I'm a Police Dog Handler - AMA

[Stopeatingmybiscuits]

Working tomorrow, but I'll try and answer questions in the evening.

Absolutely not aggressive - family have German Shepherds and they are well trained and soft as butter.

They are treated like working (farm) dogs so are active animals a while are safe around kids and livestock.

How do police feel about banning breeds?

My dog was attacked recently and after finding out another had been I spoke to a dog handler. I mentioned the dog hadn't got a collar on so they could be grabbed and was incorrectly told they didn't have to (the law says collar and visible ID as well as a microchoip). I always assumed dog handlers would be most up to date with dog laws but in this instance it wasn't the case. Was this unusual and who should you ask to speak to about dog problems?

Really interesting thread - thank you. I hope your pooch has many chew toys to play with.

Sorry for the late response....too hot and knackered after my last shift and then before I knew it is was 10 pages into the "I'm the OW" AMA (Police dogs aren't very often neutered btw)

Thank you for your interest and questions,
So, in no particular order....

I got into it by accident really. I worked for the NHS before but hated it. Unfulfilled and far too much contact with people for my liking. Never thought about the Police as I met quite a few whilst working and they pretty much hated the same aspects of it.

I'd already successfully trained my dog to a high standard and volunteered for a GSD charity. One day I went to assess a man as a potential adoptee and as always took my pet dog with me to see how people behaved. Turned out he was an ex-police dog trainer. He suggested i might be good at it and it might be good for me. Rest is history I guess.

I think it's naive to think all working dogs can and are rehomed. Especially some so called security dogs (not the properly trained ones, the sad souls I've had the misfortune of coming across where they are basically left outside and left to it) and some military mutts. Goodness knows what horrors they've had to deal with noise, explosions etc.

The majority of police dogs which are available to adopt are young 'rejects' or those medically discharged as fortunately most handlers take theirs in as pets. Don't be afraid of taking one of these in; they are deemed unsuitable for lots of reasons which would be fully disclosed to potential adoptees, but usually pretty normal stuff - bit shy, lacking confidence, not quite brave enough, car sick, too easily distracted.

In fact my old retiree was a very near fail due to her hating that shiny bumpy metal flooring you sometimes get on stairs and in lifts.
Even now if she had the choice of venturing into a lift with a nice juicy bone in it, or jumping over a 6 ft fence, trapsing through some mud to reach a left over chicken ball, she'd go for my takeaway every time.

Which leads to me puppy fostering. Especially useful to the post who's DS was interested. Can't believe I forgot about this, Shame on me! Basically like the Guide Dog puppy scheme which I'm sure most people are familiar with. Enquire with your local Force - they should be pleased to hear from you (I think you can't be away from home for more than 2 hours a day though or something like that)

So interesting, op! I was doing late night ironing at the weekend, and had various police type programmes on: there was one really cool female handler, who was abseiling with her dog, which was amazing. I didn't really know too much about police dogs before seeing it (I appreciate that it's edited highlights, BTW!) but I was blown away by the handlers and their dogs - really incredible work. No questions but for the interesting thread

Made someone jealous?! Yes, I think my job is awesomely brilliant.

I feel immense pride in serving my community and having the privilege of working with these fabulous unsung heroes. I walk straighter and feel I look like, well the dog's 'nads, when I'm walking with my mutt.

But regrettably, i can't do it when I'm 60 and believe me, there are a lot of downsides too.

Very interesting OP.

Do sniffer/drug/cadavar dogs ever make mistakes?

The case of Maddie McCann comes to mind.

What lovely comments I've had! They've really made me all warm and fuzzy inside, thank you!
I've had some very negative PETA type people approach me before when I took part in a country show type thing (dogs doing assault course and basic drill things), so I'm aware not everyone is a fan of working dogs. But with every fibre, I believe our society would be much poorer and shit without them.

I've seen the #DontDitchTheDogs campaigns- is that something that concerns you?

I don't have any questions, the ones I had have been asked already but I wanted to say that I adore German Shepherds, gorgeous to look at and so loving and also you seem like a lovely person, thank you for keeping us all safe

Dogs live at home, but in a kennel (mine is in a proper kennel atm due to various things but I'll be sorting it out as soon as building work has finished). They are not part of the family in such that I let people or other pets mix with her (apart from my old service dog as when i take her out for walkies she reverts back to working mode), or she is allowed to be treated as a domestic pet.
Don't get me wrong, I often want to, but must remind myself she is a costly working animal and can't be allowed to get too soft!

