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U.S. Trains Dogs for Homeland Security Duty At a facility in Virginia, Customs handlers train dogs to detect explosives, narcotics and potential terrorists. Search-dog advocates say it's a low-tech approach that may be more reliable than costly detection equipment.

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U.S. Trains Dogs for Homeland Security Duty

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U.S. Trains Dogs for Homeland Security Duty

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A Customs handler trains a dog to detect a person concealed in a box mixed in with airline luggage. Pam Fessler, NPR hide caption

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Pam Fessler, NPR

A Customs handler trains a dog to detect a person concealed in a box mixed in with airline luggage.

Pam Fessler, NPR
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The canines also learn to distinguish between people riding as regular passengers in a vehicle and those concealed from authorities. Pam Fessler, NPR hide caption

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Pam Fessler, NPR

The canines also learn to distinguish between people riding as regular passengers in a vehicle and those concealed from authorities.

Pam Fessler, NPR

The government spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year on equipment to detect explosives, chemicals, illegal drugs and other things someone might try to sneak across the border or into a building.

But some people think a more low-tech method -- canine detection teams -- can be just as reliable.

Many of the government's detector dogs are trained at a sprawling facility in Front Royal, Va. Pam Fessler reports from the Customs and Border Protection center.