German Shepherds As Service Dogs
Following the first World War, German Shepherds saw their first stint as service dogs. Specifically, they began being trained as seeing-eye dogs for war veterans.
They quickly picked up on the training and proved themselves to be excellent at the job. However, with the unpopularity of anything German at that period it took some time for their popularity to spread.
But once it did, they took off. Now, German Shepherds are one of the best options for service dogs of all kinds, ranging from therapy animals to seeing-eye dogs.
How Are Police Dogs Assigned To Officers
The process of assigning a particular GSD to a police officer takes a reasonable amount of time. It also involves much scrutiny because the police officer to whom the GSD is being assigned will be checked for his responsibility, communication skills, reliability, and agility.
This is because GSDs are very agile dogs they are not weapons nor pets and would need similar breeds of handlers to control and optimize them. So, as much as possible, the GSDs personality traits should match that of their handlers.
As when the dog is finally assigned to an officer, he would work with the officer daily and live at the officers home with his family.
The police officer who wishes to have a GSD partner must first complete his police academy training and run a year or two with the patrol unit before transferring to the k-9 team. After that, he would be eligible to get a GSD.
Are Labradors Good For All Types Of Police Work
Labrador retrievers are well known as Americas favorite dog and are a good fit for some kinds of police work as well, but they do not do well with any kind of bite work.
Labradors love people and never meet a stranger. Its just not in their nature to show the kind of aggression that is required for a dog to do well in bite work.
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How Long Does It Take To Train A Police Dog
The amount of time that it takes to train a police dog is dependent on how the dog is going to be used. Often, when a police department receives a dog, it has already been foundationally trained in protection and obedience.
From there, the dog goes on to train with its handler for a specific application. The length of the training is dependent upon the application that the dog is being trained for.
Initial patrol training takes several weeks. And from there more specialized training can take place. For example, the Glendale, California Police Department trains some of its dogs in explosive detection, and this training takes 3-4 weeks.
After the foundational training, the dogs and handlers are required to maintain a schedule of ongoing training to keep their skills sharp.
Other types of training take different lengths of time. However, just like the continuing education required by many other jobs, police dog training requires an ongoing commitment from the dog and its handler.
German Shepherds Are Also Used To Detect Explosives
Why do german shepherds make good police dogs. But what exactly makes the German Shepherd ideal for police work. Why are they used more often in K-9 units than other dog breeds. From the German Shepherds temperament to its strength and stamina the GSD German Shepherd Dog makes an excellent working dog.
German Shepherds are calm-under-pressure theyre highly intelligent and trainable and they love to work. These qualities have been bred into German Shepherd Dogs for over a hundred years endearing the breed to a wide public in practically every country of the globe as a. German Shepherd works as a strong barrier between the police officer and a criminal.
It is strong enough to defend his handler and stop the bad guy. For such purposes a German Shepherd dog is trained as a police dog to assist a police officer and. This Is What Makes The German Shepherds Good Police Dogs This breed is intelligent athletic and versatile.
German Shepherds can perform many different and challenging tasks for their handlers as well as stay focused for as long as it is necessary. They have good stamina and can perform their duties for long periods of time. Why are German Shepherds often used as police dogs.
German shepherds are also used to detect explosives. German Shepherd Dogs are Also used As service dogs. Physically German shepherd police dogs sometimes called German shepherd K-9s are well-known for their large agile and muscular body.
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How Can I Train A Dog For Police Work
Training a dog for police work can be incredibly tedious, time-consuming, and challenging.
That being said, most police departments opt to train their K9 units with the help of a certified trainer or training agency. If you choose to train your dog for police work, youll want to consult a trainer or behaviorist to make sure you have a firm understanding of the process and goals of K-9 unit training.
Applications Of German Shepherd Police Dogs
German Shepherd police dogs have numerous uses in the Police and military. What the dogs can do, however, depends on the training type they receive. As already mentioned, the dogs are brilliant and can quickly grasp whatever they are taught to do even faster than their handlers would.
Some applications of the GSDs include
Before a dog is trained to attack, it must necessarily have passed its training on obedience because the bites of a GSD can inflict many injuries. However, a police GSD must be taught to attack when provoked by its handler to subdue enemies.
Trained GSDs can sniff scents of blood, which is very valuable when the task entails locating a dead or injured criminal.
5 Trailing and tracking.
Police GSDs can trail criminals by beginning from the points where the person was last seen.
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St Century A Golden Era For German Shepherd
After His glorious history, the entire world started to know him. This Dog has been used as a family pet, guard dog, service dog, and many more functions.
