I was waiting in line to clear security at Ontario International Airport on an outbound flight to Chicago when I was saw him coming down the line of passengers, nose low, head casting back and forth, working quickly. His partner was a stocky, bulletproof-vest-clad police officer with a tight haircut typical of law enforcement. He held the leash high with one hand and low with the other, talking quickly to his K-9 partner that I later learned was a Belgian Malinios, a breed of working dogs preferred by law enforcement because of their optimal size and their coat color. Also known as a Belgian shepherd dog. It is slightly smaller than a German shepherd so it is easier to handle, and it has a fawn to mahogany coat color, many shades lighter than its German cousin, making it less susceptible to heat stress.
And as I found out standing there in line, the Belgian Malinios is a master of bomb sniffing. Thankfully the dog kept moving all the way down the line and never sat down once. In fact, the pair moved up to the upper level of the airport and continued working hundreds of passengers in the terminal. Fortunately, the dog didn’t sit down a single time during that shift. The animals are rigorously trained to sit immediately if they smell gunpowder or any type of commercial or military explosive. As long as the dog keeps walking and working, all is well. When they do sit, the area is cleared immediately, and the bomb squad comes in with their robots to investigate. Since the dogs are carefully trained to recognize a wide range of explosives and since they undergo weekly practice and recertification, they get really good at finding bombs of all types. During practice sessions it generally takes them only a few minutes to locate multiple bombs planted on or in a jumbo jet. Having a high energy level, they just love to work.
Maintaining public safety require takes vigilance, training, and a clear and certain mission.