Parents Using Drug-Sniffing Dogs To Monitor Children's Behavior: Report (VIDEO)

A German shepherd that's all business sniffs every nook and cranny of a Houston home in search of drugs, but it's not a DEA raid; according to NBC's "Today," it's the latest in parenting that's "above and beyond."

Moms and dads are hiring drug-sniffing dogs to find their kids' potential hidden stash, NBC reports. In a segment titled "The Real Snoop Dog," a mother named Ava said that her daughter resented the invasion of privacy, but when Roxie the dog found marijuana in the garage, it led to an important conversation.

A psychologist in the report called the use of the dog "overkill," but one drug-sniffing canine company has an answer for the moral quandary parents might experience.

On its FAQ, Drug Dog Services in Sacramento, Calif., asks, "Isn’t doing this type of search an invasion of their privacy?" Answer: "Discovering your child does drugs and preventing any legal ramifications is usually excuse enough to make this type of inquiry. Think of it as proactive rather than reactive."

Visit NBC's Today.com to read more about Ava's story.

While monitoring children's Facebook accounts and going through their things carry their own debatable consequences, parents elsewhere are going to greater lengths to monitor whether their kids are using drugs.

A report in Australia's Advertiser said families were hiring private investigators to spy on their kids when they suspected drug use.

In the 2009 story, one investigator, Consequent Security Services owner Neil Gordon, said that many parents secure his services when they feel they've lost touch with their teens. He said he received about two inquiries a month and that business picked up in during the December party season.

But his consultation with many caregivers makes them rethink what they're doing. "They feel they are not giving their children the loyalty they deserve," he told the publication.