see also: in CBP Canine Program:   CBP Canine Disciplines   History of CBP Canine Centers on cbp.gov:   History of CBP Canine Centers   CBP Canine Disciplines

Program Background

(11/29/2010)On October 1, 2009, the Office of Border Patrol Canine Program and the Office of Field Operations Canine Program merged to create the Customs and Border Protection Canine Program. This established an organizational structure and operational procedures for a single, integrated canine program within the Customs and Border Protection Office of Training and Development.

Photo Credit: Gerald Nino

The CBP Canine Program has the responsibility of training canine instructors, canine handlers, and canines to assist CBP in its mission. With more than 1,500 canine teams, the CBP Canine Program is the largest and most diverse law enforcement canine program in the country.

The CBP canine team is one of the best tools CBP has to carry out the CBP mission: protect the nation from terrorists and their weapons at and between the ports of entry. The team of canine and canine handler provides CBP with the ability to detect and deter illegal or illicit activity while continuing help facilitate legitimate trade and travel.

An integrated core curriculum was adopted combining the best practices of the current training programs. Training is appropriately customized to ensure that the unique requirements of OFO/OBP are met at one of two delivery sites: El Paso, Texas or Front Royal, Va. ( History of CBP Canine Centers )

The CBP canine program customizes training in one main discipline with the team receiving training and certification in all aspects of animal behavior along with handling, training, and employing a detection canine. Training disciplines include: concealed human/narcotics detection, passenger processing narcotic detection, search and rescue, and currency/firearms detection. ( CBP Canine Disciplines )

The CBP agriculture detector dog teams are trained at the USDA’s National Detector Dog Training Center in Atlanta, Ga. and is a separate training program from the CBP Canine Program.

CBP does maintain a breeding program to supplement the number of suitable dogs entering detection training for the CBP mission. Working and sporting breed dogs are whelped and cared for in a variety of approved housing facilities. The puppies’ final evaluation takes place between 7 and 14 months of age when they enter into one of the formal detection canine courses.