Detector Dog Major
and Dog Handler Simone Ackermann
All About Major
BREED: Labrador Retriever
BIRTHDATE: July 2016
WEIGHT: 78 lbs
HANDLER: Simone Ackermann
FAVORITE TREAT: Freeze-dried minnows (best ever!!)
FAVORITE CHEW: Beef knee caps and cow ears to keep his pearly whites pretty
FAVORITE PLACE: The beach
FAVORITE TOY: A big red Kong
Major, a 78 lb Labrador Retriever, was born in July 2016 and was adopted by USDA from the Humane Society in Elmore County, Alabama in July 2017. He completed agriculture detector dog training at the National Detector Dog Training Center in Georgia in December 2017 and was subsequently transferred to Contra Costa County's dog team detecting packages at parcel delivery facilities. Major has been a dedicated worker for the past six years now and has intercepted countless shipments containing unwanted pests hitchhiking on fruits and plants.
Major is a gentle and playful soul. He is a faithful worker, but also loves his playtime and enjoys sunbathing pool-side when the day's work is done. He is thinking about getting a life-guard gig at the pool when he retires in a couple of years.
CA Dog Teams
Dector Dog News Videos
Dozer The Detector Dog Helps Keep Mail Pests Away From Yolo County Agriculture
Unwanted pests hitching a ride in the mail are a threat to California's billion-dollar agriculture, but they're no match for Dozer the Detector Dog. (CBS 13) (1:41)
Meet Dozer, Agriculture-Detector Dog
The latest weapon against pests threatening California's $2 billion agriculture business is Dozer, a canine trained to sniff out fruit insects (03:32)
Good Day Sacramento: Dozer - Food & Agriculture Detector Dog
Cody Stark meets "Dozer," a dog trained to protect California agriculture from plant pests and diseases by detecting undeclared plant material and insects in packages. (03:26)
Every Day is Friday for this Detector Dog
Friday was forced into retirement at the age of nine, but she's not ready to give up sniffing boxes. She now lives with her handler, Jeremy Partch, where she's learning how to be...a pet. (2:52)
Detector Dogs Stop Plant Pests
Canine inspectors at shipping facilities and airport terminals from Sacramento to San Diego detect undeclared produce and plants in packages, to prevent the introduction of invasive plant pests into California. (02:46)