ATF Explosives Detection K-9

A dog’s sense of smell is about 50 to 100 times more powerful than ours, and yet it still surprises me that Nanny can detect up to 19,000 explosive compounds, firearms ammunition, and shell casings. I didn’t even know that there were 19,000 explosive compounds.

K-9 Nanny with her official ATF badge.

Trained as an Explosives Detection Canine, Nanny, a 2-year old English Labrador Retriever, helps ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) agents and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies look for bombs, firearms, and ammunitions in criminal investigations, security sweeps, and post-blast investigations. She and her handler/trainer Andrea DeVilliers, a special agent with ATF, travel the country to keep us safe.

They work 365 days a year–even on holidays–and there are no sick days. Andrea, who has been with ATF for almost 6 years, works with Nanny every single day of the year. She has been working with Nanny since last July.

Nanny got her training in prison. She was part of the Puppies Behind Bars program, where inmates train ATF and Seeing Eye dogs basic commands like sitting, healing, and coming when called. She was just 8 weeks old. After basic training, Nanny and Andrea completed a 10-week course together.

At the 10-week training, Andrea and Nanny were taught how to search for explosives in vehicles, schools, train stations, concert venues, warehouses, and retail stores. Nanny and the other dogs in the program were also trained to detect firearms and ammunition. To graduate, each canine must pass a test conducted by a forensic chemist, with 100 percent accuracy.

Working for Her Supper
“Nanny is rewarded with food, lots of praise, a biscuit, and an occasional raw carrot,” says Andrea. “I feed her by hand, and she gets fed when she finds the scents that I hide from her.”

Nanny on a break.

She doesn’t go hungry because she is an expert at locating these explosive scents. “On some days I am testing her by hiding objects with certain scents that she has to find,” says Andrea. “On other days, we may be deployed to work at the Super Bowl or another event. The fantastic thing about this job is you get immediate feedback. You see the task, you challenge your dog, and you get her to solve it in a real live situation.”

A Four Legged Hero
Since she has been on the job, Nanny has sniffed out many different kings of firearms and smokeless powders. She and Andrea assist the state and local police (They are based in Texas.) on a number of cases–from drive-by shootings where Nanny had to find ditched guns or shells or bullets to firearms hidden in vehicles.

Nanny will work till her 9th birthday. Then she will retire and continue to live with Andrea and her family. Andrea and her husband, who also works in law enforcement, live with a 13-year old miniature schnauzer named Matilda and three cats that vary in age. “Nanny fits in well here,” says Andrea. “She lets Marty, the oldest cat run the feline world at home.”

ATF Agents and Assistance Dogs
Last year ATF Explosive Detection Canine teams participated in 625 investigative searches, safeguarded over 28 million spectators at major events, and recovered 178 firearms, more than 6,600 shell casings, 580 explosive devices in the U.S., and 19 homemade explosive devices.

The teams keep us safe, and Andrea says, “I have the best job in the world.”