From Foster Puppy To Saving Lives: The Story Of Leroy Brown
Long before Bark with Buster® existed, dogs were already shaping a huge part of our lives.
For many years, Jeannene — co-founder of Bark with Buster® — was involved in fostering puppies through the Australian Customs Detector Dog Program, helping raise future working dogs during some of the most important early stages of their development. It was an experience that taught us so much about canine behaviour, enrichment, reward systems and the incredible intelligence dogs possess when given the right guidance and care.
Over the years, Jeannene fostered four Labrador puppies through the program: Leroy, Zest, Heidi and Dino. Each one left their own lasting mark. But one puppy in particular will always hold a very special place.
His name was Leroy Brown. He was the first.
The Puppy Who Changed Everything
Leroy was a beautiful Labrador puppy with an incredible temperament, intelligence and drive. Like all foster puppies in the program, he lived with us as part of everyday family life while beginning his early socialisation and foundational learning.
Jeannene cared for Leroy until he was around 16 months old. By that stage he had become such a huge part of everyday life and the family routine. Watching him grow from a playful little puppy into a confident, capable working dog was an incredible journey.
But it also made it incredibly hard when the time finally came for him to leave.
There were many tears. Many very quiet moments around the house after Leroy left. Even knowing that her role as a foster carer had been successful — that Leroy had become a valued member of the Australian Protective Force extended team — letting him go absolutely broke her heart.
Fostering a working dog puppy is a unique and deeply rewarding experience. You provide the warmth, the routine, the socialisation and the early trust — knowing all along that one day, this dog will go on to do something extraordinary. You pour everything into them, and then you let them go.
With Leroy, that letting go led somewhere none of us could have fully anticipated.
What Labrador Customs Detector Dogs Actually Do
Most people imagine detector dogs physically walking through dangerous environments, nose to the ground, searching for explosives or contraband. And while that is part of the picture, the reality of modern detector dog work is far more sophisticated — and far more fascinating.
Leroy’s training eventually led him into work connected to humanitarian landmine detection.
Using specialised robotic systems, air samples were collected from dangerous areas and brought back to trained detector dogs in controlled environments. Leroy was trained to identify which air samples contained the scent signatures associated with explosives and landmines. Those results could then help determine which corresponding areas required further investigation and controlled detonation procedures.
It is a method that keeps dogs safe while still harnessing their extraordinary olfactory capabilities — capabilities that no technology has yet been able to replicate.
Knowing that a dog we helped raise was contributing to humanitarian landmine detection work connected to Bosnia was something incredibly emotional and meaningful.
As Featured in The Age
Leroy’s story attracted significant media attention — including a feature in The Age newspaper, which covered the remarkable work of Australian Customs detector dogs and their role in humanitarian landmine detection overseas.
“Aussie dogs sniff out minefields” — Leroy Brown’s story as featured in The Age newspaper. Photo: Peter Ward / The Age.
The article described how Leroy and fellow detector dog Mia — both born and bred at the Customs Detector Dog Breeding Centre near Melbourne airport — would travel to Sarajevo to assist with landmine detection using the revolutionary air sampling system pioneered by Norwegian People’s Aid.
For Jeannene, seeing a puppy she had raised from those early weeks become the subject of national newspaper coverage was surreal, emotional and deeply proud-making all at once.
Zest, Heidi and Dino — The Dogs Who Followed
After Leroy left, another Labrador puppy entered the picture. Then came Zest, followed by Heidi and later Dino.
Each dog had their own unique personality and strengths.
Dino went on to become a drug detector dog with the NSW Police Dog Unit — another proud moment in a fostering journey full of them.
Heidi later became part of the breeding program and produced four beautiful litters of adorable Labrador puppies, contributing to the next generation of working dogs.
And then there was Zest — probably the smartest of them all.
In the end, Zest did not make the grade for agency work and was considered unsuitable for operational service. That meant she got to stay — and live out her life with Jeannene instead. Which became a very special journey of its own.
