K-9 Crime Fighters
Police K-9 Qualities
Police K-9's are generally obtained from vendors who import them from Europe. European-bred dogs are used and
bred for working purposes since the inception of the particular breed, so fewer of those dogs have lost their inherent
working abilities.
All European dogs are not guaranteed to be perfect, so when selecting a new dog, the handler and the trainer
examine the dogs available and make a decision based primarily on an evaluation of temperament followed by a
check for physical soundness.
The trainer looks for a dog who is not easily rattled. Adaptability is a huge consideration in that the dogs must be
comfortable moving in and out of unfamiliar environments. A good prey drive where the dog enjoys chasing moving
"prey" and searching for hidden objects is important, and a good fight drive where the dog is calm and confident, but
able to attack on command is necessary. Aggression stemming from confidence is desired, but a dog attacking out
of excessive defensiveness (fear), biting because he is out-of-control, or otherwise unnecessarily hostile are
unacceptable.
The ultimate police K-9 would possess the following qualities:
bred for working purposes since the inception of the particular breed, so fewer of those dogs have lost their inherent
working abilities.
All European dogs are not guaranteed to be perfect, so when selecting a new dog, the handler and the trainer
examine the dogs available and make a decision based primarily on an evaluation of temperament followed by a
check for physical soundness.
The trainer looks for a dog who is not easily rattled. Adaptability is a huge consideration in that the dogs must be
comfortable moving in and out of unfamiliar environments. A good prey drive where the dog enjoys chasing moving
"prey" and searching for hidden objects is important, and a good fight drive where the dog is calm and confident, but
able to attack on command is necessary. Aggression stemming from confidence is desired, but a dog attacking out
of excessive defensiveness (fear), biting because he is out-of-control, or otherwise unnecessarily hostile are
unacceptable.
The ultimate police K-9 would possess the following qualities:
- High Confidence / Fight Drive
- Stability
- Strong Prey Drive
- Adaptability
- Good Health
Last updated August 9, 2006
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| German Shepherd showing defensive behavior (which is not a desired quality) towards DJ, who has adopted a threatening posture to see how the dog will react during testing. |
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