Why canine security is integral to your security program

New and powerful technology is revolutionising security. However, some traditional security measures remain valuable and more relevant than ever. This includes canine security, which has proven to be advantageous in detecting harmful and illegal substances. A well-trained dog can be used for multiple purposes; from everyday needs such as perimeter patrols, through to high-stake detection programs for explosives, narcotics, and drug smuggling.

The capabilities and benefits of canine security could significantly boost your organisation’s security program. Read on to learn more and see how you could adopt this solution.

What does canine security do?

Dogs have been used as guards to protect livestock and property as far back as 2,000 years ago. Today, we still look to dogs to reinforce security. They accompany security guards during their service patrols and serve as a visual deterrent, alert when a human is hiding or attempting to hide from the officers, and prevent officers from being surprised and or over run on a site. They also have other advantages that make them invaluable to modern security threats, such as detecting explosives, illegal drugs and also offering a safer work environment to the staff.

Security dogs are trained to respond to the detection of humans and harmful and illegal substances, dependent on the breed, they have a sensitivity to smells 10,000 to 100 million times greater than humans. These substances emit a scent, which can be picked up by the dog and used to compare to an area or group of people. The dog is then able to match the smell and react to it, and can even match scents to pair a substance with the person who is carrying it.

Canine security comes in the form of a dog handler (individual or team) and one or more security dogs. This solution is most effective when it’s part of a larger system-based approach to security. A combination of human and technological capabilities can be applied to the response and analysis of the immediate detection picked up by the dog.

Why canine security is integral to your security program

Canine security has many benefits that can play a significant role in your organisation’s security operations. Trained security dogs can:

Deter crime before anything happens

Visibility of the dog accompanying a security officer or team acts in two ways. The first is to boost the confidence of people who see the effective protection method. Secondly, it acts as a deterrent to potential illegal acts and can prevent the majority of criminals scope out or reconnaissance of a property. It has also found that internal theft by staff or contractors after hours can be affected by staff knowing that after hours the canine teams are on site protecting the infrastructure.

Sense better than any electronic device

Dogs are complex detectors and have scientifically proven to have a lower detection threshold than any existing technology. That means they can recognise a scent in its lowest concentration. Billions of dollars spent in the military building detection technology has yet to compete with a dog’s olfactory sense today.

Dogs still successfully detect new substances used in explosives, despite the belief that some don’t emit scents or that certain scents can be covered up.

Track down hidden people or objects of interest

The sensory advantage of dogs means that they can accurately detect a person or an object of interest even when they’re hidden from view. A security officer has the human limitations of sight and smell, so the dog amplifies their abilities and is trained to react and inform the officer. To put it simply a canine can detect scent on a molecular level. The passage through which dogs smell the air contains highly specialised olfactory receptor cells, which are responsible for receiving smells. A dog contains about 225-300 million smell receptors, as compared to just 5 million of these receptors being present in a human nose.

Instantly verify a substance of interest

If a security officer detects something, they will have to seek further verification of the substance to confirm what it is. In contrast, a dog will successfully detect a substance of interest and provide instant verification.

Be a cost-effective solution

Canine security can be seen as an alternative to having more security officers. The advantages of a dog can complement and amplify that of a person, and play a more effective role. A dog can scan a larger area and deliver more search and detection duties over time. Depending on your requirements effective deployment of a canine team, can considerably reduce your security costs. Mixing and matching canine handlers at night, which is often the prime hours for criminal activity, reduces your costs while also keeping officers safe.

Features of Wilson Security’s canine solutions

Wilson Security’s canine solutions adhere to global standards. We use the latest training techniques and ethical standards to help organisations improve their security detection schemes.

The features of our canine security include the following:

• High standards. We conduct specialist canine training using the best international methods for obedience and control. This training ensures the dogs are under control and are safe to work with, we also have an independent canine specialist who evaluates the canines on a regular basis.
• Ongoing verification. We sustain a weekly maintenance of the dog’s health and physical strength. An independent specialist also conducts audits periodically to check in on our training.
• Ethical care for dogs. It’s crucial to care for the health of dogs and ensure they’re trained and treated fairly. They’re fully muzzle-trained using working dog muzzles that keep a comfortable fit to keep both the handler and dog safe. Working muzzles also allow the dog ventilation and the ability to drink while wearing the muzzle, this is also another step to prevent unauthorised bites and ensures we are above standards in minimising risk.

The unsung heroes of the security world

Canine security is not going anywhere, with the unique asset of a trained dog’s senses and behaviour, they have proven to be integral to a range of security programs. At Wilson Security, we consider dogs an unsung hero of the security world.

Adopting this strategy can help you cut down response times and feel confident in your organisation’s ability to mitigate security breaches. Talk to Wilson Security about how we can assist with bolstering your security program – get in contact with us today.