In Norse mythology (and in the Marvel comics), Loki is the god of mischief and cunning, a figure known above all for his tricky side. When Pascal M. observes "his" Loki at work, the Cologne service dog handler can certainly recognize parallels between the Malinois, a breed that belongs to the Belgian Shepherd Dogs, and the supernatural being. At home, Loki is completely relaxed, especially when dealing with our children," says the police superintendent. "But on duty, he's a rather excited dog whose joy and nervousness sometimes know no bounds."
Whoever watches the human-animal duo during an exercise for (future) explosives detection dogs in Cologne in mid-April can only confirm this. The Rhineland motto "Every Jeck is different" obviously also applies to four-legged friends. While "colleague" Hera (Greek mythology this time) sniffs her way through the RheinEnergieSTADION in a very relaxed manner, Loki makes his restlessness noticeable to everyone present with his frequent high-pitched whining.
By the time of the European Football Championship, the almost three-year-old male dog will (in all likelihood) have successfully completed his apprenticeship. Loki and Hera will then be deployed together with the other explosives detection dogs of the NRW police. This on-site exercise in the stadium, which is generally part of the animals' training, comes at just the right time. The training for this variant of sniffer dog (there are also animals that are trained for data storage, drugs and/or banknotes) is not only the longest, it is also considered to be the most demanding.
"Our explosives detection dogs have to do their job in very different situations," emphasizes an instructor present at the training centre for service dogs. This is based at the State Office for Training, Further Education and Personnel Matters (LAFP) of the NRW police in Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock in East Westphalia. "Whether it's hot, whether it's loud, whether we're at great heights or in a confined space - human lives depend on the work of the animals. And accordingly, they have to learn to prove themselves and their super noses again and again and not be distracted or shaken by anything."
The next test awaits Loki and Pascal M., who belong to the police headquarters of the cathedral city, at the stadium of Bundesliga soccer club 1 FC Köln. As soon as the four-legged friend has left its box and been given the thin tracking line, the animal knows exactly what to do. All it needs is a hint or two - or in this case a point of the finger. Loki is conditioned to the smell of explosives. However, he can't decide where to look everywhere. "That's why I give him signs as to which cable, manhole cover or door he should sniff," explains M. Classic teamwork. This time too, Loki finds the previously laid out specimen without any problems and indicates this to the dog handler.
Since 1988, there has been a state-owned breeding program for Malinois service dogs, which is also based at the LAFP NRW Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock. Other breeds such as German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers and mixed breeds are sometimes purchased. After training to become a guard dog, the next step is to become a sniffer dog - if the dog's suitability and motivation match the authorities' requirements. The animals, which usually live with their service dog handler, have to prove their operational capability again every 24 months as part of a certification process.
Back at the stadium. After a short breather, it's Hera's turn again. The dog is out and about on a daily basis for Dortmund police headquarters. "Hera learns very quickly and is super relaxed, even when flying in a helicopter she only gets a little stressed for a short time," says service dog handler Nora L.
