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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Adopting retired or 'failed ' police dogs

42 replies

RainbowLoom · 13/01/2015 18:51

Wondering if there's anyone with experience of this...
I have had a brief chat with someone in the met about it. I think a retired lab would suit us well, but would love to hear of anyone who has done it or considered it.

OP posts:

SinclairSpectrum · 15/01/2015 08:17

They absolutely do, no fear there. 99% of the time they retire but still live with their handler.

SinclairSpectrum · 15/01/2015 08:26

This is Nell - she isn't brave enough to be a police dog as she is a bit scared of the dark!
7 months old and absolutely beautiful...

Adopting retired or 'failed ' police dogs

OneDayWhenIGrowUp · 15/01/2015 08:28

I deal with a lot of police dogs at work as well, and would agree that the majority would be fairly challenging to rehome if you were not experienced in handling that type of dog.
I second what someone else has posted, that a retired guide dog may be an option worth considering- but if you're looking for an older lab, there will be plenty looking for loving homes through Labrador breed rescues. What is it about a retired service animal that attracts you?

OneDayWhenIGrowUp · 15/01/2015 08:29

The majority of police dogs live with their handler, they are a full time team, and stay on with them as pets after they retire. The bonds between them are quite something to see/experience!

OttiliaVonBCup · 15/01/2015 09:22

Just what you need!
A Labrador trained to sniff out stuff.

Chillycamper · 15/01/2015 09:28

I know someone with a retired guide dog and he's amazing. There is a website with how to apply.

Hoppinggreen · 15/01/2015 10:01

You can also get failed guide dogs, they are usually about 1 year old apparently around 20% don't qualify so need new homes.

Hoppinggreen · 15/01/2015 10:01

Nell is gorgeous sinclair

Chattymummyhere · 15/01/2015 11:51

Guide dogs that don't make the cut would be better than police force dogs.

My next door has the possible guide dogs from a few old till a year old to start their training, sometimes it can be simple things like the dog is just too big so they don't make the cut, sometimes you can get gsd's but not often as they don't tend to train them unless someone asks for a gsd.

Adarajames · 15/01/2015 12:09

There is a pretty long waiting list to get a failed guide dog though if I recall correctly

Wellsaline · 03/02/2016 18:17

Probably a little late now, But I wanted to say My wife and I adopted a German Shepard from Northumbria Police a couple of years ago called Jay. He had epilepsy so had to be retired from active service. We have a son who was 1 at the time we got Jay. Jay was the best dog you could ever ask for. He was Joe's he was intelligent loving and very loyal. He was Joe's best mate. We lost him this week and are completely devastated.

There were certainly a few raised eye brows when we first got him.

Yes police dogs have a high drive but they are also very stable (they have to be the police can't have them lashing out randomly) very calm, and non confrontational unless they or you are shown aggression. I can see that a failed dog may not have these traits (and this may be why he/she failed to make the grade) but I think you have to take each dog on its own merits.

Heather58Southey · 08/01/2017 13:16

Hi I would love to adopted Nell she is a young puppy I had a German Shepherd went I was young we had her 17 years I have had 2 rotties. Brother and Sister I lost Troy to cancer he was 8 1/2 and Tessie recently of old age she was 10 1/2,
I have always wanted another German Shepherd so can you consider me for Nell or another young puppy.

      [Message edited by MNHQ to remove poster's personal details. Also please be aware that this is a zombie thread that was started in 2015 and so Nell is unlikely to still be available for adoption.]

LadyWhoLikesLunch · 08/01/2017 17:06

We have a failed gsd who failed due to lack of aggression and he's an excellent dog. He's very calm and actually has always been quite a lazy dog. Bearing in mind that when police dogs are on duty they can spend whole shifts in the back of a van with out doing any work they're very use to long periods of inactivity.

Heather58Southey · 08/01/2017 18:05

I want a German Shepherd not labrador

Ellen1982 · 10/08/2017 21:42

im adopting a faild gsd dog i was told it faild for being to soppy was just wondering how i would go about handleing the dog

yvie2050 · 06/03/2019 15:18

We have recently lost our German Shepherd, in the past we have had a failed police dog, fantastic. we are having problems with contacting Police Forces to seek another German Shepherd, things seems to have changed over the years, can someone please give us guidance on what to do. Thanks

XingMing · 06/03/2019 15:45

A friend has been a puppy walker for hearing dogs (similar to guide dogs) and not all of them make it through training, but the charity has in place alternative plans for those and they are rarely offered to the public, unless they have to retire for age-related reasons or because their owner dies. Some very cute cocker spaniels though...

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