GRANBURY (CBS 11 NEWS) – On the hunt for illegal drugs, a dog and his handler work their way around a home’s living room.

Moments later, a loud bark and excited pawing draw attention to something hidden under the couch cushions

A certified narcotics K9, Joe works, not for law enforcement, but for private detective Richard Stannell.

“Joe is trained to detect heroin, meth, marijuana, and cocaine,” said Stannell.

On this day, the two are training for their job by searching for pouches of simulated drugs.

When they’re hired by a client, though, they’re sniffing out the real thing.

Families hire this pair, from RK Agency Investigation, to come into their homes, for an average cost of $350.

“Parents with concerns, we could come in and help them out,” said Stannell.

He says, parents who suspect their children have a drug problem are usually right.

But, kids find clever hiding places.

“Air conditioning vents… Under the carpet, they’ll peel back carpet and hide it under the carpet, under the linings of beds, behind bureaus in bedrooms,” said Stannell.

When Joe alerts, his handler leaves it to his clients to find the actual drugs and decide what action to take.

He says, he just wants to help people find what may be hiding in their own home.

“And his nose does the rest, really,” he said.

The average cost for a visit from Joe is 350-dollars. You can find more information at rkagency.com

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