Best K-9 Police Dogs And Service Dogs
German shepherd dogs Have been Considered One of the Best For K-9 Police Forces. German shepherd Dogs help them to detect drug dealers, find lost people and track criminals.
German shepherds are also used to detect explosives.
German Shepherd Dogs are Also used As service dogs. In world war 2 many soldiers had lost their visual capacity. German shepherd dogs were trained to be their eyes and help them to walk and do some daily tasks.
Nowadays German shepherds are used in many service points to help disabled people to do their daily tasks.
Other Law Enforcement Breeds
Not all dog breeds in law enforcement are part of the military and police force. Other dog breeds may not have the physical capabilities for field operations, but have other special skills.
Here are the other dog breeds that help with law enforcement just not with militaries and police K-9 forces. They deserve just as much recognition!
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German Shepherds As Agility Dogs
German Shepherds are fit! Theyre also quick dogs with their large strides. Theres no denying that. But even though they boast a larger size, they also display a surprising amount of agility.
They regularly are at the top of the charts for agility contests. In fact, plenty of German Shepherds have gone on to win championships in this field. They learn courses quickly and their powerful builds do the rest.
The Official Start Of Police Dog Training
In 1920, the Germans built a training school for police dogs. With German Shepherds as their main breed of choice.
It was located in Greenheide, Germany. And in there, canines were taught to:
- Track.
Trivia time!
Have you heard about the dog named Rin Tin Tin?
Hes a German Shepherd pup who was rescued by an American soldier in WWI. And he became one of the reasons for the breeds popularity.
Plus, he also saved Warner Bros from bankruptcy.
Wow!
He first starred in a film made by the studio called The Man from Hells River in 1922. Then afterward, he created 2 more box office hits.
From a military dog to a movie star? Well, is there something this breed couldnt do?
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Qualities That Make German Shepherds Excellent Police Dogs
Physical Traits. German Shepherds are large, strong, athletic, and highly energetic dogs. As such, theyre able to keep with the physical demands of police work, such as when they need to chase and take down criminals.
Intelligence. German Shepherds are one of the most intelligent and highly trainable dog breeds. As such, theyre highly capable of performing complex tasks such as detection , as well as tracking.
Calmness. German Shepherds can also stay calm in stressful or chaotic situations. Even in such high-pressure moments, they will effectively follow their handlers commands.
Willingness to Work. They also love to work and have the energy to do so. As a working breed, German Shepherds have a strong work ethic and are very much willing to work. And with their abundance of energy, rest assured, they wont stop until the jobs finished.
Loyalty. Finally, German Shepherds are both loyal and protective. They will trust their handlers commands and will always protect them from any form of aggression.
With these qualities, its not surprising how German Shepherds have been working alongside the police for more than a century.
Why German Shepherds Are The Best Police Dogs
German Shepherds are famous for working with police. German Shepherds are calm-under-pressure, theyre highly intelligent and trainable, and they love to work. This makes the breed well-suited for working in high-stress situations, and its no surprise theyve been used in police work for more than 100 years.
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Selection Of A Police Dog
Selecting a police dog, in large part, requires looking for a dog with a high natural prey drive.
Breeders will sometimes begin testing and training entire litters of puppies at the 6 weeks old, and during this time they are keeping their eyes open for puppies that display this drive.
The following technique is one way that breeders use to select dogs suitable for police training:
A ball will be rolled underneath a couch or other object and the puppies will naturally attempt to get it. However, some puppies will lose interest and give up in favor of something more interesting.
A puppy with a high natural prey drive will be persistent. It will not give up and it will keep trying to get the ball. It will remain focused on its target until it gets it.
Try this with your puppy at home. See how it responds. Does it give up, or does it persist? This is a good way to gauge how much of a natural prey drive your puppy has.
Knowing this can be useful in the future when introducing your GSD to other people or animals. If your dog has a higher than usual prey drive, then you know to be extra cautious in these situations.
About The Breed: German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a medium to large-sized working dog. Abbreviated as GSD, German Shepherds are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world, ranking second in our 2019 analysis of the top 50 dog breeds.
Originally bred to be herding dogs, the intelligence and agility of German Shepherds made them stand out and seen in many types of work today. Thanks to their strength, obedience, and trainability, German Shepherds make great working dogs as well as family pets.
