Dogs are rarely seen inside casinos unless they’re working as service animals.
But at a select few casinos, dogs are used to ensure the safety of patrons and that properties are safe. According to Ryan Millbern, president of the non-profit International Casino & Resort Working Dog Association, K9 teams make an immense difference when paired with security personnel.
“These dogs are absolutely force multipliers when it comes to a security department,” says Millbern, who also serves the Senior Program Manager of K9 Operations at Wynn Las Vegas. “One dog can be more efficient than 10 to 12 human security officers, so you don’t need as many canines as you would human security employees because of the capabilities that they’re able to bring and how quickly they are able to do their jobs. You don’t need hundreds of them, you just need a good small, dedicated team to truly protect your guests, employees, and property.”
Wynn Las Vegas handlers, along with handlers from other casino K9 programs, recently competed in the Las Vegas Metro Police Department K9 Trials at Mandalay Bay. LVMPD has held the K9 Trials for over 30 years and specifically added a Hotel Explosives Division to include the casino K9 programs.
2023 LVMPD Casino Explosion Detection Winners
Millbern noted that the Wynn K9 Unit has been the reigning champions since 2016, with this year’s 1st Place Champion being K9 Handler Oshanna Remy and K9 Lotto. Remy is the first female handler to earn a LVMPD K9 Trials championship in the Hotel Explosives division.
Like the dogs that serve police units, the canines used for casino security are rigorously trained. The ICRWDA trains the handlers of dogs, with the most popular breeds being Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, German Shorthaired Pointers, and Labradors. The organization travels across the United States and to countries including Australia, Malaysia, and Cambodia to ensure that handlers are able to use dogs for security and detection purposes.
Dogs usually start training for casino duty when they are six months old, and it takes between 16-22 weeks to get them ready for service on casino floors. According to Millbern, a retired police officer with extensive experience in canine training, casino dogs must be “extremely capable in loud and dynamic environments.”
“It can be quiet at times on a casino floor and then somebody hits a jackpot and before you know it everybody’s yelling and screaming,” he says. “Of course, it’s yells and screams of joy, but your average police dog would hear that and think it’s time for a fight or they may have to bite somebody to be protective. Casino dogs are the polar opposite, so absolutely there is a lot that goes into the selection process before the dog is even trained.”
The dogs are also trained to detect firearms, explosives, and … bed bugs? Yes, those horrific critters that can wreak havoc on hotel properties can be sniffed out by casino dogs.
“A quality trainer can train a detection dog to detect really anything that has an odor,” says Millbern.
Millbern notes that in addition to the Wynn, other casinos that use dogs for security in Las Vegas include the Venetian, Resorts World, Caesars Palace, MGM. Pointy-eared dogs, notably German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, provide an extra level of visual deterrence in addition to detection and apprehension skills. Floppy-eared dogs, including Labradors and Springer Spaniels, have a softer aspect and “a little bit more of approachable attitude,” according to Millbern.
The Wynn Las Vegas has deployed K9 teams since it opened in 2005. Guests and employees naturally gravitate to their presence on the property.
“Our K9s are universally loved by both our guests and our employees,” Millbern says. “Our guests immediately feel safer whenever they see one of our K9s and express appreciation for Wynn’s commitment to safety and security.”
“Our K9s are easily approachable members of our security team, but don’t let their cuteness fool you,” Millbern adds. “They are highly trained team members of our security department.
At Wynn the dogs are so popular that the property offers a K9 Master Class as part of the resort’s Master Class Series, in which guests tour the kennels and meet the dogs.
Security personnel enjoy working with the dogs. Millbern says he gets approximately 200 applicants when positions are posted.
“That’s how badly people want this position, because it’s so unique and enjoyable,” he says. “The K9 Handler position is one of the most sought-after positions in the department.”
The ICRWDA emphasizes the safe and humane training of dogs in the program.
“We’ve all seen stories about dogs getting overcorrected and unfortunately, being abused,” Millbern says. “That’s part of the education that the ICRWDA does for casino programs, showing them how to get the best out of their dogs using positive training technique. Truly for the dogs, it is a game, it is fun, and they love to work every day.”
