Section 107

ED and, in particular,PSC dogs are specifically selected for their temperament NOT to be aggressive let alone bite (the opposite of patrol dogs). ED dogs can reasonably and reliably be expected to bite only if the dog feels it (or its handler) is being immediately threatened (as would most animals).

The training the dogs receive includes scenarios dealing with persons who are extremely scared/nervous around dogs. Many people "freeze" around dogs, especially working dogs; the dog and the handler are trained to expect this. This can actually make the interaction go faster.

Know that PSC interactions are VERY quick, typically only 2-3 seconds.

If you come into proximity of such a dog:

- You should inform the handler that dogs make you very nervous or scared so s/he knows to make the interaction as short as possible; use whatever language you are comfortable using considering who/how many people are around you. If you have a travelling companion and see a team approaching ask your companion to politely go up to the handler and inform him about your situation ("hi, my spouse/friend in the green top over there is terrified around dogs..." and the handler will tell you what to do next.

- make no sudden movements or loud noises so as not to startle the dog. Such a reaction might make the handler interested in you which might increase the length of your interaction - which is what you are trying to minimize.

Remember that ED dogs are specifically chosen because they are highly unlikely to be aggressive except in highly unusual circumstances (as mentioned earlier).

Also, keep in mind that even if an ED dog does detect explosives around you he will NOT get aggressive let alone bite or even bark - the most he will do is sit or lie down.

safe travels.

Section 107

Not a TSA dog, but score another one for the canines:


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...omepage%2Fcard

<deleted by moderator> this article is full of inaccuracies and unsupported innuendo. This was actually a planned shipment of missiles being sent by the Lebanese military back to LockMar. Despite sensationalistic early reports, the missiles were inactive and unarmed but of course still contained traces of the explosives used in the warheads.

gingersnaps

Pay attention to if dogs are at screening. If there are dogs at screening, do not approach the checkpoint. Ask the nearest screener how you can enter screening without approaching the dog.

Currently, there is no reason to believe that TSA will force a person near an animal.

chollie

Some screeners will refuse to see fear of a dog and will see instead an evil-doer afraid of being exposed and will double-down on insisting that the dog approach the fearful pax.

FliesWay2Much

Yep - A four-legged SPOTNik.

United_727

I also think that they use non-intimidating breads like Labs and beagles so people will not be afraid. Say if they used German Shephards (which I dont like ).

chollie

Some people don't consider labs intimidating; some of us do.

An intelligent handler will realize that some of us have an irrational and profound fear of dogs and that our fear is not the same thing as fear of being caught because we are bad guys.

I have confidence in the dogs. I am afraid that if the handlers are TSA and the usual rules apply - the handler/screener is free to do whatever s/he wants, it will include pushing a dog towards a terrified pax.

A good handler would recognize that doing that is hard on the dog as well as on the pax.

Boggie Dog

I have every confidence that TSA dog handlers will achieve the outcome they desire.

chollie

I thought these dogs were supposed to help with the long lines TSA has decided to create.

Now I read that they are using the dogs to 'screen' pax at the gate.

Whenever they screen at the gate, it's clear they are addressing one of two security gaps:

1) checkpoint TSOs were too distracted by personal chatter with non-working LTSOs and STSOs and/or their cellphones and they missed something, or...

2) TSOs and airport workers are allowed virtually unfettered access to the sterile area, so one of them must have taken contraband into the sterile area and passed it off to a boarding pax.

Boggie Dog

Standard mismanagement of resources by TSA. No surprise.

petaluma1

It will be interesting to learn, if we can, if that dog detected explosives as AskTSA claims it was sniffing for or if it was drugs.

BTW, a report on AskTSA of screeners confiscating the drawstring to a pair of women's sweat pants. Was she wearing the sweat pants?

chollie

I think <deleted> once posted that people could conceal garrotte cords or detonators or something in their T-shirt necklines. Presumably the same applies to waistbands (we know they love sticking their hands in people's pants).

Maybe the drawstring had 'lifelike projectile-like' tips and a TSO exercised his/her judgment to confiscate the string.

Or maybe it was just a screener exercising his/her right to retaliate against any pax, any time.

tanja

People who are afraid of strange dogs do not care about the brand at all.i freeze, back off and starts to move around. I was scared as as a kid.I have no problems with dogs I know.

Section 107

No TSA program dog is trained in both narcotics and explosives; not one.

Only by anecdote have I heard of a dog trained in both. No ethical trainer will train a dog in both. See up-thread for the discussion of why.

chollie

Could DEA send agents with dogs to sniff the pax in line?

I've seen the drug/food dogs at airports on arrival - would that authority extend to pax anywhere in the airport?

Somewhat OT, but...is a dog somehow cued to be in 'on' or 'off' mode? I'm asking because I've read these dogs aren't pets, they're kept kenneled. If a DEA handler had drugs on his person (illegally) and went to get his dog from the kennel, would the dog alert when it smelled the drugs? Or would it never alert on its handler?