U.S. Customs Canine Enforcement Training [video]

"Lab mix" when he's keeping the nation safe — "pit mix" if you're the nitwit: Rocky [former shelter dog], an explosive detector dog for U.S. Customs.

Time sink city — for the wonks, anyway ;~) To quote the most awesome and excellent Ta-Nehisi Coates:

C-SPAN has uploaded much of their video library. It's searchable. There is only one sensible reply to this information--Oh. My. God.

"Each dog is a unique individual, and so is each handler." Eugene Kerven, U.S. Customs Service Canine Enforcement Training Center Director.

So I ran across a 22-minute vid on dog training and training facilities operated by the U.S. Customs Service filmed back in 2001. At the time, 87% of the dogs used by U.S. Customs were from pounds and shelters — the type of dog Area Man turns in because Scout is bouncing off the walls and tearing the house down. [Scout is the kind of easy-to-motivate dog that trainers love. That I love, anyway.] The video is unembeddable — click on the link to view.

Read more here: U.S. border security canine programs