The security dogs keeping people safe

From border security to home protection, dogs are playing a vital role in public safety. Inspired by intrepid Jack Russell Terrier, Patron, who’s been sniffing out live mines in Ukraine, we thought we’d take the opportunity to recognise how our canine friends are working hard to make the world a safer place.

Sniffing out danger

The discovery that a local Ukrainian pet has been helping to unearth unexploded Russian mines is a shining example of how, with the right training, dogs can provide unparalleled assistance with highly specialised security tasks.

But Patron’s story isn’t a unique one. In fact, dogs have been utilised for protection for generations. In 2021, around 2,500 dogs were actively working within police forces across the UK.

According to PetSafe, “the presence of a dog can be a very comforting factor both to help prevent and provide protection should the worse happen.” They credit this to a dog’s acute hearing, loyalty, and quick reactions, which are superior to humans and mean that dogs will react very fast if they detect something unusual.

Given these unique abilities, it’s unsurprising that dogs have found themselves in the role of saviour and protector, time and again, throughout the years. To expand on this a little more, we’ve curated a list of some of the most common security roles dogs are fulfilling in the UK and around the world.  

Detection dogs

Much like Patron in Ukraine, a detection dog’s role is to identify a specific threat or substance they’ve been specially trained to recognise. These kinds of dogs are specifically chosen for their heightened sense of smell and, along with bombs, detection dogs are also commonly used at airports and events to detect the presence of illegal drugs.

Another common type of detection dog, often used by UK and overseas police forces as well as the FBI in the US, is what’s known as a cadaver dog. This is a dog that’s been specially trained to detect human remains, and it’s commonly employed in situations where a body is yet to be recovered in a murder investigation or a missing person’s case, where a suspect is suspected of foul play.

Police dogs

As we previously mentioned, police dogs are in use throughout the UK with latest figures showing around 2,500 dogs currently estimated to be in active service. Like detection dogs, police dogs, sometimes referred to as K-9s, take on a range of highly specialised roles, and are extensively trained from puppies to assist with crime prevention.

As well as their ability to sniff out illegal substances in crowded places and within concealed packages, different types of police dogs may assist their handlers with detaining suspects, finding and recovering evidence, keeping public order, and subduing dangerous dogs. 

Military dogs

Dogs have been used by the military as far back as WWI, when they were deployed to assist wounded soldiers as well as to deliver important messages to the battlefield. Their use expanded in WWII and ever since military dogs have become a fundamental resource, assisting with everything from base camp patrols and rescue operations to locating explosives. An elite anti-terror unit based just outside Bogota in Colombia even tandem jump out of airplanes at a height of 1000 ft with their dogs strapped to them.

Search & rescue dogs

Using dogs for search and rescue missions is a practice popularised by monks in the 18th century, who mobilised dogs to help find missing hikers along the St. Bernard Pass on the snow ridden Swiss and Italian Alps. To this day, St Bernards are still used for this purpose, and their efforts have been credited with saving over 2000 lives.

Search and rescue dogs are also commonly brought in to comb for survivors in disaster relief efforts, following events such as a tornado, tsunami, or explosion. Using their keen sense of smell and acute hearing, the dogs are able to help first responders locate missing persons trapped beneath rubble, providing a vital, life-saving support.

Guard dogs

Guard dogs are commonly used in a professional security capacity to patrol the parameters of buildings out of hours and deter intruders from breaking in. Many of today’s most popular breeds of guard dog descended from bloodlines that were traditionally used to guard livestock.

Not all guard dogs need to possess strength and size, however. Smaller breeds, such as Jack Russells and even Chihuahuas have proven to be extremely effective guard dogs in the home, owing to their alert nature and their noisy temperament, which makes it very difficult for anyone to approach undetected.

Looking to protect your property, event, or town centre?

At Venture Security, we provide a comprehensive range of security services for companies based across the south coast of England, including the counties of Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Surrey.

Our award winning services span from manned guarding and mobile patrols, to city centre patrolling for local councils. If you’re looking to outsource your security to a vetted and trusted SIA-licensed security partner, get in touch with our team today.