Dogs trained to sniff out drugs and take down the most violent of criminals sat mostly silent as the national anthem rang through the air.

It was the gunfire-like applause that put them on edge.

Tense barks erupted inside the Pepsi Center on Sunday at the kickoff of the third day of the Colorado Police Canine Association Challenge.

Some 32 dogs and their handlers from across the state participated in the fourth annual event, which featured mock building and area searches, suspect apprehension, obedience and agility courses, and narcotics and explosive detection.

Strategically placed sacks of dog food were tucked near obstacles to test the dogs' commitment to the task at hand.

Trained officers in heavily padded "bite suits" allowed some very high-strung canines to attack them with full force.

"It promotes unity," Brett Titus, association president, said of the challenge. "And it gives the public the opportunity to see what these mystery dogs can really do."

Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman, who admitted to having been nipped a couple times by police dogs, was on hand to show support - and possibly recruit a few more K-9 handlers to his department, he later joked.

"Having this type of capability definitely saves lives and it puts fear in the crooks," Whitman said. "I'm a little afraid right now."

Here are profiles of a few of these well- trained dogs and their devoted handlers.

Dog:Igor

Agency: Cañon City Police Dept.

• Handler: Linda Porter

• Breed: German shepherd

• Age: 4

• Weight: 97 pounds

• Speciality: Patrol

• Events: Obedience, agility, apprehension

• Accomplishment: Found 90 grams of methamphetamine in the trunk of a car

• Personality quirk: Strong work ethic

Dog:Ringo

Agency: Lakewood Police Dept.

• Handler: Patrick Lone

• Breed: Malinois

• Age: 2 1/2

• Weight: 80 pounds

• Speciality: Patrol and narcotics

• Events: All

• Accomplishment: Caught two burglary suspects in a car after a one-mile track

• Personality quirk: Won't give up toy to Lone

Dog:Hans

Agency: Dept. of Corrections

• Handler: Terry Brown

• Breed: Dutch shepherd

• Age: 2

• Weight: 70 pounds

• Speciality: Narcotics, patrol, tracking

• Events: All

• Accomplishment: Learning to do narcotics, but he'd still prefer to bite people

• Personality quirk: Playfully biting noses

Dog:Kodiak

Agency: Denver Police Dept.• Handler: Larry Casados

• Breed: Czech shepherd

• Age: 2 1/2

• Weight: 71 pounds

• Speciality: Patrol

• Events: Apprehension, search

• Accomplishment: Great with air scents

• Personality quirk: He's a really good dog around kids, very family-oriented

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