When did police start using K9?

1899
History of Police Canines around the World In 1899, in Ghent, Belgium, police started formally training dogs for police work. This enhanced the popularity of using dogs for police work. By 1910, Germany had police dogs in over 600 of their largest cities.

Where do K9 police dogs come from?

Where Do Police Dogs Come From? Police departments get police dogs from different sources. While some may be donated or purchased locally, a major source of American police dogs is Europe. Breeders in Europe measure the potential police dogs against a core set of attributes.

What breed was the first police dog?

The German police selected the German Shepherd Dog as the ideal breed for police work and opened up the first dog training school in 1920 in Greenheide. In later years, many Belgian Malinois dogs were added to the unit.

When were drug dogs first used?

However, some specialized sniffer dogs are able to detect certain materials under low lighting due to their great sense of smell. Water search dogs were first used by the Navy in the United States around the mid-1980s (Osterkamp, 2011).

How did German Shepherds become police dogs?

German Shepherds and Police Work German Shepherds were naturally bred to work. German Shepherds are typically intelligent (one of the world’s most smart breeds), they quick to train, obedient and loyal, athletic and healthy, and even-tempered. All of these traits make German Shepherd’s ideal candidates for police work.

Are all k9s German Shepherds?

What breeds do they use for police dogs? The most popular breeds are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, and occasionally mixes of these breeds. Less popular, but still used at times, are Rottweilers, Doberman Pinchers, and Bouvier de Flandres.

Why are police dogs imported from Europe?

Dogs imported from Europe have several advantages over American-bred dogs. In Europe, breeding standards are very strict. Dogs are measured against a core set of physical attributes, and are only bred if they meet these criteria. In addition, European police dog agencies are internationally renowned.

How did German shepherds began working with police?

As such, German Shepherds were ideal candidates for police and military work. In the 1910s, Stephanitz approached German police departments to see if they’d be interested in using the dogs for work, and many began testing the breed for tactic work, protection, and tracking.

Why dogs are used by police?

Search & Rescue dogs – used to locate suspects or find missing people or objects. Detection dogs – used to detect drugs or explosives which may be carried on a person. Arson dogs – trained to pick-up on traces of materials at sites of suspected arson. Cadaver dogs – used to detect the odour of dead bodies.

Why are German Shepherds used as police dogs?

German Shepherds are calm-under-pressure, they’re highly intelligent and trainable, and they love to work. This makes the breed well-suited for working in high-stress situations, and it’s no surprise they’ve been used in police work for more than 100 years.

Why is a dog called a K9?

The term ‘K9’ or ‘K-9’ is derived from the English and French word ‘CANINE’ (which simply means ‘DOG’). ‘CA’=’K’ and ‘NINE’=’9’ (same as ‘YOU TOO’=’U2’). The first use of ‘K-9’ goes probably back to 1942. In that year the first military K-9 Corps were created by US Secretary of War Robert P.

Why are police dogs always German Shepherds?

German Shepherds were naturally bred to work. German Shepherds are typically intelligent (one of the world’s most smart breeds), they quick to train, obedient and loyal, athletic and healthy, and even-tempered. All of these traits make German Shepherd’s ideal candidates for police work.

Why do police use German Shepherds and not Pit Bulls?

Also, German Shepherds have greater restraint over their prey drive in comparison to other breeds. As a herding breed, the German Shepherd has good impulse control and analyzes the best approach to a situation. Lastly, German Shepherd dogs are lighter than other breeds that have a history of working as police dogs.