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Travelers flying out of Salt Lake City International Airport will encounter an additional layer of passenger screening.

Beginning this week, dogs are walking with their handlers back and forth along the lines at security checkpoints, quickly sniffing each traveler for the odor of any explosive or explosive component. The canines also can follow a scent trail to the source, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says.

"Their olfactory senses are amazing," TSA public affairs manager Lorie Dankers said at a news conference Tuesday announcing the addition of the dogs to the security effort at the airport.

She said the canines, which used to be military dogs, are unobtrusive when they work, and people focused on their travel might not even notice them.

Canine teams receive 12 weeks of intensive training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, then undergo additional training at their assigned airport so the animals can acclimate to the busy environment. The dogs are trained to detect only explosives, which are known to be the greatest threat to aviation, according to the TSA.

More than 275 passenger-screening canine teams are working at airports nationwide, with two of them in Salt Lake City. Additional teams will be added in Utah in the coming months, Dankers said.

She said the TSA primarily uses floppy-ear sporting breeds — such as Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers — because of their friendly demeanor.

On Tuesday, black lab Keene and TSA K-9 handler Lonnie Larson were checking passengers as they moved through the security line. Passenger-screening canines are rewarded when they alert to a scent; Keene was praised and allowed to play with her favorite squeaky toy when she sniffed out a training device.

Keene is named in memory of Leo Russell Keene, a 33-year-old Louisiana native and financial analyst who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks while at work at the World Trade Center.

Thomas Scott, the TSA handler for the other dog at the airport, golden retriever Benny, said a handler and canine must have a solid bond to work together. Benny lives with him, he said, and "enjoys life at home, just like all dogs."

Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC