In March 1970, in cooperation with the Department of Defense, training facilities, logistics, and temporary support were acquired at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

On April 1, 1970, the experimental narcotic detector dog training program began. Efforts were concentrated on training dogs to detect and respond to marijuana and hashish. In August 1970, in response to the President's concern about the ever-increasing problem of drug abuse, Customs embarked on an experiment to determine the feasibility of training dogs to detect heroin and cocaine. By the end of September 1970, it was proven that it was possible for the same dogs to be trained to detect all four substances.

In 1973, as a result of the success of the narcotic detector dog program and increasing requirements for future training, the Customs Service embarked on the project of establishing an independent training center. At that time, excess government property was procured for the creation of the Canine Enforcement Training Center, near Washington, D.C.

In July 1974, the detector dog training operation was relocated from San Antonio, Texas, to its current location outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.. At that time, the training operation took possession of 240 acres of property that was formerly a beef cattle research center, and prior to that, a U.S. Cavalry Remount Station. The property consisted of several hay barns, cattle stalls, large pastures, and wooded areas. Over a period of several years, these facilities were renovated into administrative offices, classrooms, and kennel buildings.

Due to the complexity of the tasks assigned to the detector dog program, it was renamed the Canine Enforcement Program in 1980. Subsequently, the Training Center was renamed the Canine Enforcement Training Center (CETC). In 1988, a facilities improvement plan was developed to upgrade the CETC's existing facilities to provide for an all-weather training capability.

 
In 1991, Congress approved funding for the facility improvement plan. The actual construction and renovation of the facilities began in 1993. This plan has currently provided the CETC with upgraded utilities (electrical and water), a new 100-run kennel building, a laundry facility, a training building, a small arms firing range, vehicle training areas, and improved training roads. A new academic building was opened to provide much improved classroom facilities. Also, construction will begin to improve the canine isolation and quarantine facility.

The CETC currently has a staff of over 50, which consists of instructors, animal caretakers, storage specialists, and administrative personnel. The Center’s average canine population is between 100-175 dogs on a daily basis, with a yearly training output of over 120 CBP canine teams.

On March 1, 2003 the Department of Homeland Security was formed. This effectively married the canine resources of the former U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under a new agency entitled U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP currently maintains two separate canine programs to meet the needs of the agency’s diverse responsibilities. The Office of Field Operations (OFO) canine program encompasses over 800 canine teams who are primarily stationed at airports, seaports and landborder crossings. The Office of Border Patrol (OBP) canine program has over 450 canine teams who maintain responsibility for the areas between the ports of entry.