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Most of us associate ‘working dogs’ with a farm, as guide dogs for blind or partially sighted people, or as police dogs. But dogs are used in far more wide-ranging roles than these, particularly in detection roles.

It’s a mid-winter morning, still dank with fog as Zara waits patiently for handler Janet from New Zealand Detector Dogs and the supervisor at the factory to finish talking. Finally, Janet comes over, slips on Zara’s harness and they’re into the factory to see what they can find. Zara’s been trained to find drugs in the workplace, since the factory owner suspects some of his workers are using them on the job. Zara will be able to sort through the huge range of smells available to her and identify a range of drugs.

To read more click here

Omega Plus is a pet food, dietary supplement and treats range by Omega Innovations, a division of The New Zealand King Salmon Company.  New Zealand Detector Dogs has been trialing this product for Omega Plus and the results have been amazing.

The range, which includes wet and dry pet food as well as treats and dietary supplements, is completely natural and made up of sustainably sourced King salmon, which gives the products high levels of health beneficial omega-3 and protein.

But, according to division manager Simon Thomas, the health benefits for pets – including a shiny, soft coat and better joint mobility – are not the only reason the range has proven popular with pet owners. 

To read more click here

Sunday Star Times 27 August 2017

Sniffer dogs are moving from the factory floor and into offices and white collar workplaces as businesses try to root out illicit drug use.

Owner of NZ Detector Dogs, Janet Williams, said interest from corporates was growing, and large companies now asked her to take trained dogs through their offices as well as manufacturing production lines and warehouses.

A spike in demand has coincided with new health and safety laws, but some companies were protecting their precious professional reputations said Williams.

To read more click here

Java has gone from a little pound puppy to a fully certified drug dog in just 8 months! Its a proud moment for the team when we save a life and see the efforts of the hard work put into these dogs pay off.

Not a single person gave Java a second glance at the pound and she was to be put down on the day we took her - still only a puppy.

Enjoy your new life Java and do us proud.
 

Xandy graduated today meaning she will be joining Bree down south.

Xandy came to be with us in August when we were approached by Guide Dogs who had this beautiful 20 month old Labrador.  She had been born and bred to be a much valued dog with the Blind Foundation, however Xandy appeared to have other ideas about her career path.

Not contented to be a guide dog Xandy set out to challenge her trainers and after much effort - it was decided that her future was not with the blind.  With an inkling that Xandy was not going to be a guide dog or a pet, NZ Detector Dogs was approached to see if Xandy could be offered a rewarding future with the team.

While we don't usually take such dogs, we did so for Xandy's sake.  She was a cheeky little monkey that had trouble written all over her unless she had a challenge and so we took her for a 1 month trial to see if working as a drug dog would be that challenge. 

Within one week Xandy answered that question loud and clear - yes she wanted to be a drug dog. Thriving on the training, scent work, stimulating environments and situations she grew in front of our eyes into one of the best trainees I have seen for a long time.    She has already had a number of operational finds and loves the work.  Her tail goes non stop and she is just so confident and happy when working.  

We now have an awesome new team member kindly sent to us by Guide Dogs. They should be very proud of this little lady who is already well on her way to a successful new career!
 

In 2009 Zara was found wandering on the streets of Auckland and was skin and bone. She was covered in sores and wounds and although was only about 8 months old when found, had already had a litter of puppies. Her coat was a dry brittle brown colour and She was taken to the Auckland SPCA where we went on the lookout for a potential working dog

I walked past the cage she was in and slipped her a biscuit. For the next 30 minutes as we looked at the other rehome dogs - this little dog didn't leave the front of the cage and her eyes never left us for a second. 

To read more about Zara  click here 

 

A stray dog found in a park in Kaikohe has become a star drug detector. In fact Kai and another one-time stray, Monty, have shown such talent that NZ Detector Dog Services managing director Janet Williams reckons they should be the "poster boys" for all unwanted dogs.

Kai, a cattle dog-cross was about six weeks old when 7-year-old Devon Robinson and his family found him in Reed Park. Emaciated, severely infested with worms, covered in fleas (and bubble gum), he soon became a beautiful dog, but found his way to Detector Dogs when the Robinsons decided that he needed more than they could give him.

He began his training on April and finished 10 days ago. The next day he was tested by two qualified assessors, and an independent assessor in a validation test, an international standard for drug detector dogs and the highest level achievable in New Zealand, where he scored 100 per cent.

To read more click here

Meet Kai, Monty and their talented handler Sarah!

The new team on the block. Completed their training in record time and both passed their Validation test with 100%.

A huge thank you to the Robinson family who saved Kai as an unwanted puppy and ARAN dog rescue who saved Monty from Ruapehu Pound.

Without you opening your hearts and homes to these two beautiful dogs who knows where they would be.

We aim to make you proud of your boys!

On behalf of Monty I want to say a huge thank you to ARAN Rescue.

They saved Monty from the pound and fostered him in a safe environment - not an easy ask for this boy. Realising that he was a lot of dog - ARAN sought out a rewarding life for Monty and we are grateful they did so.

He has started his training as a drug dog and is well on his way to becoming a very good one! We will keep you posted on his progress - but so far he is doing well and loving his new life.

Former stray has nose for his starring role

The skinny, flea-ridden, worm-infested puppy that found a loving home with seven-year-old Devon Robinson and his family last year (Important new career for Kai, April 2) has done more than simply show promise as a drug dog.

Kai (reportedly short for Kaikohe, although gaining four kilos in his first 13 days with NZ Detector Dogs has some wondering if it doesn't have some reference to his appetite), was a star, Janet Williams said last week.

To read more click here

The Northern Age -  16 April 2015

Meet our newest recruit Kai

Kai was saved by the amazing Robinson family who loved him enough to seek a rewarding life for him. He is a lucky boy to have been saved when hundreds of others are not so fortunate.

