Estonian Handlers Train Afghan Dogs
The dog handlers and instructors of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences trained police officers in Afghanistan, where dogs are mostly used for detecting drugs and explosives, but searching people is frowned upon due to cultural traditions.
According to Janar Klement and Andres Suurküla, back from a three-week training mission to Kabul, the use of dogs varies according to region. Dogs were widely used at the capital’s airport, but considering that Afghanistan is a major drug producer and millions are made with the trade, their work cannot be called effective yet, the men told ETV on Monday.
The dogs with the Afghanistan police are mostly German Sheperd dogs and Belgian Sheperd dogs like in Estonia, brought to the country as development assistance from Germany or elsewhere in Europe.
The major difference was that while Estonian instructors have an emotional connection with the dogs, the instructors in Afghanistan are usually more aloof, Klement said.