My friend is a puppy walker for the police,
I love her stories and seeing the dogs she looks after.
Will keep my eye on this thread, will be very interesting- thanks for sharing and thanks
for the hard work you and your colleagues and their dogs do!

Of course the falling number of police dogs concerns me. For your safety, not for my livelihood or anything like that.

A number of Forces have already disbanded their mounted divisions, and the number of dogs used has decreased. It would probably surprise a lot of people to know their force probably has less than 40 dogs.

Am i a visual deterrent? Could I find someone in a dark field? Can I keep someone at bay by pulling a mean face? Can I track a missing child by sniffing their coat? Could I protect colleagues to the same extent, especially if armed? You only have to look at photos of crowds - their focus is never on the officers, but on the animals.

It makes me extremely angry. These dogs do so much more than people realise.
Much like the NHS white papers that left me in despair when I worked for them, they can spin it all they like: more multi-discipline specialist dogs, saving resources, service-led user BS.

I hate all Police/NHS/education/council services/ I could go on ad nauseum/ cuts

But truly believe this is extremely shortsighted and a recipe for disaster.

Arrrrggghhh! It's just ridiculous and drives me mad.
Off for a walk, via the chippy (must be done as I'm so wound up thinking about budget cuts!), now.
Will respond to the rest of your questions and queries hopefully over the weekend when I get chance.

Does your force allow you to use social media as a dog handler? (Not asking you to our yourself by giving your handle!) I find there can be great engagement and increase support of police with twitter/Facebook accounts but some forces are cracking down.

For clarity: I have nothing to do with the police just follow a few on Twitter and interaction and cuts seem to come up time and again.

I would love to do what you do OP. I am weljel.

I knew an ex police dog and handler when I worked in a pub. The pub owners had adopted her after he had retired from the police and took the pub on and she finished with him. They used to leave her with me when they went up to bed. She was absolutely amazing.

He had taught her (and me) to check the cellars, take the till down to the safe and if I dropped the hatch at the end of the bar she sat by it and no one was coming through it.

She would also escort me to my car when I had done, then jump over the back wall of the bungalow where the owners lived to go to bed. He taught me various words/phrases and how to say them if the shit ever hit the fan. I remember she would always ignore 'come here' or 'leave them' and I had to say something else to call her off.

Does every trainer have different commands for stuff like that? Or had he taught her that specifically for her 'second' job?

She was amazing. There was a fight one night in the bar and she stood at the end.of the bar barking and growling under the serving hatch but never moved away from it until someone fell against it, then I thought she was going to launch herself over it.

Another night walking me to my car she found a couple having a romantic snog in the carpark and stopped dead and wouldnt stop barking until they went.

And apparently before I started working there she stopped the landlord from being attacked by idiots who were asked to leave. He apparently had a quiet word and told them to drink up and go. They said to make them and started squaring up to him, he asked again and there was a bit of a push and next thing knobhead bloke on his back with a very loud dog barking in his face.

Adopting a retired police dog is on my bucket list of things to do. I adore GSDs but never had the time to devote to one but one day I will.

Interesting AMA thank you. So, to clarify, did you join the police with the fixed plan of joining the dog handling group as soon as possible? How long between joining the police and becoming a handler was it? Do you only work with your dog(s) now or do you sometimes have stints of doing police duty without dogs?

What sort of training methods are used? It was still quite old school last I heard with only a few trainers crossing over to positive reinforcement.

My dad was MoD police and I grew up with police dogs and ex police dogs

Are youMoD or normal forces?

OP are you okay??? I take it you ended up having a busier weekend than expected!

Hello, apologies for the delay. Work, home and it's too bloody hot.
Not too much time this evening, but I'm slowly working my way through your questions and I'll get there in the end, bear with me!

I'm a complete technophobe (never even had a Facebook account) so not on Twitter, but think it's absolutely fantastic that citizens are being made aware and getting involved with the cuts.

Approach an officer, especial with your kids, ask about their job, their dog, catching baddies, whatever. I for one, love it!

And it makes a nice change from when I go round the supermarket and hear, "Be good or the policeman will send you to jail!"