Professional police dog training is about teamwork.
Dogs have worked alongside humans in various capacities for thousands of years. In modern times, the canine workforce is more expanded than ever, with military, police and security dogs as well as seeing-eye dogs, hearing dogs and home guard dogs. Police dogs make up a large portion of the canine workforce, with the K-9 police units present in most countries. K-9 police dogs are often sworn-in members of the police force, with their own badges and officer numbers.
Types
Professional police dog training has a number of different avenues. Larger breeds of dogs such as German shepherds and Belgian Malinois, Rottweilers, Argentine Dogos and giant schnauzers are trained as attack dogs and as officer protection dogs, and are most often in the line of fire among K-9 officers. Breeds such as the Labrador retriever, beagles, spaniels and bloodhounds are trained in bomb detection, tracking and drug detection.
History
According to the K9 Global Training Academy, dogs were being used as war dogs as early as the 5th century BC in Babylonian, Greek, Persian and Assyrian cultures. The Romans pioneered the use of dogs for internal control mechanisms, which were essentially the first "police" dogs, but were in actuality used for repression rather than law enforcement. These repressive measures were taken up by the Spanish Conquistadors and the British colonizers for attacking and tracking natives. Professional units of military dogs preceded police dogs, with the first military unit in operation in 1942. Professional police dog units quickly followed.
Training
Professional police dog training is very extensive, and specialized according to the breed of the dog and the type of work the police dog will undertake. Professional police dog training always incorporates handle training, because the essence of any police dog unit is partnership. Police dogs are trained in searching vehicles, buildings, aircraft and luggage, with the smaller breeds especially trained in these areas. Handler protection is a key area of training, as is "bite and hold" or "circle and hold" apprehension techniques, both of which are in use in the United States. Attack dogs are trained in "clean biting," a method that reduces the damage from bites, but is no less effective at holding suspects. One of the most important aspects of professional police dog training is obedience, along with teamwork. The handler is responsible for the actions of the dog, so it is essential that the police dog understands and obeys his handler's commands.
Uses
Professional police dog training is used by both dog and handler to forge a working relationship. As stated on the K9 Global Training Academy website, both handler and dog must pass their respective tests in order to be certified. So police dog training is, in fact, partnership training first of all. Training is used to teach dogs discipline and obedience as well as detection skills for different substances such as narcotics and explosives. Even specially trained land-mine dogs are used by the United Nations in international efforts at determining former conflict zones.
Problems
There is a huge liability concern for police departments employing K-9 units because improper use of K-9 officers often leads to lawsuits. The essential problem usually involves lack of training, on either the dog or the handler's side. Thorough training and proper certification are imperative for K-9 officers and their handlers. The popularity of K-9 dogs means that there are an abundance of breeders, and "trainers" plying K-9 dogs that are not properly trained and do not have the proper background for police work. According to Eden Consulting, a canine law enforcement consulting firm, the improper selection of both dog and handler, coupled with insufficient handling and misuse, are the leading causes of lawsuits against K-9 units.
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