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CENTER TEACHES K9S TO SNIFF OUT CRIME

Through positive reinforcement and complex training methods man's best friend, the dog, is quickly becoming the missing link to obtaining victory in America's war on crime.  While the influx of drugs and bomb toting terrorists have escalated the bloodletting of this battle, dogs may be the answer to solving the perplexing riddles these two opponents bring to the table.  With noses that can sniff out even the most elaborately hidden and intricately planned drug stash or lethal weapon of explosion, dogs have given us a leg up in our efforts, four legs up to be more accurate.

With this thought in mind, researchers at Auburn University began an extensive K9 crime fighting training facility at McClellan 10 months ago.  Despite added pressures of inadequate facilities and animal stockpiles lacking for numbers, those charged with the task of breeding and training these living, breathing vehicles of crime fighting have kept the ship afloat and ridden it through to the present day success they now enjoy.  The group is now reaching out to the community to provide some invaluable services to their efforts.

An outreach component of Auburn University's Institute for Biological Detection Systems, the center at McClellan takes part in the training of dogs, handlers, trainers and program managers to understand all facets of canine detection work.

"Instruction at the center will blend the craftsmanship of expert canine training professionals with the most recent advances in scientific technology and technology of canine detection," insisted Ed "Hawk" Hawkinson, director of the McClellan center.  "Additionally, the center will produce and train dogs specifically bred to be successful at detection work in order to help meet the ever growing demand for high quality detection dogs."

The center, which is scheduled to open a new, state-of-the-art facility within the next couple of months, is one of the largest and most modern canine training facilities in the world.  The new kennel will house 40 walking tracks, giving them the ability to host up to 40 canines at any one time, a trio of whelping rooms, where females can give birth to puppies at the facility in privacy, while officials watch from beyond Plexiglas, and three different floor surfaces, which will give the animals a variety of areas upon which to train.

Hawkinson, who runs this non-profit organization with the help of five employees, has over 33 years of combined detection training experience with the U.  S.  Government.  He spent 20 years on active duty with the U.S.  Air Force.  The majority of that time was spent at the Military Working Dog School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Additionally, Hawkinson served as Chief of the Operations Branch, which was responsible for the training of all U.S.  military canine detection teams.

"I am the only person who was ever successful at training dogs to sniff out counterfeit money," says Hawkinson.  "Dogs can sniff out most anything you train them to as long as you can isolate distinctive smells for them to search for.  We knew with counterfeit money there are always three distinct smells present, whereas real money only has two smells.  Once we isolated these smells, it was fairly easy to train them to locate it for us."

Prior to his taking on the position at the center, Hawkinson was program manager for canine explosives detection training for the U.S.  Secret Service.  His extensive background in the field lends credence to the notion that this is perhaps one of the best facilities of its kind in the world.

The mission and role of the center is two-fold.  First, they hold on-site training of the animals, teaching them to sniff out either drugs or bombs, depending upon the needs of a specific client.  Secondly, the group oversees a "Puppy Walkers" program that places dogs in foster homes throughout the community so they can be exposed to various idiosyncrasies of societal life they may not come into contact with at the training facility.  It is the latter of these two job descriptions where center officials are eager to ascertain commitments from the public to offer help in achieving these specialized ends.

"Dogs can smell thousands of times better than humans," explained Jennifer Edmonds, a trainer at the facility.  "If there is a bomb threat at a school, most of the time it can take hours to clear the school while people are searching for bombs.  Dogs can do that in half the time and it is a lot safer for everyone involved."

While Hawkinson admits there are other animals that have better smelling senses than dogs, the reason for choosing these animals in their training efforts has a great deal to do with the purposes they are needed for.

"Pigs and deer can both smell better than dogs," explained Hawkinson, "but pigs are difficult to control, and deer are not very practical because their antlers get in the way.  Dogs can get in and out of areas quickly and efficiently and can be molded to do what is required."

Hawkinson notes that dogs have enhanced smelling abilities, for one reason, because they have difficulty seeing at distances farther than 12 feet.

"If you are playing fetch with a dog and you throw the stick or whatever a long way," explained Hawkinson, "the dog will run about 12 feet in the direction the stick went in then drop its nose to the ground and follow the scent to the stick."

This "dropping its nose to the ground" is also the reason the center uses Labrador retrievers as their canine of choice.  With an elongated snout, these dogs are excellent sniffers.  Their legs are also the perfect height to make sniffing out objects easy for them.

"Dogs like Doberman Pinchers," says Hawkinson, "have longer legs and almost have to crouch down to drop their nose to the ground and sniff.  They can be taught to smell out objects, but they are not all that eager to do it."

Breeding Labradors takes some time, so the center has relied on purchases from Australia and Holland, as well as donations from the community to keep the program running until their puppies are old enough to send to foster homes.  Right now, the center has four full-blooded Labrador puppies on site, along with 12 other dogs of various breeding they are in the process of training.

The bulk of their dogs are speckled throughout the area at the homes of volunteers in their "Puppy Walkers" program.

"We ask for volunteer foster parents from around the area to come out and adopt the dogs," explained Paula Meadors, who handles the on-site kennels for the center.  "All we ask is that they take the dogs and provide them with a lot of love.  We provide everything else, from bowls to food to vet bills to flea and tick preventative collars and medicine.  They just have to provide love and teach them some socialization skills."

"We ask that they walk the dogs at least once a week," added Meadors, "so the dogs will be exposed to everything from people to traffic to planes overhead to loud noises.  Anything they may come in contact with while on the job, we want them exposed to so they will be aware of it and it won't affect their ability to sniff out the things they've been trained for."

Some 35 canines are placed in homes throughout the area, including Anniston, Oxford, Munford, Weaver, Ohatchee, Auburn, Alabaster and Helena.  There are five placements in Jacksonville as well.

"One thing we really want to stress here," explained Hawkinson, "is how much volunteers are doing for their country by raising these dogs.  If not for their efforts, we would not have socialized dogs to go out and do the crime fighting and the terrorist fighting."

Edmonds admits that demand for the service this non-profit organization provides has seen a dramatic increase since the tragic events of Sept.  11.

Dog placement in schools has received a strong push from Hawkinson.  However, to date there has been little success in convincing school boards around the area that dogs trained to sniff out marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines would be an asset.  Still, the center continues to push this idea, making routine visits to schools to showcase the highly effective talents these canines possess.

"We have one dog, Booga," explained Meadors, "that we use in the schools to show the children what this training can accomplish.  The kids really love it when we come out and do demonstrations."

Once the dogs return from their stay with foster families, they are put through a rigorous six to eight week training session.

"It depends on how many scents they are being trained for," explained Edmonds, noting how long the training procedure lasts.  "Then, for about six to eight weeks after they have been trained, they spend time with the law enforcement agent or whomever will be utilizing their services."

Once the animals move on to their final placement, the center manages to keep in contact through faxes, letters, phone calls, e-mails and occasional visits.

"I tend to get too emotionally attached to the dogs," explained Meadors.  "I get kind of depressed when they leave.  Still, they have a job to do and, believe it or not, the animals love having a job to do."

Edmonds, however, views these departures a little differently.  For her, seeing the canines head into the world gives her a great feeling of accomplishment.  Knowing that she has done her part in the process and that she has trained a dog that may one day go out and save someone's life, fills her with pride.

Officials at the center ask that you call their office at 820-8251 if you would like to be a foster family for one of these animals.  The only requirements are that your home has a fenced in yard and that you be willing to provide the dog with lots of physical activity, like walking, and plenty of good, old fashioned love.