Policewoman Ke Tingya is thankful to her golden retriever, Cong Cong.

"I would love to thank Cong Cong.It has given me the chance to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games as a security officer," the dog handler from Guangdong public security bureau said.

Cong Cong is one of 28 sniffer dogs in Guangdong province selected to work for the Olympics this summer.

"I was so excited upon hearing that my dog will be able to serve the Olympics," said Ke, the only female handler among the 28 chosen in Guangdong to safeguard the Games with their dogs.

 Ke said she has been paired with her canine partner for two years.

"Cong Cong is earnest and hard-working. Whenever carrying out a mission, she detects the target very carefully," Ke said.

Having served a number of major events such as the China Import and Export Fair, the dog is already considered a veteran.

Some 204 dogs have been selected from the local public security bureaus of 20 Chinese provinces to potentially sniff out explosives during the Aug 8-24 Games.

Forty-four dogs in Beijing and 160 selected from other provinces and autonomous regions, such as Yunnan, Guangdong and Qinghai, are gathering in the capital in early June to go through a one-month comprehensive training program in order to be qualified.

The canine bomb detectors are expected to serve around key facilities including Olympic venues, logistics centers, airports and VIP residences in the four months before and during the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, Xinhua reported.

From English springer spaniels and German shepherds to Labrador retrievers, the dogs are all capable of identifying explosive items hidden in vehicles, luggage, indoor and outdoor areas.

"Wiry fur and large bodies are the indispensable factors for the dogs we sent to Beijing," a public security officer in Gansu province was quoted by Xinhua as saying. The northwestern province has sent eight dogs to the capital.

They are helpful in detecting items that cannot be opened and places where people cannot reach, such as inside vehicles and cabined corners, the officer said.