Reasons Why German Shepherds Are The Best Police Dogs
Intelligent, brave, and loyal to its handlers, its no fluke that the German shepherd is one of the dogs used in the police canine department.
Often referred to as the K9 or canine, dogs that pass the test to work in this department have to show exemplary capabilities compared to other dogs.
And some of the capabilities that the German shepherd possesses have seen this dog surpass other dog breeds with the same physicality.
And I know you have also seen this breed in most police and military shows. So you may be wondering, what makes the German shepherd unique that it has been in the police department for that long?
Cling on to learn more about the German shepherd and its high prevalence in the police and military department.
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German Shepherd Police Dogs Or K
Physically, German shepherd police dogs sometimes called German shepherd K-9s are well-known for their large, agile, and muscular body. They also have high intelligence levels which make them highly trainable. They easily remember words of importance, range of commands, and many tasks taught by their trainer because they have a fast and retentive memory. Since they can assimilate and retain training easily, their caretakers should avoid teaching them bad habits. Aside from extraordinary physical and intellectual characteristics, they also have outstanding personality traits. They are loyal, courageous, confident, and most of all, they are willing to put their lives on the line.;
What Type of German Shepherds Do the Police Use
Among the types of the German shepherd breeds, the working lines especially the DDR/East German working lines and Czech working lines are typically bred for military and police purposes because they have exceptional endurance when faced with demanding training compared to the show lines.;
German Shepherd Police Dog Price
Police Dogs Work To Play
You have likely watched different reality shows where a GSD is deployed to chase down a threat or discover hidden contraband or explosives.
And youve probably noticed that each time the dog fulfills its duty, that its rewarded with verbal praise and then given some type of toy to play with often a ball or a rope to tug on.
This reward is given because police dogs love to play. In fact, this is what their training is based around. The dogs are motivated to do the work because of the reward of the play that happens for a job well done.
This is called positive reinforcement the dog is positively rewarded for doing its job well. This causes the dog to want to work.
Interesting fact: during training, dogs are often given towels as playthings to fetch and tug on. These towels serve a dual purpose.
While they are fun for the dog, they are also covered in a specific scent, such as black powder or a specific narcotic. This serves to make the dog associate the scent on the towel with their toy and playtime.
So when a police dog makes a find, to the dog, it has actually found its toy!
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Police Trained German Shepherds For Sale Adoption And Rehoming Puppies Former/retired And Ex Police Dogs
The following police trained dogs may be available for adoption and rehoming:
Puppies;that are judged physically or mentally incapable of being a police dog
Dogs that fail police training
Dogs that are injured in the course of police work
Retired and pregnant dogs. Dogs usually retire at 9-12 years of age.
Sometimes a police dog will be retired with its handler or owner as opposed to being adopted or rehomed.
If you would like to to adopt a police trained service German Shepherd, contact your countrys parent German Shepherd club and ask for more information on rescue centres and police dog rehoming programs.;
Why Are Pit Bulls Not Used As Police Dogs
The American Pit Bull Terrier has been bred for hundreds of years to be non-aggressive toward humans and to bite-and-hold when they do attack something. That is not what we want in a police dog. In a police dog, we want a dog that is somewhat suspicious or aggressive toward humans under the right circumstances.
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Handguns Shotguns And Rifles
The first practical police firearm, the multishot revolver, was patented in 1835 by Samuel Colt. In the 1850s the British gun manufacturer Beaumont-Adams introduced the self-cocking double-action revolver. In contrast with the Colt, which needed to be cocked before firing, the double-action revolver could be fired by just a direct pull on the trigger. This allowed for quicker fire, at the expense of precisely aimed shots. In the United States and throughout the British Empire, the double-action revolver became, with few exceptions, the police sidearm of choice for more than a century.
In Western-style democracies, the standard police sidearm is strictly a defensive weapon. For offensive operations such as gunfights, more powerful firearmse.g., shotguns and riflesare necessary. Shotguns are capable of firing a variety of ammunition, including buckshot, slugs, tear gas, baton projectiles, and grenades. The pump-action shotgun, which was widely used in police departments from the early 20th century, began to be replaced by the semiautomatic shotgun in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
History Of Police Canines Around The World
Dogs;have been used by law enforcement agencies for over 100 years.;;The;English used bloodhounds while searching for Jack the;Ripper in 1888, and;during that time they allowed canines to accompany bobbies; on; patrol.; In 1899, in Ghent, Belgium, police started formally;training;dogs for police work. ;This enhanced the popularity;of using dogs for police work.;;By 1910, Germany had police dogs in;over 600 of their largest cities.;;In 1938, South London introduced two specially trained;Labrador Retrievers to the;Metropolitan Police Force to accompany bobbies on;patrol.
