Can mine-detecting dogs locate trip wires and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as well as mines?
In Mozambique, RONCO/Global mine-detecting dogs found thousands of UXO items; they find booby-trap wires easily. However, depending on soil conditions, there are limits beyond which effectiveness can diminish. For example, there may be soil or other adverse conditions, such as impacted salt flats or swamps, where dogs cannot perform well or at all. In general, the dogs are fully effective at finding explosives up to 10 centimeters below the surface, and often deeper depending on certain variables (see 12 below). By way of comparison, neither dogs nor detectors can easily find mines under 30 centimeters of heavy clay soil. In any event, a second separate dog always checks the work of the first animal to work a specific mine field. For many mines to remain effective, they must be embedded above 30 centimeters. Erosion and other variables caused by nature or humans sometimes alter the original emplacement and complicate location and removal; yet, both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines ha
