Tax and customs team wins drug detection dog competition in Jõhvi

Birgit Vana and her dog Kira from Estonia’s Tax and Customs Board won a drug detection competition held for service dogs and their handlers in Jõhvi, ERR reported.

Seventeen service dogs gathered at Viru Prison for the event, which tested how well the dogs and their handlers worked together and how effectively the animals could find prohibited substances in different situations.

“The dog understands that it has to try harder because a larger number of dogs and handlers have gathered,” said Markus Romov, a dog handler at Viru Prison.

Participants had to run, guide their dogs over obstacles and search a dark room using flashlights. Vana described the competition as challenging and different from other events.

Ida Prefecture dog handler Ahto Uue, who competed with his German shepherd Karu, said teamwork was the key to success. He said he did not train separately for competitions, but combined dog training with his patrol work.

“The dog probably knows how to do many things on its own, but the handler has to be able to read that,” Uue said.

Romov said competing at Viru Prison did not give him and his Labrador Alaska an advantage. A familiar environment where the dog had previously had fun could instead make it harder to switch into a working mode, he said.