There is another deeply emotional story attached to Zest and her life after the program. But perhaps that is a story for another day. 🐾
What Fostering Taught Us About Dogs
These experiences — four dogs, four journeys, years of early mornings, routines, training, bonding and letting go — fundamentally shaped how we view dogs, enrichment and reward-based learning today.
Working alongside dogs destined for high-level detection work gave us a front-row seat to just how powerful motivation, engagement and positive reinforcement can be. These dogs weren’t trained through fear or force. They were trained through drive, reward and an extraordinary bond of trust between dog and handler.
We saw firsthand:
- How the right reward at the right moment can accelerate learning dramatically
- How mental stimulation and enrichment are just as important as physical exercise
- How a dog’s food drive, when properly channelled, becomes one of their greatest strengths
- How trust between a dog and their human is built slowly, consistently and through thousands of small moments
- How the quality of what you feed and reward a dog with genuinely affects their energy, focus and engagement
Those lessons never left us.
Leroy Brown alongside a future detector dog puppy during his Australian Customs training journey. Photo: Peter Ward / The Age.
How This Shaped Bark with Buster®
When we eventually created Bark with Buster®, those years of hands-on experience with working dogs, foster puppies and the Australian Customs Detector Dog Program were woven into every decision we made.
We understood from lived experience that the quality of a reward matters. That dogs are not just motivated by any treat — they are motivated by treats that genuinely excite them, that smell real, that taste like something worth working for.
That’s why every Bark with Buster® treat is:
- Single-ingredient — real protein, nothing added
- Air dehydrated — to preserve natural scent, flavour and nutrition
- Australian-made — from proteins we trust and can trace
- Free from preservatives, fillers and artificial additives
Because we’ve seen what happens when a dog is truly motivated by their reward. And we’ve seen what a difference it makes.
Those early years fostering working dogs helped shape the deep appreciation we still carry today for enrichment, healthy rewards, positive reinforcement and the incredible bond between dogs and humans — a bond that continues through Bark with Buster® and Pet Stays Melbourne to this day.
Explore our natural dog training treats or browse our full range of natural Australian dog treats — made for dogs who deserve the very best.
Leroy Brown’s Legacy
Leroy was the first. And because of that, he will always hold a place no other dog could fill.
He was the puppy who showed us what dogs are truly capable of when they are nurtured, trusted and given a purpose. He was the dog who connected everyday family life to something far bigger — humanitarian work, international impact, and a story that still moves us every time we tell it.
Looking back now, Leroy Brown was much more than a foster puppy.
He was part of a story that changed the way we understood dogs forever. 🐾
🐕 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Australian Customs Detector Dog Program?
The Australian Border Force Detector Dog Program trains dogs to detect prohibited items including drugs, weapons, currency and biosecurity threats at Australian borders. Dogs in the program undergo extensive training and are often placed with foster families during their early development to ensure proper socialisation and foundational learning.
What breeds are used as customs detector dogs?
Labradors are among the most commonly used breeds in Australian detector dog programs due to their exceptional food drive, temperament, trainability and olfactory capability. Other breeds including Beagles and German Shepherds are also used depending on the specific detection role.
How does robotic air sampling work for landmine detection?
Rather than sending dogs directly into dangerous minefields, robotic systems collect air samples from suspect areas. These samples are then brought to trained detector dogs in safe, controlled environments. The dogs identify which samples contain explosive scent signatures, helping teams determine which areas require further investigation and controlled detonation.
How did fostering working dogs influence Bark with Buster?
Years of fostering puppies through the Australian Customs Detector Dog Program gave the Bark with Buster founders deep firsthand experience with canine behaviour, enrichment and reward-based learning. That experience directly shaped the philosophy behind every Bark with Buster treat — single-ingredient, air dehydrated, Australian-made rewards that genuinely motivate dogs.
What makes a good training treat for working dogs?
Working dogs and high-drive breeds respond best to high-value, natural treats with strong scent profiles. Single-ingredient, air dehydrated treats like Kangaroo Cubes, Beef Liver and Chicken Hearts are particularly effective because they preserve the natural aroma and flavour that drives engagement and motivation during training.