Cpl Fred Cox, left, and Cpl Alan Stewart take time out to say g’day to one of SME’s Explosive Detection Dogs. Photo by Bill Cunneen , Service Newspapers

Explosive canines

By Susan Oldroyd
TENNIS balls are not just weapons of mass distraction for Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD) at the School of Military Engineering (SME) – they’re vital tools in training canine soldiers to detect explosives.

Cpl Fred Cox said that keen ball chasers most commonly recruited as EDDs, include border collies, labradors, German Shepherds and retrievers, between 12-18 months old.

Cpl Cox grew up in Mt Isa, where he owned a cattle dog, and now he is the Chief Trainer of EDDs with SME in Sydney.

“We have found the border collies to be the most intelligent and are very easy to train – however, the crossbreeds from the RSPCA seem to be the hardiest and can take the Army life a lot easier,” he said.

“The RSPCA dog is like the Aussie soldier, he’s resourceful.”

The 19-week EDD Supervisors Course is held at SME once a year for six trainees.

“We teach the handlers to become trainers so they, in turn, learn how to train a dog.”

The dogs are not used to detect mines or booby traps – they are only trained to detect raw explosives such, as improvised explosive devices, and weapons and ammunition. The objects can be hidden, buried or underwater, in a vehicle, in a house or even in aeroplanes.

“In aeroplane searches, the cockpit and the luggage hull/cargo area are left to hand search, the dogs are used for the rest of the plane. On average a 747 would take about 20mins to search.”

EDDs can be used to search for up to 40 minutes at a time, followed by a rest period of 20 minutes. The dogs work off lead so they are a lot quicker than hand searches.

“It is a game for the dog, he thinks he is looking for a tennis ball. As soon as the search harness is put on the dog he knows he’s in for a game.

“The dogs are one of the key players to the CO of a regiment, with any search team. The dogs are a valuable asset, worth $5000 each.”

Generally when an EDD becomes too old to continue searches or to be used at SME for new trainees, they are retired with either the handler or a local family.

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