While most of us think of dogs as being loving companions and members of the family, dogs were first domesticated to work with humans, and they are still used for that purpose today. You will find dogs working with the police, in airports, medical centers, and even on the battlefield or at rescue sites.

Vapor Wake dogs are another type of service dog, introduced in 2004, that can detect explosive particles in human heat plumes. They are used to detect suicide bombers and have been deployed at major events to help detect potential threats.

How Does it Work?

Vapor Wake refers to the fact that people leave a wake of heat behind them as they move. This wake carries particles according to what is on the person at the time. So, if a person is carrying explosives, the wake that is left behind, which is similar to the wake trail left behind by a boat, will carry particles of the explosives.

Vapor Wake dogs work by leading their handlers in a moving crowd. They can detect threats walking among large crowds of people, which makes them unique to typical sniffer dogs who are led by their handlers.

Breed Selection

Almost all Vapor Wake dogs are Labrador Retrievers. As well as being trainable, keen to please their handlers, and physically strong and capable, the breed is popular for another reason—they blend into crowds.

Breeds like German Shepherds have a reputation. They are used by the police and armed forces and people notice them in a crowd, especially when a police officer is on the other end of the leash. Because most people know somebody who has a Lab, they don’t notice them in crowds. This allows Labs to be able to walk through crowds without alerting potential suspects.

Training

The dogs that are chosen for the Vapor Wake program are trained at Auburn University. They go through socialization training, which is vital for dogs that will need to walk among thousands of people and other animals.

Once they’ve been socialized, the dogs are then trained to detect explosive particles left behind in a person’s wake. They also need to be able to differentiate between the levels of explosive particles given off by firearms compared to those given off by explosive devices. Four months of their training occurs with inmates in federal prison systems.

Where Are They Used?

Usually working at major events, Vapor Wake dogs work more independently than sniffer dogs. They are not led by their hands and, instead, use their skills to smell everything that passes. They choose where to go, and when they detect a possible threat, they follow the suspect.

The dogs won’t intervene but will sit next to a suspect so that officers or agents can approach the individual in question.

The 5 Other Service Roles Dogs Are Used For

Dogs are great companion animals and their use to help locate explosives, and potentially identify bombers in large crowds, shows they still offer invaluable services to people.

Other service roles that dogs are used for include:

1. Sniffer Dogs

Sniffer dogs have a similar role to Vapor Wake dogs. They are used to detect certain scents and alert their handlers. However, sniffer dogs are directed by their handlers to certain items or areas and instructed to sniff. They can detect explosives and they can also detect chemicals, drugs, and other items.

2. Police Dogs

Police dogs work with police handlers and they fulfill a variety of roles. First and foremost, their presence will deter trouble. But they are also used to pursue and detain suspects, and they will also protect their handlers if there is any sign of trouble.

3. Therapy Dogs

Another role that is well suited to Labrador Retrievers is that of a therapy dog. A therapy dog’s role might seem simple. It provides comfort and companionship to people who are ill or need support. But they need to be incredibly understanding and accepting, cannot be spooked, and have to put up with being handled by new people all the time.

4. Guide Dogs

Guide dogs are used by people with visual impairments to help them move around safely. They cannot be distracted, need to be good around groups of people and traffic, and have to be able to identify potential threats and dangers before warning their handler or helping them avoid that threat.

The Labrador Retriever is the breed of choice, but other breeds are used for this role, too.

5. Medical Alert Dogs

There are many specific types of medical alert dogs, but they all perform the same general task. They detect signs of illness, seizures, or other health concerns and alert the owner. Seizure dogs can fetch medication for their handler, and they may sit with them while they endure a seizure for example. Some can even smell when a diabetic person has a concerning change in blood sugar.

Conclusion

Dogs and humans live closely together and have done so for thousands of years. We use dogs for farming, protection, and in a host of other roles, and we continue to find new ways that dogs assist us in our everyday lives.

Vapor Wake dogs are a relatively recent addition to a long list of service dog roles, and they are used to help identify possible suicide bombers and people carrying explosives. They can do so even in large groups of people, and they work by leading their handlers to identify suspects.

Featured Image Credit: Surachet Jo, Shutterstock