Types of Police Dogs

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dogs have been domesticated to serve and protect Man. One of the most hardworking members of the police force, serving and protecting citizens, are police dogs. They are also called k9 officers, where “k9” is a homophone for “dog”. A k9 unit is a specialized group of law enforcement officers who train and care for their k9 partners while the dogs work to enforce the law, arrest criminals, stop crimes and much more. We are familiar with the German shepherd or Belgian Malinois as common k9 varieties. But did you know that there are different types of police dogs? That’s right, a k9 can be trained for very specific purposes. Let’s explore the different types of police dogs together.

The two main types of police dogs are police dogs and military dogs. While serving as well as protecting, police dogs aid in crime and military dogs aid in times of war.

There are two main types of police dog work. In general police dog duties, the k9 accompanies its law enforcement officer when responding to traffic stops, calls or emergencies, and helps arrest suspects of crimes and guide other contacts with the public.

Specialized k9s additionally have the responsibilities of each specific task with the k9 taking the lead:

Sniffing for illegal drugs, chemicals or explosives
Identifying people who interacted with such substances
Search and rescue for kidnapped or missing persons
Finding hidden human bodies or body parts

The tasks of the k9 can therefore be divided into arrest, search, search and rescue, or patrol. Official Specializations are Narcotics K9s, Explosives/Gunpower K9s, or Apprehension/Search K9s. Detection dogs, like their military counterparts, can search for narcotics or bombs and explosives.

As for military dogs, they can be divided into single-purpose, dual-purpose, and multi-purpose. Single-purpose dogs smell explosives, narcotics, or people. Those who sniff explosives detect specific explosives (EDDs or Explosive Detector Dogs) on a leash or, in the case of Specialized Search Dogs, are off-line to detect explosives at great distances. Mine Detector Dogs (MDDs) are also off-line, detecting unexploded ordnance and buried ammunition. There are also Narcotics Detector Dogs (NDDs) that differ from EDDs by specializing in finding drugs.

Dual-purpose dogs have one of the few duties, plus exploration skills. Patrol Explosive Detector Dog (PEDD) and Patrol Narcotics Detector Dog (PNDD) are both used by military police and law enforcement in any service.

Multi-purpose military working dogs, also called multi-purpose k9s or MPCs, are primarily used by Special Operations for skydiving and rappelling. They may wear tactical vests, night vision or infrared camera goggles, and other specialized equipment.

The most common types of military k9s are guard dogs, scout or patrol dogs, courier dogs, mining dogs, tunnel dogs, leisure dogs, and explosives detection dogs. On a larger scale, their work may involve tasks and functions such as:

Mascots, patrols, scouts and sentries
messengers
Leading strike force against mounted troops or attacking
trackers
Machine gun dumpers and other supplies
Bomb and Explosion Detection (EDD)
Search and rescue or search and report victims
Mine (MDD or M-1) or tunnel detection dogs
Law enforcement, such as the National Guard in times of civil war

Military k9s sometimes have rankings. If they do, they rank higher than their handlers. This is done because in the military a k9 is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) or petty officer and the higher rank is meant as a mark of respect.

Law Enforcement Dog Training

Law enforcement dog training is heavy, and not all dogs pass. From an early age, the various types of police dogs and military dogs have undergone obedience training. Included is the ability to obey the following commands:

To sit
Stellage
Residence
down
come
To jump
Go ahead
Go inside
Track
To retrieve
Bite

Obedience training also includes the ability to perform patrol duties, drug detection, bomb detection, and/or other scent trails. Believe it or not, the training of the k9 unit does not stop when they enter law enforcement. Their training is continuous so that the k9 and the police officer can work together perfectly. Their military counterparts are also continuously retrained. Both the dogs and their handlers must be certified every year, which includes daily obedience training and bonding.

Law Enforcement Dog Breeds

Certain dog breeds are preferred in police and military k9 work depending on the work and the breed’s strong natural abilities, such as German shepherd or Belgian Malinois. A dual purpose or multipurpose law enforcement k9 is usually a cross of several breeds to have more than one specialized ability. Here are the main pure or pedigree breeds, divided into groups:

Sporty dogs

Sporty dogs are hunting dogs that help hunters find, catch and retrieve game birds. labrador retriever, golden retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, Springer Spaniel, and English Cocker Spaniel are most popular for k9 jobs. They are usually quieter, softer varieties used for detection work, such as for explosives, while being unobtrusive.

hunting dogs

like sport dogs, dogs to be hunting dogs, except they hunt warm-blooded game by sight and smell. bassett hound, bloodhound, broke, and Rajapalayam are popular for different types of detection in k9 work.

working dogs

While all k9s are working dogs, the group of working dogs includes all breeds developed for protection and/or physical work. Boxer, Rottweiler, mastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Akita Inu, cane corso, Siberian husky, and Alaskan Malamute are used in k9 jobs related to security, transportation or carrying supplies.

Terrier Dogs

terriers were developed to chase, dig and shake to death underground rodents and other vermin. In military work, they hunt vermin in the trenches, but they can also act as messengers or scouts, tracking down wounded soldiers, carrying supplies, or attacking while tracking and arresting in police work. Airedale Terrier, Irish Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, and Black Russian Terrier are commonly used k9 varieties. The Black Russian Terrier is a new breed that is a cross of 17 different breeds, including: Airedale Terrier, Rottweiler, and Giant Schnauzer, and it is used for patrols, mine detection, and search and rescue.

sheepdogs

sheepdogs are used in k9 work to exert their natural herding and protective instincts on humans as well as their intelligence, loyalty and athleticism. Australian Shepherd, border collie, German shepherd, Groenendael (Belgian Malinois, Belgian Shepherd, or Belgian Tervuren), Dutch Shepherd, Briard, Giant Schnauzer, and Bouvier des Flandres are popular herding breeds for k9 work. The German shepherd is used for security, detention, messengers and ammunition carriers, while the Australian Shepherd hunts down criminals and assists in search and rescue. The border collie was used as messengers, sentries and finders of the wounded, but is no longer used.

Life after police dog work

What happens after a k9 is retired or unable to continue law enforcement work? After obedience training since puppyhood and working extremely hard, they may retire from old age or negative behavior as a result of their stressful jobs. They are usually ready to retire between 7 and 11 years old. Unfortunately, before Robby’s Law was signed in 2000, they were euthanized. However, today they are adopted and adapt easily to family life. Their handlers are the first choice, followed by other service workers and then the general public.

The different types of police dogs or k9s work dogs who serve and protect their handlers as well as civilians. Whether their job is to assist in law enforcement or to perform military duties, their obedience training uses their skills and creates a bond between them and their handlers. They are extremely valuable in stopping crimes and doing work that people cannot or cannot do as well as dogs.

Next one: Pregnant Guinea Pigs: How Do You Know If Your Guinea Pig Is Pregnant?

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