Ann Nyathira

Florence Kalondu has been a security dog handler for five years now, something she says she always looks forward to everyday.

Although she handles different breeds of security and sniffer dogs such as the German shepherd and Rottweilers, today it’s Simba (Kiswahili for lion), a huge dog who will be her companion.

Now, there are big dogs and then there’s Simba, a boerboel guard dog —a breed known as one of the world’s fiercest guard dogs.

But will Kalondu and Simba get along in their daily struggle to put bread on the table for their families? 

We are in the compound of Securex Company offices in Parklands, Nairobi. 

“The trick is to pat him and cuddle him while calling his name. This creates familiarity and bonding with dogs because even though they are animals, they need to feel safe for them to trust you and efficiently so.

Despite his fierce appearance Simba is a loyal companion and fun to work with,” she says.

Kalondu recalls having always been a dog fanatic since she was a young girl. As we watch her play and work with the fearsome-looking Simba, we realise they make a good team. 

 “When I joined Securex and learnt that they have a canine department, I requested to be trained on how to work with dogs in the field. This meant doing patrols and guard duty,” she says. 

After three months of gruelling dog handling training, Kalondu was allowed to work as a security officer alongside either a sniffer or a guard dog. 

The canines are trained to conduct vehicle searches, thoroughly explore and inspect open areas, buildings, vehicles and other locations to detect explosives or illegal drugs. 

She says it is her responsibility as a handler to take the dog through the exercise. 

“I was trained on everything from feeding to grooming. Most of the guard and sniffer dogs have a meal or two a day and it has to be a routine,” says Kalondu.  

The first thing you do when you get your partner dog is to check whether the dog is healthy and ready to work so as to minimise the risks involved with working with an unfit dog, notes Kalondu.

She says guard dogs are fierce compared to sniffer dogs and preparing the dog and herself for physical challenges may be critical to the job.

Managing a dog’s stress level and understanding its warning signs while on duty can be just as important. 

Working with a canine has its advantages; for instance, a dog’s sense of smell is stronger than a human’s.

“If you walk into a house where someone is cooking a meal, you can smell that immediately.

But a dog smells the garlic, chopped onions, and each type of fish meat going into the pot,” says Kalondu.

Since these dogs are security assets expected to deter any security threats and in some cases save lives, they can break down due to stress or a traumatic event, and their willingness to work can suffer or disappear altogether.

As a handler Kalondu has to make them her ‘companion’ comfortable around her by constant patting, cuddling and calling his name. “This way,he can trust me,” says Kalondu.

So, does she ever get comments that suggest she is in the wrong proffession? “It’s a job that I enjoy doing, although occasionally I am told a woman should not do such work since it is considered a man’s job.

I work as a security guard handler anyway because I love it,” says Kalondu.

She says knowing the dog you handle is paramount in ensuring your security and of those around you.

Kalondu adds that sometimes these dogs are exposed to stressful situations that may lead to stress and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress and Disorder) incase of a traumatising encounter the same way humans do. 

“It can be challenging to work with a stressed dog. Stress can either make the dog shy away or in other cases aggressive.

When he is aggressive this can be dangerous to both the handler and the people it is supposed to secure,” says Kalondu.