In Germany and several other European countries, the breed is used extensively for policing, but they’ve not popular with American police agencies, and it is rare to see them working as police dogs in the U.S.ĥ. troops in both world wars as guard and patrol dogs and have since become a popular breed of police dog in many countries.īoxers are intelligent, stable, and friendly dogs that respond well to training and are well suited to police work. Boxers Image Credit: larstuchel, Shutterstockīoxers have a long history as working dogs and served alongside U.S. However, they are also rising in popularity as narcotics or bomb-search dogs, and they may soon outnumber the number of German Shepherds trained for these tasks.Ĥ. Typically, police use Belgian Malinois as general-purpose dogs, a role in which they’re often required to track, find, take down, and apprehend criminals that have fled a crime scene on foot. Slightly smaller than a German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois are known for their exceptionally quick reaction time, strong protection instinct, loyalty, and their intelligence, which are all traits that make them one of the most popular dogs breeds for policing. The Belgian Malinois is a type of Belgian Shepherd that at first glance, looks similar to their close relative, the German Shepherd. Belgian Malinois Image credit: Ekaterina Brusnika, Shutterstock Usually trained as narcotics or explosives detection dogs, Labradors are also sometimes used for search and rescue.Īs popular family pets, Labradors are generally seen to be non-threatening dogs, and this makes them perfect for working in places like airports and train stations where police can use them as the patrol to check for narcotics or weapons without generating fear in the general public.ģ. ![]() Originally bred and developed as gun dogs, Labradors are hardy and intelligent animals that can seemingly do everything, so it is no surprise that they excel at police work. Labradors are one of the most common dog breeds used by police agencies in the United States. Labrador Retriever Image credit: Fred Lalkens, Shutterstock Yet, in reality, many of the tasks that dogs perform for police, including tracking offenders or sniffing out drugs, are seen by dogs as fun games.Ģ. ![]() Now, it may sound strange to suggest that a strong play drive is an important trait for a police dog. ![]() German Shepherds are not only brave and smart, but they’re also strong, fast, and loyal dogs that have the innate constant drive to play that the role requires. These fearless dogs are highly intelligent, easily trained, and suitable for several different police tasks, from tracking criminals, sniffing out drugs, helping out on search-and-rescue tasks, and apprehending armed offenders. The German Shepherd is by far the most popular dog that is employed by police agencies across the country. German Shepherd Image credit: adamkontor, Pixabay So, when it comes to selecting police dogs, which dog breeds are best suited to a life walking the beat as a member of the thin blue line? The 11 Best Police Dog Breeds 1. Regardless of where they come from, some breeds make much better police dogs than others. In truth, these European dogs have just been trained using the language of the country that they came from, and it is much easier for an American handler to learn a couple of words of Dutch, Hungarian, or German than it is to retrain the dog in English. Interestingly, it is this practice of importing police dogs that has given rise to a popular misconception that police dogs learn commands in other languages so only the handler can give the dog an “attack” command. Imported police dogs are expensive, but they arrive in the country already trained and ready for work. However, other police agencies choose to import their dogs from specialized and internationally renowned police dog training agencies in Europe. These dogs can be sourced domestically from larger agencies that operate breeding programs or purchased from skilled civilian dog trainers. While some police agencies have the resources to run their own breeding and training programs, others find it simpler to purchase dogs that have already gone through a rigorous training program. ![]() Some breeds are certainly better than others, yet even within the most popular police dog breeds, not all dogs can make the grade, which is why most police agencies use dogs bred and raised specifically to do police work. Just as it takes a special police officer to become a police dog handler, it also takes a special dog to become a police dog, and very few dogs are suitable for the work. Made up of specially trained dogs and staffed by highly skilled police dog handlers, K9 units carry out a variety of important policing tasks in support of their agency. Police dog units, also often referred to as K9 units, are an important and highly specialized part of most medium to large police departments.
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