RONCO CANINE SERVICES - RONCO Consulting Corporation

RONCO CANINE SERVICES 

RONCO Consulting Corporation trains and deploys detection dog teams, manages canine 

programs, and operates canine training centers around the world. RONCO’s dogs detect mines, 

unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), vehicle borne IEDs (VBIEDs), 

suicide bombs, weapons, and other explosives. Our expertise includes: 

• Canine detection of narcotics, contraband, firearms, forensic evidence, and hazardous materials 

• Canine location of suspects, terrorists, fugitives, disaster victims, and human remains 

• Provision of canine training courses to handlers, trainers, supervisors, and managers 

• Provision of canine training programs 

• Provision of detection dog maintenance training and certification 

• Provision of canine equipment and supplies 

• Establishment, management, and monitoring of canine detection projects 

• Design and construction of kennel facilities

DETECTOR DOG TEAM TRAINING 

After recruitment and thorough screening, we bring 

handlers to RONCO’s canine training center to be 

paired with a hand-selected detection dog candidate. 

We systematically train the handler and dog as a team, 

starting with basic search problems and progressing 

through more challenging deployment-like scenarios. For 

EDD training, we train the handler and dog team to search 

for and indicate on a variety of explosives and explosive 

devices they’re likely to encounter in their future area of 

operations. We train the team how to search and clear 

buildings, vehicles, areas, and packages and luggage, 

and the handler how to provide daily and emergency 

care for his assigned canine, how to safely use training aids, 

how to conduct training problems, and how to maintain 

training and deployment records. RONCO arranges for a 

client-approved internationally-accepted certification for 

the detection dog team, upon completion of training. 

RONCO Consulting Corporation’s canines serve to protect and 

enhance the safety of people, places, and property. 

EXPOSIVE DETECTION DOGS (EDD) 

Locate explosive devices such as IEDs, 

car and truck bombs, VBIEDs, booby 

traps, suicide vests, pipe bombs, and 

explosives, including dynamite, C-4, TNT, 

PETN, smokeless powder, TATP, black 

powder, RDX, Comp B, ammonium nitrate, 

potassium chlorate, and sodium chlorate. 

EDD teams search for explosives and 

devices in packages, buildings, vehicles, 

and luggage, as well as around perimeters, 

entry control and inspection points, and on 

persons. 

VAPOR ODOR DETECTION DOGS 

(VODD) 

Search for and locate an individual, 

typically a suicide bomber, who moves 

through a venue while carrying explosives. 

A VODD samples the air for explosive odor 

and follows the trail it locates to the source 

person. VODDs are effective in densely 

populated locations, such as subways and 

bus stations. 

MINE DETECTION DOGS (MDD) 

Locate mines and unexploded 

ordnance; trained to conduct 

area reduction and delineation of 

minefield boundaries, clearance 

verification, clearance of roads, 

and location of landmines 

on territory unreachable to 

mechanical devices. 

IED DETECTION DOGS (IED) 

Identify and locate improvised 

explosive devices; IDDs are 

typically trained for the US 

Military combat environment to 

perform searches for roadside 

bombs, vehicle born improvised 

explosive devices, and booby 

trapped weapon caches. 

PATROL DOGS (PD) 

Search for, locate, and apprehend 

insurgents, criminals, and terrorists. 

Deter criminal and insurgent activity. 

PDs can be dual-trained to locate 

explosives (PEDD) or narcotics 

(PNDD) and can take on dual 

assignments. 

NARCOTICS DETECTION DOGS 

(NDD) 

Search for and locate illegal narcotics 

such as marijuana, hashish, opium, 

heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, 

methamphetamine, and MDMA. NDD 

teams search packages, buildings, 

vehicles, and luggage, as well as 

around perimeters, entry control, and 

inspection points, and on persons. 

Other specialized-task dogs provided by RONCO Consulting Corporation include: Multi- 

Purpose Canines, Tracking Dogs, Human Remains Detection Dogs, Search-and-Rescue 

Dogs, Contraband Detection Dogs, Firearms Detection Dogs, and Tactical Dogs.

MENTORING PROGRAM 

Our mentoring program includes 

provision of train-the-trainer, supervision 

and management courses. RONCO 

provides field and classroom curricula 

on a wide variety of topics, including: 

detector dog selection; handler 

screening; basic and advanced 

canine handling; search strategy; 

managing the canine unit; explosives 

and explosive device recognition; 

canine care, health, and first aid; and 

kennel maintenance. We can modify 

our mentoring program to the specific 

needs of the client. 

PROJECT CASE STUDY 

Since 2005, RONCO has operated a 

comprehensive dog program for the U. S. 

Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. We manage, 

supervise, and train over 100 detection 

dog teams for continuous protection of 

embassy personnel, visitors, property, 

and facilities. Our patrol-detector dog 

teams have integrated with embassy 

security personnel to prevent explosives, 

explosives devices, weapons, insurgents, 

and hostiles from coming onto the 

property and injuring or killing personnel 

and visitors, and damaging the facility. 

RONCO has four Canine Service Programs. Each model provides adaptable 

establishment, management, overhaul, rehabilitation, or quality control of canine units, 

depending on client’s need and budget, the size of the project, and cultural expectations. 

CANINE SERVICE PROGRAM MODELS 

Full Service Model 

RONCO runs a comprehensive 

canine unit. The project 

manager liaisons with the 

client to ensure unit integrates 

with the client’s security 

personnel. RONCO bears 

all costs associated with unit 

organization and operations. 

PERSONNEL CANINE LOGISTICS OPERATIONS FEATURES & BENEFITS 

RONCO selects, 

hires, employs, 

houses project 

manager, 

kennel master, 

supervisors, 

trainers, handlers, 

and support 

personnel. 

