They might look cute and cuddly, but collie cross Patch and spaniel Griffin have sniffed out illegal drugs more than 200 times in the past year.

The dogs, both rescued, are incredibly effective at tracking down traces of drugs on people, in cars and in buildings.

Last week, I was one of a group of volunteers who agreed to have drugs stashed on them in the hope the dogs would do their job in the busy confines of the Emery Gate shopping centre in Chippenham.

From crack cocaine to ecstacy and amphetamines, the double-wrapped packages were placed in pockets and hidden from view.

But within an amazingly short amount of time, both of the dogs raced round the centre and found the volunteers, before sitting in front of them to indicate that they could smell drugs.

Handlers PC Marie Poole and PC Steve Duffy say that having absolute trust in the dogs is vitally important.

“You need a certain type of dog to do a job like this,” said PC Poole. “The only thing these dogs are looking for are their toys. The trick is to convince the dog that when it smells the substance, the person has its toy.

“We look for single-minded dogs, the type that will carry their toys without dropping them constantly, and when they discover the drugs, we throw them their ball and that’s what they’ve been looking for all along.”

Little Griffin, who has been working with PC Poole for around four years, may have been living on the streets in Ireland for up to a year before he was rescued.

“We do look for a dog that is totally focused and can cope with the environment it’s working in,” said the officer.

“Today, there aren’t that many people around, and everyone is getting on with their day, but in a packed nightclub our dogs have to be able to do the job when people are petting them and there’s food on the floor to distract them.

“The other thing about these dogs is that they’re very cute to look at – you’re getting into people’s personal space and you don’t want to frighten them with a dog that can be associated with aggression.”

PC Poole said the dogs can do what human officers can’t.

“Dogs don’t stereotype – they don’t care how young or old a person is, or what they’re wearing, or how they’re behaving,” she said.

PC Duffy said: “Sometimes, the dog will jump up at someone you would never have picked out in a crowd, and sure enough, they have drugs on them.

“They are perceptive in a completely different way.”

PC Poole said: “You have to have total faith in the dog, because you’re preparing to take away someone’s liberty and to search them thoroughly.

“These dogs won’t just be able to tell if you have drugs on you, they can tell if you’ve been using drugs, or even sometimes if the notes in your wallet have traces of drugs on them.

“They are quite amazing.”