Behavioral Indicators in Detection Dogs: Identifying Illicit Tobacco in a Live Operation

I wanted to share this video, captured using my GoPro, during a live operation with the Police and Trading Standards this week. Searching shipping containers with detection dogs can often be a slow and uneventful process, so I was fortunate to document this particular moment. The objective of this operation was to identify and locate illicit tobacco and cigarette products using specialist tobacco detection dogs. While our teams have had success in detecting illegally stored tobacco in shipping containers, it is not uncommon to conduct searches without significant findings. It is important to note that this was a live operation, not a training exercise. The detection dog, its handler, and the Police and Trading Standards Officers involved had no prior knowledge of whether the target substance was present—making this a double-blind search. In the video, you will observe Griff, a Springer Spaniel, initiating his search. Approximately 10 seconds in, his behavior noticeably changes—a key indicator that he is processing the presence of a trained target odor. Over the course of 1 minute and 16 seconds, Griff continues to exhibit behavioral changes before giving his trained final response (TFR): a sit beside a specific shipping container. While this might seem like the conclusion of the search, I opted to validate his indication by allowing my other tobacco detection dogs to work the area before any intervention by officers. Real-world operations like these are invaluable, as I frequently emphasize in seminars and training sessions. Unlike controlled training environments, live searches present unpredictable and uncontrolled conditions, offering the best form of experiential learning for both handlers and dogs. As seen in the footage, Griff confidently identified the container. I trusted his response completely—if he offers a TFR, I am confident that tobacco is present. However, to maintain the integrity of the search, I did not reinforce his response with a clicker, toy, or physical reward at that moment. Instead, I verbally praised him and recalled him from the area to prevent any potential contamination that might influence subsequent searches by my other dogs, Cooper and Bran. Next, Cooper, a Labrador, was deployed. He required very little time to indicate the exact same container as Griff, offering a clear TFR. Again, I kept the reward minimal, offering only verbal praise before calling him away. Finally, Bran, a Working Cocker Spaniel, conducted his search. Bran has a notably fast search style and often works with his mouth open—an aspect that is frequently debated among handlers and trainers. Initially, he overshot the target area but quickly reversed direction, displaying a distinct change in behavior upon encountering the same container. After further investigation, he settled and offered his unique TFR. With three independent tobacco detection dogs identifying the same shipping container, Police and Trading Standards Officers proceeded to gain access. Inside, they discovered illicit tobacco products valued at several hundred thousand pounds.