Training for drug-sniffing dogs is not all hard work. The process is made fun for dogs by utilizing toys. The goal is for the dog to associate the smell of illegal substances with a toy or a treat. Initially, a trainer uses a toy — most often a clean, unscented white towel — and plays tug-of-war or fetch with the dog-in-training. When the dog is familiar with the towel, a bag of marijuana is then wrapped inside the towel. According to How Stuff Works, this step allows the dog to associate the smell of marijuana with its favorite toy.
The training then moves on to the next step wherein the trainer hides the towel for the dog to find. The dog will follow the trail of smell and will start digging or scratching on spots where the towel with marijuana is hidden. The dog is then rewarded with a treat or a game of tug-of-war upon finding the towel. The same process is repeated with other illicit substances. Afterward, the trainer teaches the dog how to respond when drugs are detected. Dogs can either bark or put their paw on the location of the drugs. The training progresses further by putting dogs in various situations and environments to test their sniffing abilities, per National Geographic. They are brought to airports, open fields, forests, and other places to improve their abilities.
