Well, it's a special force of inspectors called CFIA detector dogs. Don't be fooled by their pretty faces or their bright eyes. Our detector dogs are beagles that are trained to sniff international travellers' baggage as they proceed through federal inspection areas. Beagles were chosen for this type of work because of their acute sense of smell and their gentle nature with people. The detector dogs sniff out prohibited material correctly between 80 and 90 percent of the time.
Beagles are also among the healthiest of all of the dog breeds.
Our beagles live in special kennels. The dogs do not live at home with their handlers for several reasons. If the dogs lived with their handlers, they might become confused by food smells from the kitchen and lose the keen sense of smell that is required for them to do their jobs effectively. It depends on the dog. The dogs stop working when they lose interest or when they are no longer physically capable.