All You Need To Know About Sniffer Dogs
While most dogs have a great sense of smell, some breeds are exceptional and are able to use their noses for incredible tasks. These breeds can be trained as sniffer dogs and can be used for everything from drug detection to search and rescue.
What Are Sniffer Dogs?
Attribution-Non Commercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) - Harland Quarrington
Sniffer Dogs are dogs that are trained to use their sense of smell to detect certain substances. Most commonly, sniffer dogs detect illegal drugs, explosives, currency, wildlife scat, blood, and even contraband electronics.
The Role Of A Sniffer Dog
Sniffer dogs are often used in law enforcement, security, wildlife protection and biology, as well as in the medical industry.
Once trained, sniffer dogs work with experienced handlers and will signal to their handler when they have detected the scent they are trained on. The handler will reward the sniffer dog and use the information to help their investigation.
Why Are Sniffer Dogs Used?
Sniffer Dogs are able to search an area four times quicker than humans can (and with much greater accuracy). Their powerful sense of smell also allows them to detect scents even when they are masked by other odours.
While no dog will achieve 100% results, typically sniffer dogs are around 80% correct with their results. This, combined with their loyalty, obedience, and ability to cover a lot of ground quickly makes them reliable and effective for use in scent detection.
What Can They Sniff?
A dog’s nose is at least 10,000 to 100 million times more sensitive than a human’s nose. With such an incredible sense of smell, it’s no surprise that this is the most dominant of a dog’s senses. So, what can they smell?
Drug Sniffer Dogs: What Drugs Can Sniffer Dogs Smell
Sniffer dogs can smell a wide range of substances, this includes drugs that are commonly used for recreational, experimental, and dependency purposes.
Drugs that sniffer dogs are trained to detect can include marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, opioids, and LSD.
In some situations, they may also be trained to detect drugs that are used in medical practices such as Xanax, Adderall, and fentanyl.
Can Drug Sniffer Dogs Smell Pills?
Yes, sniffer dogs can smell pills and other medication. They are able to detect the scent they are trained on in any form and can even detect it even if other odours are used to try to mask the smell.
Covid Sniffer Dogs
UK research found that dogs can be trained to identify Covid-19. Six dogs were trained as covid sniffer dogs and were found to be 94% accurate when sniffing samples. The study also found that dogs were able to detect multiple strains of Covid without additional training.
Different Breeds Of Sniffer Dogs
The following dog breeds are known for their hard-working temperament and incredible noses. It is no surprise that they are the most popular breeds of sniffer dogs.
1. English Springer Spaniel
Attribution - ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) - Tony Harrison
English Springer Spaniels are intelligent dogs that are agile, hard-working, and have excellent scenting abilities. The temperament of these dogs makes them easy to work with. Springer Spaniels can often be seen working alongside the military, police, and other security services.
Primary Use: Drug Detection
Character: Intelligent, active, reliable
Height: 43-51cm
Size: Medium
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
2. Golden Retriever
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) - Dirk Vorderstraße
Golden Retrievers are often trained to track people allowing them to be used in search and rescue. This breed is well suited to search and rescue as they are eager to please, energetic, and obedient.
Primary Use: Search and Rescue
Character: Obedient, adaptable, calm
Height: 50-60cm
Size: Large
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
3. Labrador Retriever
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication - JohnMork
Labrador Retrievers are popular sniffer dogs thanks to their excellent sense of smell, calm nature, and trainability. These dogs are hard-working and suit a variety of roles including law enforcement as well as search and rescue.
Primary Use: Search and Rescue/ Drug Detection
Character: Calm, friendly, intelligent
Height: 56-61cm
Size: Large
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
4. Bloodhound
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) - John Leslie
Bloodhounds are talented tracking dogs that are often used by police, law enforcement, and anti-poaching rangers. Bloodhounds are able to track through water and can follow older scent trails that are up to 12 days old making them one of the best sniffer dogs around.
Primary Use: Tracking
Character: Intelligent, gentle, calm
Height: 61-69cm
Size: Large
Life Expectancy: 8-10 years
5. Border Collie
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International(CC BY-SA 4.0) - Janesalway
Border Collies are energetic, hard-working dogs that traditionally herd sheep but are also used in search and rescue. This breed has an acute sense of smell and loves to work so doesn’t mind long days out in the field.
Primary Use: Search and Rescue
Character: Intelligent, athletic, versatile
Height: 50cm
Size: Medium
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
6. Beagle
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication - Joe deSousa
Thanks to their acute sense of smell, Beagles are often used to detect drugs and illegal substances. Beagles were bred for tracking and hunting purposes so these dogs are highly motivated to use their noses. They are also highly adaptable and even-tempered making them great to work with.
Primary Use: Drug Detection
Character: Versatile, adaptable, hardworking
Height: 33-40cm
Size: Medium
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
7. German Pointer
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) - Stewart Baird
German Pointers are sometimes used in the military as detection dogs to sniff out explosives and contraband items. These versatile dogs are known to be energetic, hard-working, and eager to please.
Primary Use: Explosive Detection
Character: Versatile, intelligent, energetic
Height: 53-64cm
Size: Large
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
8. Belgian Malinois
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) - wim harwig
Belgian Malinois are impressive dogs that are often used as military and police sniffer dogs. They have a keen sense of smell and can be used for a variety of uses such as detecting explosives, contraband, or accelerants. The Belgian Malinois is eager to please, fearless, and can handle intense and physically demanding work.
Primary Use: Dual Purpose
Character: Intelligent, hard-working, protective
Height: 55-66cm
Size: Large
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
9. German Shepherd
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) - PROPOLI87
German Shepherds are often associated with police work and law enforcement. They can be trained on a variety of scents but are most commonly trained on human scent and are used to track people or find missing people. German Shepherds are obedient, remain calm under pressure, and are easy to train. This breed is versatile and is known for being hard-working and eager to please.
Primary Use: Dual Purpose
Character: Hardworking, trustworthy, intelligent
Height: 65cm
Size: Large
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Find The Perfect Puppy For You
Many of these sniffer dogs are also fantastic family pets providing they get enough mental and physical stimulation each day. Scent work and obedience training are fantastic ways to keep these breeds happy in home environments.
If there’s a breed here that you love and will suit your lifestyle, use Puppies to find a healthy puppy from a responsible breeder. Want more expert puppy advice? Visit our blog where you can find helpful tips on everything from dental health and training to vet appointments and pet expenses.
