Drug detection dog being trained for use in Wallowa County

Tucker, a year old shepherd-retriever mix, loves to play "fetch" with the training toy. JOYCE OSTERLOH photo

The dog, a donation from the Blue Mountain Humane Association in Union County, is in training at Dark-9 (Drug, Assault, Rescue K-9) Kennels outside of Summerville.

Mike Voss of Dark-9 Kennels said their training facility works closely with The Animal Shelter as a source for dogs exhibiting some of the qualities they seek for training. Even if Dark-9 finds the dogs are not suitable for search and rescue or narcotics detection training, the obedience training they receive at Dark-9 Kennels helps the shelter to find homes for the dogs.

Mike has raised and trained dogs most of his life. He performs the obedience training at Dark-9, which is the first phase of training, and takes care of the business duties. When the dogs are ready for the next phase of their training, Dallas takes over the training.

Mike continues to exercise the dogs on a daily basis.

Tucker is a high-energy, active dog, possessing a strong motivation to retrieve. Dallas said this is the first thing he looks for in a training candidate. Dogs selected for training must have an extremely high drive to retrieve. Without that, they can’t be trained to do the other more complicated tasks.

The breeds of dog that most naturally exhibit the desire to retrieve are golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, German short-hair retrievers and mixed breeds of these types. When The Animal Shelter said Tucker was playing “fetch” with himself, Dallas knew he might be a good candidate for training.

Other valuable qualities include athleticism, agility and the willingness to bond with a handler. A dog that is too friendly, however, may be too easily distracted by people or other dogs.

In the second phase of training, the dogs learn to fetch a toy, a 6- to 8-inch perforated hollow plastic tube approximately 1-inch in diameter. The tube contains a pseudo-drug that contains chemicals that smell the same as the drug the dog will be taught to detect.

Eventually the toy is hidden in or under boxes and the dog is required to use his sense of smell to retrieve it.

“This is where we find out if the dog can and will use his nose to find the toy, retrieve it and be rewarded by the game. It’s all a big game to them,” Dallas said.

The game becomes progressively more challenging. Initially the toy is hidden on the ground in the controlled area of the training compound. Then the dog must search for it in an open field. A change of elevation is introduced, requiring the dog to climb in and around obstacles to find the toy.

Building searches are next in the training process. The dogs search in drawers, on shelves, inside cupboards. They use their sense of smell to detect the pseudo-drug wherever it might be hidden in various types of buildings, including houses, apartments, shops, stores or warehouses from the floor to the ceiling and all levels in between.

The most difficult for the dogs to learn is the vehicle search. The heat generated by a vehicle engine, especially in the summer, is uncomfortable. The small areas are difficult to maneuver in and search carefully, especially for bigger dogs. There are many tiny spaces where illegal substances can be hidden.

Dallas said Tucker has progressed through Phase 2 of the training and will continue to receive more and more difficult search challenges. He is trained to detect cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana. If a narcotics team needs to have the dog detect a new substance, they can build another “toy” containing that drug and train the dog to find it.

Another important phase of training is preparing the handler of the dog to use him correctly.

Dallas said the handler’s training is even more important than a well-trained dog. Officer Crowder will spend a week in training and will be tested throughout that time on several aspects of detection in order to become certified. A re-certification is required periodically to sustain integrity in obtaining and presenting evidence in court.

Bonding between the dog and the handler is a key component in the success of the team. The law enforcement officer must be able to “read” the behaviors of the dog to help him to locate the desired substance. The canine officer must get to know the dog extremely well and develop a strong bond that allows him to be attuned to the messages the dog will send by his behaviors.

Dogs are trained to exhibit either an aggressive or non-aggressive indicator when they detect the controlled substance. Tucker’s response is non-aggressive.

If for some reason the handler of the dog in a canine drug detection team ceases to be involved with the team, the dog would be re-trained along with the new handler. Part of the agreement between Dark-9 Kennels and the Enterprise Police Department is that Tucker will stay with the department throughout his working life, approximately seven to 10 years.

Dallas limits the time he spends with the dogs he trains.

“I’m not trying to be his friend. I only spend training time with him,” he said.

The partnership between the trainer and his father allows Mike Voss to spend “quality time” with Tucker, who is a dog who bonds quickly and easily with people.

Crowder has spent several weeks seeking donations to fund the purchase of the dog. As of Nov. 10 he had obtained nearly $5,000 toward the $7,000 total. Donations of materials to build a kennel and dog house, dog food and discounted veterinary care have come from the communities of Wallowa County. The cities of Enterprise and Wallowa have also provided funds.

“There really is a big drug problem here. If everyone could see what I’m seeing, they wouldn’t have a problem supporting the canine drug unit,” Crowder said.