly that they dove off the platform.

I have watched both the retired and the active dog search for both guns and bodies. it is impressive. Each dog has or had a very specific indicator for explosives, guns, or bodies. I am always amazed when I watch my agency's canines work.
Click to expand...

Please do, I'm curious as to the answer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

oldbrownhat
Dog saves owner by doing CPR
Replies
6
Views
1K
Onomea
Onomea
Ghost Magnum
creepy experience and missing dogs
2
Replies
30
Views
2K
Ghost Magnum
Ghost Magnum
H
New Dog
Replies
12
Views
723
Rustyt1953
Rustyt1953
chief38
Gardening - - a return to the old ways!
Replies
9
Views
557
charlie sherrill
C
robertrwalsh
The mouse gun conundrum.
2 3
Replies
59
Views
3K
Qwerty357
Q

Latest posts

Back
Top