Demand for bomb/explosive detection canines has surged as homeland security and drug crackdowns become a bigger priority for government and law enforcement. The North American Police Work Dog Association says 35,000 dogs are trained to do detective work in the U.S. The association estimates up to 10,000 dogs have been added since the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Official records of training puppies to work as detection dogs date back to the early 1900s in the U.S. In more recent years, police departments realized a dog's nose was a valuable asset.
Dogs possess impressive olfactory abilities -- some breeds more than others. For each drop of odor detected by a dog, the human nose would require 1,000 to 10,000 drops of odor, experts say.
Other animals may have smelling skills that rival a dog's, but professional trainers say dogs are the most controllable and sociable for their human handlers.
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