Detection Canine Program Person-Borne IED Initiative Fact Sheet and Video

The Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recognizes that a dog's sense of smell is a million times more sensitive than a human’s. Canines can be trained to detect a wide variety of specific odors, such as explosives, humans, drugs, and even fruits and vegetables. Dogs are trained to alert to the presence of these odors with a learned response such as sitting or lying quietly.