Fire Fighter Dog
Smoke Detection Dogs

One of the main conditions for these dogs to qualify a Fire Fighter Dog or Smoke Detection Dogs is that they must have an excellent sense of smell. They must learn to select and discriminate the elements of different flammable or explosives, burnt cables, and differentiate these even when there are other more intense smells around. These dogs go through a similar training program that drug detector dogs go through. First basic training and then tacking and discrimination of several gases used in the cases of fires that are purposely or accidentally caused.
The dogs also get trained to go inside burning buildings where there is a lot of smoke, disorder and confusion, to place their paws on safe places, avoiding stepping on things that could cut them or stepping on electric cables. They also learn to go up and down stairs very cautiously and walk around quickly and agilely in dark places. It is a very difficult job because they cannot get claustrophobic or suffer from respiratory problems due to the danger and exposure of this type of work.
The dogs indicate when they have found the source of an inflammable material with a movement of their tail, head and neck to signal the place. They are not to touch the object with their mouth only signal.
Before the investigation of the causes of a fire begins, they wait until the gas has dissipated and that the fire has been put out. A dog cannot work in places that are too hot otherwise he could burn his paws. 
The dogs are also trained to tell if the fire has been caused by a home made bomb. During the training they are taught the characteristic odors of the active elements used to make bombs.