December 14, 2004 -- Detection Dogs Specialist K-9 Support is now the UK agent for the SOKKS-MPTS™ scent training system for sniffer dogs.

Future initial and in-service training of police, military and civilian drugs, explosives, cadaver and accelerant (arson) dogs just got a whole lot easier and safer. The SOKKS-MPTS™ process was developed in Germany in the late nineties and has been a standard training system for the German police since 1997. The system allows safe handling of drugs and explosives training aids without the need for special precautions or storage. Training times for dogs are measurably shorter. SOKKS-MPTS™ is not pseudo it is pure odour.
SOKKS-MPTS™ is the first and only training system that uses minute quantities of PURE odour to condition the dog. It is completely free of the inherent contaminants such as wrappers, fillers or cutting agents that are present in all current training aids.

Now Available - SOKKS-Explosives™
SOKKS-Explosives™ is based on PURE Oktogen to condition the dog. The dog needs to be proficient on this odour to detect nearly every military and commercial explosive available in the world. Dogs trained using SOKKS™ will be conditioned to respond to even the slightest presence of ANY explosive odour. Drive and accuracy will increase, while false positive indications are eliminated. SOKKS™ are completely inert, non-toxic and can be stored virtually anywhere. No longer do training establishments need to maintain an expensive explosives storage area. SOKKS-Explosives™ is completely SAFE, even when exposed to an open flame! Each kit contains approximately 36 training aids per dog per year. You do not have to change your training methodology so there is no “learning curve”.
SOKKS-Explosives is free from licensing requirements. SOKKS-Explosives™ is not pseudo it is pure odour. SOKKS-Explosives™ trained dogs have been tested and certified on:

- Ammonia Gel
- Ammonia Nitrate    Hexogen (RDX)
- Potassium Chlorate
- Potassium Nitrate
- Sodium Chlorate
- Nitro-glycerine
- Nitropenta (PETN)
- Nitrocellulose
- Oktogen
- Black Powder
- Gunpowder
- TNT
- Weapons
- Ammunition
- Artillery Shells

Now Available - SOKKS-DRUGS™
SOKKS-Drugs™ will condition a dog to detect:

Heroin
Cocaine
Marihuana
Hashish
LSD
Methamphetamines
Ecstasy (MDMA)   

SOKKS-Drugs™ is an all-in-one system that is easy to use and free from Home Office Drugs Licensing requirements. SOKKS-MPTS™ continues to follow established methods of training with all drug odours combined. SOKKS-MPTS™ enables the ability to train anywhere, anytime.
Although the SOKKS-MPTS™ drugs training systems use “real” drugs odours, the Home Office Drugs Unit has confirmed that, under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, Regulation 2(1)(a, b & c), search dog trainers and handlers do not require to be licensed to possess SOKKS-Drugs™. A copy of this decision is available from detection Dogs Specialist K-9 Support upon request.

History of SOKKS-MPTS™
SOKKS-MPTS™ was developed by Prof. Dr. Wolf A. Kafka (formerly Max Planck Institute for Behavioural Sciences in Seewiesen, Germany in close co-operation with the Landespolizei Bayern (Bavarian State Police). Dog Handlers were involved from the beginning, as was the Ministry of Interior which oversees all police functions in Germany.
The objective of the research was to find a way to train quality detector dogs, whilst eliminating many of the hazards associated with conventional training. SOKKS-MPTS™ proved to be the perfect marriage between science and dog training. It is the first time that a training system has been based on biological reactions and physiology as opposed to a purely chemical solution. SOKKS-MPTS™ provides the purest odour available.

The Austrian State police adopted SOKKS-MPTS™ as the official training method for detector dogs, in-service and new, in 1997. A demonstration for the news media was held at Munich International Airport where SOKKS-MPTS™ trained dogs demonstrated their prowess for the first time in public. By that time 64 explosives detector dogs had been trained using SOKKS™. There are several hundred SOKKS™ trained drugs and explosives detector dogs currently in service in Germany. In the US several police departments use SOKKS-MPTS™ as their standard training system and over 300 dogs are currently in service.
For additional information Contact:

Detection Dogs Specialist K-9 Support
PO Box 3114, Norwich, NR14 8WD
Tel: 0870 922 0437
Fax: 0870 760 5366
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For a sample copy please go to http://www.detectiondogsuk.com/sokks/press.htm