Dogs have long been used to detect illegal substances, including bombs. When it comes to choosing the type of dog for these tasks, Labrador retrievers seem to always be at the top of the list. Even though these dogs are considered to be sporting dogs, many of those characteristics that make them great sporting dogs also makes them great bomb sniffing dogs. Learning the reasons why Labrador retrievers are one of the top choices for this type of important work.
Great Sense of Smell
The most important reason why Labrador retriever dogs make great bomb sniffing dogs is because of their great sense of smell. Amazingly, these dogs are able to distinguish between different smells, even when humans are only able to recognize the combination of smells as a whole. This allows them to easily sniff out the smell of explosives and other common ingredients used in bombs, allowing them to find bombs that are cleverly hidden by those who set them to cause destruction.
Eagerness to Help
Labrador retrievers are extremely loyal dogs. This leads to an eagerness to help their humans do whatever they require. This level of loyalty makes them a great choice when it comes to bomb sniffing dogs. These dogs need to be able to work well by the side of a human to look for any bombs or other suspicious items that could cause an explosion in the future.
Training Ease
Another reason why Labrador retrievers are a suitable choice for bomb sniffing dogs is they are relatively easy to train. With the right teacher, Labradors will learn how to look for specific ingredients that are commonly used in bombs. This breed is one of the easiest to train, requiring fewer resources to train the dogs to do what you need them to do.
Bomb sniffing dogs are becoming a necessity in today’s world where bombings are happening in locations which people expect to be safe. There are several kinds of dogs that can be trained to be bomb sniffing dogs, but one of the most common types of dogs is the Labrador retriever. This type of dog is a good choice because they have an incredible sense of smell that can hone in on the right ingredients, they are eager to help and they are extremely easy to train. With these characteristics, Labradors make great service dogs, especially when it comes to identifying explosive materials.
