Training Leaders for Safer and More Efficient Dog Teams
Between January 27 and February 10, APOPO conducted a Detection Dog Team Leader Training at its Dog Program Office in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The training was designed to prepare team leaders, handlers, and Technical Field Managers (TFMs) to take on greater responsibility in the field. Participants developed their skills in leading operations, managing resources, and following international safety standards, ensuring that Technical Survey and Mine Detection dog teams can work as safely and effectively as possible.
The program was led by APOPO Dogs Program Manager Mikael Bold and his team, along with the APOPO Cambodia team. The training brought together 14 staff members from APOPO’s operations in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Senegal, and Ukraine. Collectively, they represent six countries—Cambodia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mozambique, and Ukraine—and share nearly 150 years of combined experience in mine action.
Why Leadership in Mine Detection Matters
Our Technical Survey and Mine Detection Dogs, affectionately known as HeroDOGs at APOPO, play an important role in humanitarian demining by using their sense of smell to detect explosives in the ground. They allow demining teams to find landmines and release land more efficiently than with manual demining methods alone. However, the success of a dog team depends on strong leadership to ensure the dogs and their handlers work efficiently, follow safety procedures, and make the best use of available resources.
A well-trained team leader understands how to plan operations, manage personnel, and make quick decisions in the field. They must also be familiar with international mine action standards, which are a set of guidelines used around the world to ensure mine clearance is done safely and effectively.
What the Dog Team Leadership Training Covered
This course focused on developing leadership skills in several key areas:
1. Leading Dog Operations
Participants practiced guiding their teams through daily tasks, supervising technical survey and mine detection dog handlers, and coordinating with other staff to ensure smooth operations.
2. Keeping Teams Safe and Efficient
Safety is the most important part of mine action. Leaders learned how to identify risks, follow safety protocols, and respond to emergencies in the field.
3. Making Quick and Effective Decisions
Technical Survey work often takes place in challenging environments, where leaders need to evaluate situations, solve problems, and adjust plans when necessary. The training included exercises to improve decision-making under pressure.
4. Following International Mine Action Standards
To ensure APOPO’s work meets global best practices, participants studied international mine action guidelines and learned how to apply them in their daily work.
5. Managing People and Resources
Beyond field operations, team leaders must also handle staff coordination, budgeting, and logistics. The training included lessons on how to organize teams, allocate resources, and maintain accurate records.
A Practical and Hands-On Approach
The training combined classroom-based lessons with hands-on field exercises, allowing participants to practice their new skills in realistic scenarios. By applying what they learned in controlled training environments, team leaders could gain confidence before taking on leadership roles in actual mine detection operations.
Strengthening APOPO’s Mine Action Teams
This training helps APOPO build a strong network of team leaders who can guide their teams safely and efficiently. By improving leadership skills across different regions, APOPO ensures that its mine detection dog operations remain effective and well-organized.
Participants left the course with new knowledge, practical experience, and a clear understanding of their roles as leaders. As these team leaders return to their programs in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Senegal, and Ukraine, they will apply what they have learned to improve mine detection efforts in their countries.
Through programs like this, APOPO continues to develop skilled professionals who can clear landmines and make communities safer for future generations.
APOPO is sincerely grateful for the unwavering support and generosity of its partners and donors.