In the 1970s the use of dogs in law;enforcement took a foothold in the United States.; Now they are;considered a;part of the police force, and in many departments they even have their own;badges.; From the hundreds of dog breeds, there are some that are widely known for;their presence in law enforcement. ;The most widely trained;dog for;regular patrol work is the German Shepherd. Other;exemplary;breeds include–but are not limited to–the Labrador Retriever, Belgian Malinois,;and the Dutch Shepherd. ;Certain breeds have been used for special purposes, such as detecting illegal drugs or explosives, and tracking fugitives or missing persons.
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Why Is A German Shepherd A Police Dog
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.
How To Train A German Shepherd As A Police Dog
Training to groom a German Shepherd into a well-rounded police dog begins when the dogs are young. At 8 weeks old, puppies will begin training with their respective unit. This, of course, only comes after a dog has passed a temperament test to determine if a dog has the necessary characteristics suited for police work: sociable, good pack instincts, confidence, no aggression while on a leash, and a keen sense to retrieve and hunt for the unknown.
;When a suitable dog has been identified, the puppy will then go through a medical examination to ensure that it is healthy and suitable for the rigors of police work. Then, the dog can begin training in vocalization, obedience, and tracking.;
This training will include activities such as hide and seek and finding an object after being exposed to its scent and similar object, which helps to hone tracking skills and the dogs ability to find a specific target.
;During this process, training will include exposure to verbal commands to cue the dog to begin tracking, which is essential for handling dogs in dangerous environments. Further training exercises include training to bark on command, usually done by using the dogs barking and then associating the desire to bark with a specific command.;
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How To Train A German Shepherd To Be A Guard Dog
In order to have a well rounded and trained guard dog, your German Shepherd will need to be properly socialized, well mannered, manageable, and happy. You will have to expose your German Shepherd to a range of people, situations and other animals in order to train them properly.
This means having your dog properly adjusted to people of different sizes, stature, race, gender, along with dogs, cats, and other stimuli. This will ensure that you are able to control and command your dog under a range of conditions and circumstances without fail.
You also have to keep up with regular training, along with a lot of exercise and quality time with your dog. German Shepherds need a lot of attention and mental stimulation, so will need to be well exercised, and have lots of toys and things to play with. Due to their active and intelligent nature, without a lot of stimulation, they can be prone to destructive or naughty behavior.;
As the owner, you also have to be trained and prepared to care for your guard dog. You will need to be assertive, strong and confident in handling your dog, able to command them and communicate with them with ease. You will have to be the Alpha in your home if you want to keep a guard or protection dog.;
German Shepherd Police Training
Obedience is the key, when you want to train your dog for police work. Here is some information on training German Shepherds for this purpose.
Obedience is the key, when you want to train your dog for police work. Here is some information on training German Shepherds for this purpose.
German Shepherds are often chosen for police work due to their agility, sharp sense of smell and aggression amongst other qualities. Police dog training is a long and laborious process which requires lot of patience on the trainers part. So, in case you wish to train your dog for police work, then be prepared to take pains for the same. Besides, training your dog on your own is never recommended, unless you are a certified police dog trainer. Nonetheless, you can certainly impart some protection dog training to your dog.
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Does It Take A Long Time To Train A Police Dog
The amount of time that it takes to fully train a police dog will depend on how the dog is going to be used on the force. More often than not, when the police department receives a dog, it has already been trained to some level when it comes to protection and obedience. From this point on, the dog will go on to train with its handler for specific application, and the length of this training will depend on the application that the dog is being trained for.
Initial parole training will take several weeks, and after this, more specialized training will take place. An example of such training could include explosive detection, and this type of training can take anywhere between 3 and 4 weeks.; After the foundation level of training, both the dogs and the handlers will; be required to maintain a schedule of ongoing training to ensure that the dogs skills are kept sharp.;
There are lots of other different types of training, and these will all take different lengths of time. However, one thing that we can say for sure is that police dog training will require an ongoing commitment from both the dog and its handler.
Reasons Why German Shepherds Make Good Police Dogs
There are actually lots of reasons why German Shepherd dogs make such good police dogs, and we are going to explain some of them here for you. One of the first reasons why German Shepherds make such good police dogs is because they are one of the most intelligent breeds of dog, which makes them more than capable for the task at hand. As well as this, they are able to work long hours without getting tired, and as herding dogs, it is only natural for them to want to protect.
