DOGS SMELL!

But good "detector dogs" must have more than just a super schnoz. To sniff out illegal or dangerous materials, the police and other law enforcement agencies use dogs that can be trained to remember certain smells and distinguish them in a crowd of other aromas. These dogs can even detect very weak smells. A well-trained beagle, for instance, can remember up to 50 scents and pick them out from a complicated blend of odors. The U.S. Department of Agriculture trains an elite "Beagle Brigade" to patrol airports and sniff travelers' luggage for illegal plants and produce that might bring dangerous pests or diseases into the United States. These little scenthounds are so cute that they can go about their work without frightening people. Sixty teams of beagles and their handlers work 21 airports around the U.S., where the dogs' sharp noses detect about 75,000 illegal agricultural products each year.

Other detector dogs are trained to find illegal drugs, bombs, and chemicals. Some dogs can even be trained to smell out money. These dogs (and their handlers) must undergo months of special schooling to learn how to locate, recognize, and signal the odors that mean DANGER. Some dogs even go to college: Auburn University in Alabama has a special Canine Detection Training Center. It runs a breeding program as well, where puppies are raised from birth to be healthy and skillful detector dogs. Other dogs attend "K-9" training centers run by police agencies.

Dogs can be trained to find people, too. Search-and-rescue dogs perform amazing feats in locating lost hikers or earthquake victims buried under mounds of rubble. Although we share certain human scents, people all smell different according to their body chemistry and whether they are afraid, or anxious, or feeling guilty. A dog can smell these differences in the odor of human sweat, so dogs can be used to track and find particular people, a lost child or an escaped criminal, for instance. With even the smallest clueflakes of skin or scraps of clothinggood tracking dogs can pick up and follow a scent over many miles. In trails less than three hours old, they can even determine the direction the person was traveling.

Dr. Dog

Researchers were recently amazed to learn that it may be possible for dogs to detect certain kinds of cancer and other diseases in humans. It all started about 15 years ago when a woman in England reported to her doctor that her dog had repeatedly sniffed and even tried to bite a mole she had on her leg. The doctor removed the mole and discovered skin cancer. Since then, studies have shown that dogs can indeed scents associated with cancerous tumors. They may even be able to identify a cancer patient by smelling his or her breath or body odor. Researches also suspect that dog can warn their owners of seizures, or sudden attacks of certain diseases. Chemical changes in the body before a seizure interfere with a persons normal smell, but only the sensitive nose of a dog can detect such changes. A companion dog trained to give such warnings could save the life of an epileptic or anyone who suffers chronic seizures.