Super Bowl bomb-sniffing dogs are trained right here in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO - Super Bowl LVII is just a week away. As thousands of people plan to travel to Phoenix, added layers of security are already underway. 

Several dozen canine teams from TSA's explosive detection canine program will be in attendance at the Sky Harbor Airport, State Farm Stadium and the surrounding areas throughout the weekend. 

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Caption: Our{{ }}Chelsea Torres outlines the K-9 special training.

These canines are specifically needed to detect explosives and other odors that deem a threat.

"These dogs can screen and clear multiple passengers at a time and make sure we're preventing some type of terroristic acts," said TSA Canine Training Center Director Zeb Polasek. 

Polasek explains the TSA Canine Training Center focuses on seven breeds that have shown success in the program; German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, German Short-haired Pointers, Wirehaired Pointers, Vizslas, Belgian Malinois, and Golden Retrievers.

These breeds show success in detecting explosives while in crowded environments.

"That's the point I think, of these dogs, is they're force multipliers and threat mitigators," says Polasek. 

During the 16-week program, dogs and their handlers do drills in several scenarios of mass transit situations, like subways, parking lots, and even airports. When starting, canine teams must start training at the TSA center, doing different drills. Like simulating passengers walking through with luggage.

"The dog cuts the wake, cuts the wake on each of 'em and if there's any specific odor the dog can react to it and follow that odor," explained JJ Wilson, Training Instructor at the TSA Canine Training Center. 

The dogs are expected to learn a number of odors, that cannot be revealed due to security reasons. 

Wilson says he cannot go into specifics but, "the odors contain certain ingredients that put off certain smells, so these dogs have been trained to detect those certain smells."

Wilson will be one of the handlers heading to Phoenix for Super Bowl weekend. Only the best of the best canine teams nationwide will travel for one of the year's biggest events. 

Polasek says the number of canine teams is fluid, as well as making sure they have the experience needed.

"So we want to send seasoned experienced teams to help out with the Super Bowl."

According to the TSA Canine Training Center, the average number of canines that complete training each year is 325. Which amounts to 83% of the total canines that graduate from the program. 

It costs about $46,000 to train a passenger screening canine and handler at the training center.