Can Dogs Smell Guns?

[Reloadron]

My friend and neighbor was at a local mall today. Beachwood Mall in the Cleveland suburbs. This mall has had problems with carjackings and of course all the doors have tiny little No Gun stickers. My friend was not carrying a gun. He has his CHL License but was not carrying a gun.

He and his wife exit the optical place she heads to the food court and him to the bathroom. Soon as he exits the bathroom he sees a mall security guy with a dog start following him. He gets to the food court and sits down with his wife.

Mall security guy shows up and had radioed others to show up. Security tells my neighbor the dog alerted to him having a gun? Dog at this point is sitting there licking himself. Not sniffing my neighbor. Security guy notices a bump under neighbors shirt neighbor lifts shirt to reveal Buck Knife he always carries. No gun.

Yes, dogs can sniff out explosives but can a dog sniff out a freshly cleaned gun? The irony was there was no gun. When my neighbor exited the rest room this security guard and dog were a good 10 feet away. Dog was never in close contact with my neighbor. I don't get it?

Ron

 

[Hartkopf]

Maybe your neighbor just looked the kind of guy that carries and the mall cop wanted to screw with him. I believe a dog could be trained to alert to almost anything though.

 

[Old Dog]

A mall security force with a "gun-smelling" K9? I call BS. I also call BS on any mall security using K9s.

Yes, dogs can be trained to detect common gun-cleaning agents and fired gunpowder.

Are they commonly?

No.

K9 programs in law enforcement are very expensive and the dogs require a long, long period of training and evaluation prior to being used as working dogs. But most LE K9 programs are geared toward drug detection (in some agencies, explosive or accelerant detection) or as patrol dogs (suspect apprehension).

But mall cop dogs? Sheesh.

 

[shafter]

Dogs can be trained to alert to almost anything but I highly doubt a mall security guard is going to have one that alerts to firearms.

 

[earplug]

I'd be tempted to accidently spill some gun oil nearby.

 

[357 Terms]

I googled "Private K9 security" and dozens of companies came up.
Many claiming to have dogs trained to detect drugs, explosives and weapons.
So this story looks totally credible.
Seems the answer is yes.

 

[Shimitup]

I think dogs can be trained to detect anything. I'm sure I've left the house wearing Eau d'Hoppes, they would be all over me.

 

[Old Dog]

I googled "Private K9 security" and dozens of companies came up.
Many claiming to have dogs trained to detect drugs, explosives and weapons.
So this story looks totally credible.
Seems the answer is yes.

No, the story isn't credible. "Private K9 security" isn't working at your local shopping mall. It's an expensive proposition, and while the folks protecting your tech billionaires, rock stars and politicians may be able to afford these companies, no one is worried about law-abiding license-holders packing during visits to Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Macy's, Claire's, Lids, Bath & Body Works or at the food court.

 

[dodo bird]

Before I would have lifted my shirt to show a “bludge”, I would have told the dog to sniff out a warrant first.

 

[Archie]

I've never been a dog handler, but I have worked around trained dogs and trained handlers for literally years.
Typically dogs are trained for one commodity only. Narcotics, Explosives and food items (both meats and fruits) are the common ones. But the critters (dogs, mostly) have to undergo extensive training to 'react' and give a signal (usually sitting or pointing) when whatever it is, is found.
I've known of explosives dogs who will alert to a number of types of explosive compounds. But that doesn't make them firearms finders. Few arms smell like dynamite or TNT. I suppose such can be done, but I haven't heard or seen any.
So I will add my voice to the skeptics on this story on that basis; and my suspicion that a private guard at a mall would be in possession of such an animal.

 

[N555]

The proof is in the dog sniffing out the knife I say.

Its a case of trying to look like you are doing something but you're too stupid to have any positive effect.
It would appear mall security is there to protect the car jackers?

 

[BlueHeelerFl]

Before I would have lifted my shirt to show a “bludge”, I would have told the dog to sniff out a warrant first.

At that point they would have called the actual police and had the OP trespassed from the mall since its private property.

 

[giggitygiggity]

Before I would have lifted my shirt to show a “bludge”, I would have told the dog to sniff out a warrant first.

Haha. That’s a good response!

What people often fail to understand is that security does not necessarily mean law enforcement. Most security guards at malls and the like can ask you to do something and, if not willing to comply, can kick you off the premises. Short of that, there is little that a security guard can do. Of course, this will vary by jurisdictions and the credentials of the specific security company, but the key point is that security generally protect property and remove violators of a property/business owner’s policies whereas law enforcement enforces laws, generally without consideration of a private property/business owner’s policies and can make arrests, but must do so only when probable cause and/or other criteria are triggered.

 

[Robert]

What a K9 may or may not be able to detect is off topic for THR.