Police Dogs – The Invaluable K9!

Many breeds of canine are used as police dogs and are trained to assist in many facets of police work.  A police canine can sniff out drugs, track both criminals and missing persons, and guard prisoners.  The dog training required for such tasks is extensive, however, and only certain types of dogs can handle the work.

Often, German shepherds, Dobermans, and Labradors are used in police work.  These all have an exceptional sense of smell and are great hunting and working dogs.  These particular breeds tend to bond well with trainers and owners.  In fact, the bond between a police dog and its “partner” is very special and must be closely maintained so that trust between the two is constant.

Most dogs used in police work are trained from the time they are puppies.  However, many canine units are now comprised of intelligent, rescued dogs that were found in shelters.  This saving work benefits both the dog and the department, gifting the dog with a new life and saving valuable money that would otherwise be spent purchasing puppies for police work.

Some dogs are trained to sniff out drugs and will be taken through schools to inspect lockers, backpacks, and sometimes even students in the search for illegal substances.  Others are trained as trackers, sniffing out runaways or criminals who have managed to evade police.  All they need is a brief encounter with some object that smells like the person that must be found.

Though seen by many as threatening, K9 units are no more aggressive in daily activities than your average puppy.  The only difference is that they are trained for special situations and may become dangerous if encountered by an individual perceived as a threat in an insecure environment.

Rescuing retired canine units is important as well, since many of these dogs have no home to speak of when they are no longer needed by the police department.  Check with your local police station about adopting their dogs upon retirement.

Related Articles

Dog Training

Dog training can really make life a lot happier for you and your dog. Improve dog behavior through dog obedience.

German Shepherd Dogs

German Shepherd dogs are intelligent and loyal dogs that are often used for police or guard work. We take a look at the role they can play within you're family.

Free Dog Adoptions

Free dog adoptions from an animal shelter can do so much good. It gives you the opportunity to rescue a neglected/abused loving dog. We take a look at adopting a dog from one of these Animal Shelters.

We hope you found this article helpful. Please check our Site Map for many more helpful articles related to you're dog!