see also: in September 2008:   Ramey Border Patrol Sector Sponsors Intelligence Training   CBP Arrests Woman at California Port after Discovering 3 Hidden Females   Laredo Sector Border Patrol Agents Rescue Lost Alien   Customs and Border Protection Warns Floral Importers About Unripe Poppy Pods   CBP Officers Arrest Man Wanted for Failing to Register as Sex Offender   El Paso CBP Officers Discover 3,000 Pounds of Marijuana in Shipment of Watermelons   CBP Seizes More Than $360,000 in Undeclared Currency ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Program

contacts for this news release

Front Royal, Va. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Canine Training Center in Front Royal, Va. recently welcomed the arrival of its newest recruits into its detector dog training program. The latest class is comprised of the second "C" litter, which means the names of the siblings begin with the letter “C.”

Now four months old, the puppies, three females and two males, are beginning to train for their future job in narcotics detection. This week, marijuana and hashish odors were introduced into their canine curriculum. According to Don Blair, program manager for the CBP breeding program, “all five are doing super in their early days of training.”

The German Shepherd puppy quintet, Camo, Chief, Cabo, Calli and Camy, were born on May 20 to the proud parents, CBP’s "Cindy vom Haus Lohre," the four-year old mother who resides at the training facility and the father, "Bastin vom Kokeltal," from Alabama.

It is the program’s first German Shepherd litter to be bred at the 160-kennel center, since the detector dog breeding program began 10 years ago.

“As the largest and most diverse law enforcement canine program in the country, CBP’s Canine Enforcement Program provides us with invaluable law enforcement tools,” said Lee Titus, director for the Front Royal training center. “We train our dogs in a realistic environment and screen for those with a high work ethic—these dogs can screen a vehicle in seconds and help save countless lives each year.”

To date, the program has produced 184 puppies out of 28 litters conceived. The first 25 litters were Labrador Retrievers. The center continues to use other breeds of working dogs as well, including Dutch Shepherds and the Belgian Malinois.

All breeds continue to play an integral part in CBP’s goal to maximize the number of dogs suitable for detection training in the areas of narcotics, unreported currency, explosives, concealed humans and agriculture products.

The next litter of Labradors is due in October.

For more information about the CBP Canine Enforcement Program, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Program page. ( U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Program )

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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.