Security Dogs Vs Security Guards

Security dogs and security guards are both highly effective in different situations for protecting buildings, large crowds, businesses, events and much more. There are some things that highly trained security dogs can do that highly trained security guards can’t. And there are other scenarios where a security guard would be more beneficial. Choosing which one you need can be difficult if you’re not sure what each excel at. This article should help you with your decision as to whether you need security dogs or security guards in order to meet your security needs. 

Drug Detection

When it comes to drug detection, sniffer dogs cannot be beaten. People will always feel uncomfortable being searched by another person, even if they’re not guilty of hiding anything illegal. The simple act of physical inspection is made complicated due to certain laws and many take a dislike to authority figures carrying out physical searches (especially if a crime hasn’t already taken place). 

A security dog, however, can detect drugs by smell alone; bypassing the need to pat people down altogether. This makes drug detection faster, more accurate, and less likely to cause offense to the many people that they search. Someone might be able to hide a lump of powder or pills where a security guard won’t or can’t reach, but it is very difficult to hide narcotics from a dog’s nose which is highly sensitive.

Just seeing a security dog and handler could make some people carrying prohibited drugs leave the scene, too. The unpredictability of the dog might make them less confident to try and get away with something that they previously might have attempted if there was just a human on duty; you can always try and reason with a person, after all.

Event Security 

For event security, a combination of security dogs and guards might be appropriate. Dogs may have an incredibly heightened sense of smell, but they’re still no match for humans in a battle of brains. Sitting, rolling and playing dead are good party tricks but don’t offer much when complicated decisions need to be made with large crowds. 

Take a night club for example – There may be a guest list where nobody else is permitted to come in. In this case you’ll need security guards on the door. If there are dogs there as well, you’ll also need security guards there to handle them too. It is now against the law for an unmanned security dog to be on site.

Handling Aggression

You’ll notice that offenders act a lot less aggressively when they are around a dog and their handler; they know that these specialist dogs are trained to strike if there is a threat of violence. The sheer presence of a trained security dog is usually enough to stop people from getting aggressive. If, despite the dog’s presence, somebody still chooses to be aggressive, they’ll quickly face the consequences of this. 

Using security dogs alongside security guards could vastly cut down on the amount of aggression you face in the line of work. If for example you need security for an event, you can reduce the likelihood of aggressive offenders with security dogs, creating a nicer environment for customers and staff.

Communication

One area in which dogs are perhaps a little lacking, is clear communication. Being able to communicate with other guards can be important to maintaining control over a large area and when organising large crowds.

While dogs can act on certain commands when taught them, a comprehensive two-way conversation is beyond the four-legged animals. Dogs can follow simple instructions, but in situations where complex communication in regard between a team, security guards can’t be replaced. 

County Security

County Security UK are specialists in supplying security guards and security dogs for all purposes. By utilising County you are ensuring that you have experts with heaps of experience in operating within the commercial and events sector. Our K9 security and security guard services are provided at a fixed fee competitive rate, so we can cater to your budget.

If you’d like to discuss security for an upcoming occasion, please reach out to our team.