Training of dogs and dog handlers

Our constant task is improvement of mine detection dog teams’ capacities, which proved to be valuable tool in technical survey and demining quality control. From the beginning, MDDC has been training mine detection dog teams for the demining companies and mine action centers worldwide. Before starting the training, MDDC trainers perform a detailed dog selection. MDDC mainly use German and Belgian shepherd for different types of training. The age of dogs is one of the selection criteria as well, and the dogs of optimal age between 13 to 18 months are mostly selected for the training. In general, the training consists of several phases, starting with the obedience training, then connecting the odor of the ball or kong with the odor of explosive, narcotics etc; locating the odor in the nature or in buildings; training the dogs to proper reaction – sit response; integration with the handler into a team.      

The training of the dogs is specific for each purpose and it also differ in duration. Considering the demanding surrounding they work in, mine detection dogs are trained from 6 to 8 months, while the training for explosive and narcotic detection is slightly shorter. Mine detection dog searches the land in the 10x10 meters box, in straight line in both directions, and upon indication, he sits down still and waits for the handler to pull him out of the box and reward him for successfully found mine/UXO.   

Police dogs are of bigger energy, and they are trained to search vehicles, buildings, people and other places where the drugs or explosive could be hidden. The reaction to indication is the same, sitting down still, with no scratching. The training of the dogs for maintaining public law and order also requires the high level of dog obedience, peaceful reaction to the gunshot, training to attack more people in closed surrounding, with different types of disturbances. The dogs for searching the ruins and avalanches must go through demanding training as well, they must not show fear from different objects or weather conditions, and they must be able to work in any surroundings.  

Upon completion of the training, MDDC issues the certificates on completed training.

So far, MDDC has trained the dogs for various purposes, who are now working in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Angola etc. 

Supporting the demining projects and implementation of demining projects

From the beginning of its work, MDDC has been actively involved in providing support in the demining projects, by renting the trained mine detection dog teams, who supported demining teams in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Croatia, Serbia and Iraq.




MDDC is now accredited in Kosovo for demining projects with its own demining teams and mine detection dog teams. In July and August 2011, the demining task in the area of Vucitrn municipality in Kosovo has been successfully completed. The demining was conducted in the villages of Dubovac, Beçiç and Galica, while the project was funded by the US Government through International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance.  

The area contaminated with the mines was arable land and forest, and local population will now be able to use the land and exploit the forest freely.

Mine Risk Education

MDDC is accredited for mine risk education activities and it has complete team for mine risk education, with three instructors and team leader. From the beginning, MDDC conducted the activities of mine risk education for the children in scouts’ camp in Boracko lake during the summer, but those activities were done on voluntary basis and when needed.    

Starting with the summer 2011, MDDC has been actively involved in those activities through the mine risk education (MRE) projects with the sitting volleyball club Fantomi. The project is intended primarily for the children age 9 to 13, who are members of the sport clubs and sections, and then to mine victims and all fans of sitting volleyball games that are played throughout BIH. Focusing the project on the children age 9 to 13, we are trying to protect them from risk behavior, but also to convey the message to the adults – their parents and relatives, teachers and older friends. Also, the accent of the project is on promoting the sport, in this case the sitting volleyball, in order to motivate the population in communities at risk to adjust their behavior and increase awareness on mine danger, directly educate children in sports clubs, through presentations, distribution of materials with MRE messages, broadcasting audio messages at the games and organizing short informational radio and TV shows.   

 

The idea of involving Sitting volleyball club Fantomi from Sarajevo in mine risk education activities, through presentations and championship games in towns and surrounding villages, was created in cooperation with the non-profit organization Marshall Legacy Institute from USA.

The sitting volleyball club Fantomi is the champion of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and multiple world champion. The members of this supreme team are mostly mine victims, and they promote mine risk education, by playing championship games throughout BIH, as well as exhibition games in different sport clubs, whose members are boys and girls.  

Round tables, workshops and seminars on proper use of professional service dogs thematic

From the beginning of the work, MDDC proved to be leading center specialized for training the dogs for various purposes. Being that, we started a number of initiatives aimed to improving the work and use of professional service dogs and gave suggestions for creation of the regional standards.