Askals, short for asong kalye (street dogs), or mongrels, are now being trained to become specialized bomb-sniffing dogs that would eventually replace all these very expensive breed of dogs.
Carinan said the idea of training mongrels as bomb-sniffers was actually started by a dog handler from General Santos City identified as one Rowel Deguia.
The three-day seminar on breeding and handling of mongrels as security dogs will be conducted next month with several security personnel from different agencies all over Mindanao expected to attend.
Carinan said the trainees meanwhile will impart what they have learned from the seminar to their respective agencies upon their return.
Bomb-sniffing mongrels are reportedly trained while they are still puppies. Deguia was said to have proven that bomb-sniffing ability could also be adapted by mongrels if trained at a young stage.
Compared to high-breed dogs, mongrels are much cheaper and easier to handle. High-breed bomb-sniffing dogs cost at least P1 million each not including the cost for its food and maintenance.
A mongrel meanwhile can just be seen loitering around and could be fed leftovers. (With Peng Aliño)
