see also: in June 2005 Press Releases:   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trains Dogs to Detect Drugs and Humans   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Seize 132 Pounds of Cocaine, 134 Pounds of Heroin in Coffee Cans   CBP Border Patrol Arrests Murder Suspect Using Anti-Terror Technology   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Seizes Thousands of Illegal Fireworks   CBP Officers Find Marijuana After Sentri Participant Absconds from Car   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize 261 Pounds Of Ecstasy   United States' Schmitz is Elected to Director at the World Customs Organization ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Washington, D.C.— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert C. Bonner is pleased to announce that five (5) Labrador Retriever puppies were born on Saturday, June 4, at the CBP Canine Enforcement Training Center (CETC) in Front Royal, Va. Currently, CBP’s breeding program has produced 135 puppies in 21 litters. The proud mother, “Cover,” is doing well. The sire is Master Hunter “Double Creek Capriscious” of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

“CBP’s CETC is the largest canine training facility in the world,” said Commissioner Bonner. “As the agency charged with keeping terrorist and terrorist weapons out of our country.”

In September 1998, the United States Customs Service received 12 Australian Customs detector dogs with the working bloodlines necessary for starting a breeding program. These dogs became the nucleus of Customs breeding program. To keep the program going, CBP’s Canine Enforcement Training Center veterinary staff selects top field trial dogs (champion Labrador retrievers in the United States), outside the current gene pool as the sire. All dogs that are candidates for the breeding program are researched for pedigree and background and are either Amateur Field Champions or National Field Champions. These puppies have the genetic make-up and the behavioral traits necessary for high quality detector dogs.

“In support of Commissioner Bonner’s anti-terrorism mission, the Canine Enforcement Training Center will train over 100 detector dogs this year in the duel mission of narcotic and concealed human protecting our nation’s borders,” said Lee T. Titus, Director of the Canine Enforcement Program. “Holding one of the next generation of detector dogs in my hands gives me the opportunity to reflect on the promising future of the detector dog program.”

Recruiting dogs capable of being trained for detection work is extremely difficult. Typically only one in every 70 canines recruited is deemed suitable for training. A detector dog needs to possess confidence in unfamiliar environments and have a strong retrieval drive.

At the age of 10 - 12 weeks, these puppies will be fostered out to various families. If you are interested in being a foster parent for these or future puppies visit the web site for additional information at www.cbp.gov.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.