In this edition of About The Breed, well look at the breed characteristics of the German Shepherd, examine the history of the breed, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
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Why German Shepherds Make Good Protection Dogs
German Shepherds have a lot of natural traits and characteristics that make them the perfect breed for guard dogs. For instance, they are very very loyal creatures. This is largely due to the fact that they were bred as herders, and would work closely and long hours with one person. Therefore, they are prone to bonding and becoming attached to their owners, loving them wholeheartedly and with great loyalty and devotion.
In addition, German Shepherds were bred to protect the flock, and they will continue to do so with their families and owners. German Shepherds are fierce and faithful creatures, and will put themselves on the line if it means protecting the ones they love.
They are also very strong, athletic and active dogs, with good physical strength. This means that they make very good guard dogs as they are able to defend you and themselves, but also attack intruders and threatening characters.
They also look very intimidating, and many people are aware of the breed, how to identify them and that they are frequently kept as protection dogs. As a large dog with a very commanding bark, fast movements and large, bared teeth, they are able to ward off threats with ease.
One of the most useful traits that German Shepherds possess is their ability to learn. These dogs are so intelligent, and love having a schedule, tasks, and tricks to learn. They thrive off obedience training, and are willing to please you as best as they can.
German Shepherds Might Make Good Police Dogs For The Following Reasons
They bond well with their owner/handler
They are obedient
The working lines are bred to have strong nerves, and a stable temperament making them good for high risk and high tension activities
They are one of the most intelligent dog breeds and can perform difficult tasks detection and tracking in particular
They are loyal
They are protective
They have a high working ability
They are physically capable athletic and strong, along with good stamina able to attack, apprehend, protect and focus or patrol for long period
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German Shepherds: A Police Officers Best Friend
Throughout history, dogs have long served as essential components of successful police operations. From bloodhounds breed performing tracking to Labrador retrievers working as search and rescue dogs in contemporary disaster sites, dogs have played critical roles that humans cannot perform.
When it comes to versatility, resilience, and tackling high stakes operations, whether in apprehending suspects, searching for explosives, or protecting its handler.,German Shepherd has consistently demonstrated a level of performance that cant be matched.
Officially registered as a breed with the American Kennel Club in 1890, the German Shepherd has come a long way from its simple role herding livestock to playing a crucial role in the success of various police missions
Many dogs have been highly decorated for their service not only during multiple wars, such as World War II and Vietnam but also in civilian police work. It is its inherent ability to handle the various challenges of police work and its storied accounts in that capacity that continue to compel police units and departments to call upon the unparalleled skills of the German Shepherd.
Police Dogs And Training
Dogs for Law Enforcement believes a well-trained canine team is essential to deterring criminal activity and for assisting police departments in locating illegal drugs and explosives, in tracking fugitives, and with finding missing persons. Our goal at Dogs for Law Enforcement is to assist police departments in purchasing trained police canines through established vendors who provide excellent service and warranties. Another goal is to sponsor seminars for canine teams to attend around the nation to enhance a canine team’s working ability.
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What Is The Definition Of A Guard Dog
Guard dogs, by definition are working dogs that are typically naturally intelligent, easily trained and protective of their owners. This means that they are willing and able to perform specific protective roles and tasks that they have been trained to do, in order to guard and protect the home or their owners.
On the other hand, personal protective dogs are generally family pets who are very loyal, willing and capable of defending themselves, or their owners and family members from danger.
The main difference between a personal protection dog and a guard dog is that a personal protection dog is a family pet, who is capable of protecting its owners, whereas a guard dog is specifically trained to protect and guard, with a range of actions to attack, defend or guard certain people, homes or family members.
As either type of dog would need to have similar characteristics, a good personal protection dog would also make a good guard dog, and so the two often go hand in hand. Due to their longing for obedience, and willingness to learn and be trained, German Shepherds can make excellent guard or personal protection dogs.
Are German Shepherds The Only Police Dogs
German Shepherds arent the only police dogs. Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherds are also used. And its due to their intelligence, alertness, trainability, and stamina. While Retrievers, Beagles, Bloodhounds, and English Springer Spaniels are sniffing dogs. And also used in search-and-rescues.
Apart from these, there are other canines that are used as cop dogs all over the world.
But, theyre less common. Such as:
- Boxers.
- Doberman Pinschers.
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They Are Loyal And Obedient
Loyalty is strong in the German Shepherd, which is another prime example of why they are added to the police force.
The K9 unit needs dogs who are able to stay loyal to their owner and listen to them in a time of crisis.
With a German Shepherd, you can rest assured that he will listen, obey, respect, and stay loyal to you. Again, this is why they are a top choice for families as well as in the force.
If a police officer needs their German Shepherd to do something, they will do it with pride.