We'll keep you posted on his progress but for now, read Kai's story click here

Maori Television - Kina's K9s 

See Janet and Luke, Jamie and Keita in action showing Kina how to be a detector dog.

Janet explains the philosophy of New Zealand Detector Dogs - selecting only rescue dogs that no one else wants or can train, basic scent association and how the dogs detect drugs in workplaces.

Click here to watch the full episode.  

Taken from a blog by Firefly photography entitled:

"The one image that says everything I want said about the work that I do."

It's sometimes pretty hard to explain to a client how deeply serious I am about the work that i do, or what I'm seeing in them when I work with them.

To many clients it's just about the image, whether it's something to post online or have printed for display.

The honest truth is that there is so much more to a picture - it's real value only becomes apparent after time.

The other side of the story is that creating a truly valuable image is, to a professional photographer like myself, a very deliberate act that takes many things into account.

I recently challenged myself to find one image that encapsulates all the small and important things that make me truly work at creating imagery of value to my clients.

I thought I'd struggle to do that - I ended up being wrong.

The Story of Luke - click to read more 

NZ drug detector dogs come from the street

The Government is trialling pedigree harrier hounds as border security detector dogs, but some of the sharpest noses in the private sector come from far less elite stock.

NZ Detector Dogs is a private business that does drug sweeps for businesses keen to keep drugs out of the workplace.

Founder Janet Williams said the company gets its dogs not from pedigree-breeding programmes, but from the pound.

To read more click here

Stuff.co.nz - Business - 18 March 2015

Meet Java the newest addition to our drug dog team.

Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, but hopefully not for little Java. She is our latest recruit and only 4 months old - saved on her last scheduled day on earth.

Thank you to all the dedicated staff at the Manukau Pound that helped us find this special little dog! Look at the size of those ears.

Meet Buddy the newest addition to our drug dog team.

Buddy was rescued by the Whangarei SPCA who spotted his potential as a working dog and contacted us.   We put Buddy through our training programme and he showed what a great little dog he is.

In March Buddy was put through a comprehensive certification carried out by qualified independent assessors and we are proud to say that he passed his Validation Test with the perfect score of 100% and no false indications.

Buddy will be based in Auckland working alongside Luke and Zara with their handler Janet – keep an eye out for this sharp little guy!

Auckland apartment owners are calling in the dogs to sniff out drugs.

Janet Wiliams of New Zealand Detector Dogs says demand has increased dramatically as owners try to stop drug manufacturing and use in their buildings.

"We're similar to a smoke detector in a hallway," she says. "We're advising the building managers that there's something of interest and they maybe need to follow up on it."

Over the course of an hour all 158 rooms in one downtown apartment building are checked for drugs. The dogs don't go into the rooms, but will respond if they get a whiff from under the door.

To read more click here: 

Plush apartments going to (drug) dogs

Drug-detecting dogs are running through the hallways, reception areas and carparks of Parnell's The Mirage apartments.

In a crackdown aimed at warning people against bringing drugs on to the premises or trying to use the resort-style twin towers as a methamphetamine lab, the body corporate at The Strand complex backed the moves which building manager Helen Blick described as "popular".

Residents were not offended by the dog raids, she said, pointing to a prominent foyer sign warning of snap surveillance.

"It's more of a deterrent. If people think they're coming to live at The Mirage with drugs, watch out!" warned Mrs Blick, an apartment owner and resident for nine years.

Mirage Matters, the residents' and owners' newsletter, listed the dogs' arrival as one of the key improvements at the 125-unit block, developed 11 years ago.

But apartment owners were also warned they would have no idea when the dogs would arrive because searches would occur randomly.

To read more click here

Meet drug dog Buddy

A previously unwanted mixed-breed dog has found his calling in life as a drug sniffer.

Buddy is the latest success story from Whangarei SPCA's Dogs with a Job programme, which aims to identify and train pooches with big potential.

The 10-month-old is now being trained by New Zealand Detector Dogs, the country's leading private provider of specialist drug and explosives canines.

Managing director and trainer Janet Williams says the whippet-cattle dog cross is enjoying his training.

"He is really meeting the grade and in most cases he is exceeding what a dog would normally do at this stage.

"He is now confident at sniffing out most of the targets and planting his little bum down and not moving until he gets rewarded," she says.

"He has also learned that the longer you stay and show interest in the box, the more biscuits you get."

Buddy will have another year of training before he starts work

To read more about buddy click here

Whangarei Leader - 1st August 2013

Rescued dogs sniff out crime

To some they are just unwanted mongrels, but Whangarei SPCA staff can recognise a good dog when they see one, especially one that's got the nose for sniffing out illegal activity.

Last year a stray dog named Brutus, found and looked after by Whangarei SPCA staff, was chosen to sniff out bombs in some of the world's war-torn danger spots after his talent for sniffing things was recognised by SPCA staff. And now another pooch rescued by the SPCA is on his way to becoming a top drug-sniffing dog.

Buddy was only six months old when his owner handed him in to the SPCA because his barking was sparking complaints in the city about six months ago. But the SPCA staff immediately recognised that he could have what it takes to become a detector dog.......

To read more about Buddy click here 

The Northern Advocate, 1st August 2013 

Dog Squad

An exciting series following integral roles that working dogs and their handlers play on the frontline protecting our streets, communities, prisons, airports, borders and national parks.

We’re right in with the action following the real scenarios that unfold as a result of these dedicated hardworking dogs that work for the Police, Corrections Service, Customs, and Ministry for Primary Industries, Aviation Security, New Zealand Detector Dog Services and the Department of Conservation.

Tune in to TV One to see one of NZ Detector Dog's teams in action at 7:30pm  on Monday 26 August 2013.