RONCO provides 

selection, training, 

maintenance. 

RONCO 

provides 

equipment, 

travel, training 

aids 

RONCO personnel 

manage daily activities, 

including scheduling, 

deployments, 

maintenance, and 

training 

Turn-key unit 

HQ personnel and 

fiscal asset support 

Quality Assurance/Quality 

Control Model 

RONCO audits canine units on 

a regular basis to ensure the 

unit is maintaining required 

contract standards. 

RONCO assists in 

the selection of 

Kennel Master and 

Lead Trainer. 


support to client 

in selection and 

training; RCC provides 

guidance to the client’s 

supervisors through 

Train-the-Trainer 

mentoring programs. 


provides 

support to 

client in 

procurement 

and 

maintenance 

RONCO assists client 

with management; 

client appoints an 

RCC project manager 

who directs operations 

through the Kennel 

Master responsible for 

supervising the unit’s 

lead supervisors. 

Client invests in unit; 

has ownership 

Support of 

experienced RONCO 

canine unit personnel 

Management flexibility 

Provider Model 

RONCO provides guidance 

in establishing a canine 

unit, including steps for 

selecting personnel, canines, 

equipment, and written 

documentation including 

SOPs, Lesson Plans, and QA/ 

QC checklists. 

RONCO assists in 

the selection of 

Kennel Master, 

Supervisors, 

Trainers, Handlers, 

and Support 

Personnel. 


support to client in 

selection and training; 

RONCO may provide 

mentoring programs for 

supervisors and trainers 

if requested. 


provides 

support to 

client in 

procurement 

and 

maintenance 

RONCO assists client 

with management and 

provides periodic QA/ 

QC checks 

Client owns unit 

Unit is populated with 

client personnel 

Advisory Model 

RONCO provides verbal and 

written documentation for 

establishing a canine unit/ 

program, including steps for 

selecting personnel, canines, 

equipment, and training aids. 

RONCO advises 

selection of 

Kennel Master, 

Supervisors, 

Trainers, Handlers, 

and Support 

Personnel 

RONCO advises Client; 

Client owns 


advises Client; 

Client owns 

RONCO advises Client; 

Client owns 

Client owns unit

Why use dogs 

Hand-selected, well-trained dogs are the height of detection technology; efforts to duplicate detector dogs’ unique 

olfactory capabilities for scent location do not match their ability to detect explosives, explosive devices, narcotics, 

hazardous materials, contraband, firearms, evidence, criminals, insurgents, lost persons, and human remains. Dogs can 

discern specific scents in the presence of dozens of other smells, and work in situations where human personnel would 

otherwise have to perform dangerously exhaustive searches. Dogs’ speed and physical agility allows them to work in 

harsh or atypical environments; dogs can catch and apprehend suspects, can work in about 90 percent of terrain, and 

are environmentally low-impact as compared to machinery and explosive charges. 

How are dogs and handlers trained 

RONCO selects qualified male and spayed female working dogs from all over the world. We match a dog with an 

experienced and well-qualified handler candidate, and train them as a detection team. Each team completes a training 

course ranging from 6 to 12 weeks in length depending upon the type of detection and patrol work. Upon the completion 

of initial training, a team is evaluated under the client-specific certification standards. RONCO provides acclimation 

training when the team arrives at its assignment area and conducts recurrent training throughout a team’s deployment. 

Can a trained detector dog work with any handler 

Dog and handler form a bond during training and operation. The bonded team performs at a higher level than an 

unbonded dog and handler. Should a handler leave the team however, we will match the detector dog with a new 

handler, and retrain, and deploy the newly-bonded team. In most cases, our handlers remain with their canine partners 

throughout the life of a project to ensure a strong bond and a strong performance. 

What happens with detector dogs that are to retire 

When a detector dog retires, a handler has the opportunity to adopt his partner. Citizen volunteers also adopt retired 

working dogs. If dogs are not adopted, RONCO cares for retirees at one of our training facilities. 

CANINE TRAINING FACILITIES 

TRAINING FACILITIY LOCATIONS 

Dilley, Texas: Our comprehensive facility for 

detection dog hosts training for EDD, NDD, PD, 

IDD, MPC, Tracking/Trailing Dog, Tactical/SWAT 

Dog, Search-and-Rescue Dogs; Contraband 

and Firearms, Detection Dogs; basic and 

advanced handling. 

Centurion, South Africa: EDD/NDD training, 

South African and other African nation handler 

bonding, certification training 

Maputo, Mozambique: MDD training 

of Mozambican and other African nation 

handlers prior to deployment, demining 

mission accreditation by U.N. 

RONCO Consulting Corporation has trained and deployed over 800 

dog teams, mentored over 1,000 handlers, and established programs 

in over 20 countries. Our teams have prevented a variety of threats, 

from security risks at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq and the 

American Embassy in Afghanistan to explosive ordnance in Sudan, 

Peru and other mine-infested regions around the world. Since 2005, 

RONCO has supported the Baghdad Embassy Security Force with 

117 EDD teams and has provided detection assistance to the United 

Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq. 

Kabul, Afghanistan: MDD/EDD and 

NDD green dog training, national and third 

country national handler training, certification, 

accreditation, routine management of 50+ 

dogs working within Afghanistan. 

Bagram AF Base, Afghanistan: training 

and certification of MDD for clearance 

program, training and certification for 

commercial and military dogs operating at 

BAF, routine management of 28 RCC dogs 

working on the base. 

RONCO Consulting Corporation 

6710 Oxon Hill Road, Suite 200 

Oxon Hill, MD 20745 

Tel: 240.493.3910 

FAX: 240.493.1440 

www.roncoconsulting.com

RONCO CANINE SERVICES - RONCO Consulting Corporation

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?