German Shepherds are a dog breed that has above-average strength, and they even have the ability to keep calm in difficult situations. In addition to this, they are really good at following commands, and they are both quick and athletic, which are two qualities that any good police officer will need. Finally, these dogs are extremely loyal, and they will always have your back when you need them to.
These dogs will be given lots of training to make them fit for police work, from learning when to step in to help to learning how to become an excellent tracker, or being able to sniff out illegal substances.
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Popular Dogs For Police Work And How They’re Trained
It’s no secret that German Shepherds have been the most popular police dog for many decades , and they deserve this title for a good reason.
But many other potential police dog breeds are now also trained to be a part of K-9 units in different countries, but the breed range is especially expanding in the west.
There’s no single path for a dog to become a police K9 unit.
Some dogs are raised from puppies to become police dogs, and others are taken from and re-trained from service dogs.
Sometimes police officers in the U.S. even bring dogs from other countries, particularly Germany and Netherlands, and continue training these bilingual dogs for police work here in the United States.
There’s no official entry barrier, and different approaches are taken to bring in new police dog breeds and train them for different tasks.
But this matter is taken seriously by law enforcement â after the full police work training, the dog will then even have to take the oath the same way as a human police officer would.
The handler will affirm on the dog’s behalf and have the dog bark in affirmation of the oath.
Retirement for police dogs varies around the world. Most dogs retire if they get seriously injured and will not heal fully. They also commonly retire when they reach old age or if they get too sick to work.
It is also common for pregnant or nursing dogs to retire or take a leave of absence.
Working dogs have been protecting and serving us for many years.
German Shepherd Police Training Tips
German Shepherds are strong dogs that are born with hunting skills. These dogs need a lot of activity to keep them mentally and physically fit. Police work is an ideal job for these dogs. However, one must understand that police training is far different from any other type of dog training. Such type of training needs to be provided by professional trainers only. Schutzhund club is one such club which specializes in police training to German Shepherds. However, not every dog gets approved by this club, as they look for particular qualities in a dog which might give them an edge over others. Hence, before you approach any club, it is imperative that you impart basic training to your dog.
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How Do The Police Buy Or Obtain German Shepherd Police Dogs
It depends on the country and the police departments policies as to how they obtain their German Shepherd police puppies and dogs.
Victoria Police in Australia for example have their own police dog breeding program at the Police Dog Squad Training Centre.
This enables the Victoria police to monitor the birth of the puppies, ensure their health through the first 8-12 weeks, enables the dogs to get familiar with the sights and sounds of the police department, and of course be put through police training and assigned to a handler or owner if successful.
If the dogs are deemed not suitable for training or fail training, they are re-homed with the right dog owners as determined by the department.
Other police departments in America for example sometimes do not have budgets assigned for police dogs and have to rely on public and corporate donations to buy from respected working line breeders.
Reasons Why German Shepherds Are One Of The Best Dogs To Own
We think German Shepherds are one of a kind, but more often than not this breed is stereotyped as aggressive and vicious. Whethether its down to their reputation of working with the police force, or just a general prejudice, were here to change that!
Check out our list of reasons why we think German Shepherds are one of the best dogs to own!
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Why Are German Shepherds Used As Police Dogs
German Shepherds are famous for working with police. Weve seen German Shepherds on TV and in movies, chasing bad guys and tracking criminals. And its not uncommon to see K-9 units in airports or at events, sniffing for drugs or explosives, or keeping an eye on things.
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 makes an excellent working dog. 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. ;
Why Are German Shepherds Good Police Dogs
First and foremost, German Shepherds are used as police dogs and prized among law enforcement for their confidence and temperament. When highly trained, they are capable of dealing with high-risk situations, remaining calm, alert, and ready to respond and react to their handlers commands.
For many breeds this line of work can prove stressful, however, this is not the case for German Shepherds, who thrive under pressure.
In addition, German Shepherds are relaxed and well-tempered dogs who will allow strangers to approach them if their handler gives the go-ahead. They will rarely show aggression unless their job requires it, making them a trusted breed for more delicate types of police work, such as detection of drugs, missing people, and search and rescue.
When it comes to loyalty, German Shepherds are second to none, quickly forming lifelong bonds with their owners and handlers. Furthermore, they will defend those they have bonded with fiercely if the need arises, fighting tooth and nail to protect them.
As you can imagine, these characteristics are why police dogs are usually German Shepherds rather than other breeds.
In terms of athleticism, German Shepherds are regarded as highly athletic dogs, being able to perform impressive feats of stamina and endurance when the time arises.
Whilst larger breeds of dogs are known to struggle with their stamina, limiting the roles they can carry out in the police force.
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