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Treasure Valley private drug dog company sniffs out the truth

K9 Drug Dog Detective Service caters to worried parents, employers and schools to search for illegal drugs.

NAMPA — A new business in The Treasure Valley is making it their mission to find out if your kid is on or hiding illegal drugs.

It's news no parent wants to hear, but the owners of a private drug dog search company say they can help to sniff out the truth.

Johanna Kratt and Thomas Schoder own K9 Drug Dog Detective Service, and both have been training dogs for more than three decades. Schoder was working in Chicago coaching German shepherds for police and says he was repeatedly asked to do private searches with his dogs.

"People approached me and asked, 'hey can your dog search the household because I think my kid is hiding something or using something,'" Schoder said.

That's how Schoder came up with the business.

While mostly catering to concerned parents, the company also offers its services to businesses and even schools.

"The four basic drugs we train the dogs on are marijuana, LSD, cocaine and heroin," Schoder said.

Schoder said he and Kratt remain discreet while on the job by not using marked cars.

"There is nothing to indicate what we do, we want our clients to know. When we come we are going to be completely confidential," says Kratt.

To train the dogs, Schoder and Kratt use fake drugs, which can be bought online, but smell like the real thing.

Once the dogs find the contraband, Kratt and Schoder say they never notify law enforcement of their findings.

"When we find something it's up the parents what they do with it, they dispose of it or whatever," Schoder said. "We are not allowed to take any drugs."

So once the substance is turned over to parents, employers or school administrators, the Boise Police Department says they should contact an officer who can safely remove the drugs.

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