METHODS OF TRAINING INSPECTORS-CYNOLOGISTS WITH SERVICE DOGS TO SEARCH FOR EXPLOSIVES, WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION

Abstract

The article presents a variant of the methodology of training inspectors-cynologists with service dogs to search for explosives, weapons and ammunition, which is implemented during the training of future border guard officers at the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. The authors present the method of training service dogs for the detection of explosives, weapons and ammunition as a scientifically based system with the following main components: specific skills that ensure the use of service dogs for the search for explosives, weapons and ammunition; tasks and standards of training service dogs according to the stages of their training (initial, main and final); features of developing skills separately or in combination with others; the mode of training service dogs, taking into account their individual characteristics of behavior; possible mistakes of trainers, which cause formation of unwanted conditioned reflexes of service dogs, as well as ways to prevent them; structural and logical scheme of introduction of complications to the methodology of developing necessary skills of service dogs. The method of training service dogs to search for explosives, weapons and ammunition involves development of relevant skills in a certain sequence during within three periods of training. The main components of the specified stages (periods) are: preparatory exercises; development of a search system and a marking system (recording a characteristic reaction of behavior when finding explosives, weapons and ammunition); complicating options for finding explosives, weapons and ammunition. The training of inspectors-cynologists consists of two parts: theoretical and practical, as well as improvement of their acquired knowledge and skills in border guard units in conditions as close as possible to future professional activity.