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MAN'S BEST FRIEND HELPS SNIFF OUT DANGER Most of Dr. Victor Bariuden's days are "dog days." An engineer with Israel's Mekorot Water Company, who made aliyah from Baku in 1990, Bariuden believes that dogs can make a crucial contribution to Israel's security. For this purpose, he and two other immigrants from the former Soviet Union have organized a non-profit association called Kalbi - the acronym in Hebrew for "Dogs for a Secure Israel" (K'lavim L'Bitachon Yisrael). Kalbi trains dogs to patrol the streets and guard public places. During a trip back to Baku last year, Bariuden, who was a university professor in his native country, noticed how widely dogs utilized were for guard duties such as watching sheep. He decided to bring a puppy back with him so that his children could learn to interact with and appreciate non-human life. When he took the dog to be trained professionally, he met Alex Kogen and Dmitri Romanienko, both recent immigrants from the FSU, who had served in the Russian army, training dogs for military purposes. Together they decided to set up Kalbi, at which they all work on a voluntary basis. They view their endeavor as nothing less than saving lives. The training is offered free of charge as a public service. In addition to training professional watchdogs, Kalbi - which is supported by the Jewish Agency's Israel Education Fund - aims to form a canine unit of the Civil Guard that trains the family pet to sniff out explosives. At the three-month course, the trainers teach the dog basic behavioral commands and teach the owner control and correct interaction with his pet. The dogs are trained to signal their owners silently when they detect a potential bomber so as not to alert the terrorist. Once a dog is trained, he is never "off duty." The dog always remain sensitive and alert. Each person walking his dog can make the streets safer. Every puppy has special abilities," says Bariuden. "We aim to distinguish in early puppyhood which type of work is most suited to the individual puppy." The training is based on personal experience, advice of experts, achievements of the breed and canine genetics. The Samaria Council - comprised of eight municipalities and 33 settlements, a region particularly hard-hit by the Palestinian terror - has shown particular interest in obtaining Kalbi-trained guard dogs to patrol the region. The dogs will be able to make a crucial contribution to the security of the settlements, many of which are tiny isolated communities without fences. Many Arab villages have recently encroached as close as five meters to these settlements. In addition to being prohibitively expensive, electronic tracking equipment doesn't give enough advance warning time. The dogs will be trained to smell interlopers and alert their owners. Kalbi is now seeking funding to cover the cost of basic infrastructure and equipment needed to train the dogs. The trainers as well as veterinarians and other professional staff members volunteer their time and expertise. "This country's given us so much," says Bariuden. "We want to do what we can to help."
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