[David Frost]

We start our annual drug dog certification today. Each dog will be tested on 3 sets of 7 vehicles. One set will have marijuana and cocaine hidden in two of the vehicles. One set will have heroin and meth hidden in two of the vehicles. One set will have uncirculated currency and plastic bags hidden in one of the vehicles (negative test).

Then each dog will be required to conduct a search of 2 sets of 7 rooms. Each set will have drugs hidden in two of the rooms. Then an invetory of thier drug training aids and back to work. Each certification takes 2 days and I do 6 dogs each day. Usually it's a relaxing exercise, the handlers are pretty confident. I believe that certification, if you are training correctly, is a lot simpler than the average training day should be.

DFrost

 

[David Frost]

No sir, we don't video certifications. However we do, at times, video training.

DFrost

 

[David Frost]

We have our own certification, but we also attend USPCA as time and manpower allow. It never ceases to amaze me at some of the score sheet. Even though the dog finds all four targets, the handler will lose a point for "other". Occasionally they'll lose one for leash control or other silly thing. The handlers' always question, what the heck is "other". I tell them I've been involved with USPCA off and on for 30 years and I've never figured it out. AS long as the dog is find all four targets, don't worry about it.

DFrost

 

[David Frost]

I frequently have teams from other deparments come and train with us. I always tell them; I'll hide, you find it. I don't try to change what they do. If they have a problem I'll offer suggestions, but they work the way they were trained. In drug training I only have two rules; 1. No pseudo. 2. You can't watch me hide it. I've actually had teams (from other departments) that will not train with me because I don't allow the handlers to know where (even if, for that matter) training aids are hidden. How they work, other than my own handlers, is none of my business.

DFrost