What Do Police K9 Dogs Do?

In the U.S., there are somewhere around 50,000 active police dogs.

These dogs are highly intelligent, highly trained, and putting their lives on the line on a regular basis to help protect the public. Have you ever been curious about what it is exactly k9 dogs do?

K9 dogs can perform a number of different functions that benefit the police force and the general public. They are often able to quickly apprehend suspects, find evidence that the human eye missed, and search for missing people.

Let's take a look at what you need to know about k9 dogs!

What Are Popular Police Dog Breeds?

There are a number of dog breeds that are common k9 police dog choices. These include:

• German Shepherds
• Bloodhounds
• Belgian Malinois
• Labrador Retrievers
• Dutch Shepherds
• Doberman
• Beagle
• English Springer Spaniel

The reason these are popular breeds is because of their impressive working ability and their ability to cooperate with handlers. Some of these breeds are also particularly tenacious when fighting criminals.

The German Shepherd is probably the most preferred police dog breed. This is because they hardly get tired, they're high energy, and they're versatile. Easy to train and very intelligent, German Shepherds make ideal police dogs.

Belgian Malinois are also common police dogs. Similar looking to German Shepherds but smaller and lighter in weight, they are fast learners and able to perform a number of different tasks.

Other breeds might not be used as often. Dobermans, for example, can be more high-strung than other dogs so they are not used as often in police departments.

Different dog breeds can be more suitable for different purposes. For example, Labrador Retrievers are popular choices for drug and explosive detection and search and rescue. However, since they are so friendly by nature, they are not a common breed for protection work.

Some k9 dogs might have several different purposes while others might only have one specific task they perform.

K9 Dog Suspect Apprehension

Some police dogs are trained to attack and bite suspects that are dangerous, effectively holding them hostage. In a lot of circumstances, the k9 dog is the first one who puts their lives in danger to help protect the public.

Apprehension dogs tend to be herding breeds. These might be Dutch Shepherds, German Shepherds, or Belgian Malinois. This is because these breeds have been bred to be highly intelligent and incredibly strong. These skills are necessary when herding and protecting livestock, but are also well-suited to restraining dangerous individuals.

K9 Dogs: Detection

Dogs are known for their remarkable sense of smell. With roughly 45 times more scent receptors in their noses, dogs can be incredibly helpful when it comes to fighting crime.

It's common in k9 dog training for dogs to be trained to sniff out a variety of explosives, drugs, and accelerants. They also might be able to sniff out other pieces of evidence found on a crime scene.

You might see dogs being used at border entries and airports to search for illegal drugs and explosives. They also might be used to search for explosives at large events or for civilian traffic stops.

In the military, dogs are often trained to be able to sniff out landmines. This can help to keep other military personnel safe from potential danger.

Search and Rescue

Sadly, police are frequently searching for victims that have become lost. Dogs are able to help search for human remains or living victims. After a natural disaster or an explosion, they can be used to help find survivors in the rubble.

If an individual has been buried in an avalanche or gotten lost hiking, k9 dogs can help with that too. They are even able to help find the bodies of people who have drowned.

Dogs are very capable of searching vast areas in a short time, so this is crucial when there are missing victims. Human searchers obviously also play a vital role in the search process, but the combination of the two can mean the difference between life and death for lost victims.

Common breeds for search and rescue missions include Belgian Malinois, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Bloodhounds, and Labrador Retrievers.

K9 Dog Training

It is a very lengthy process to train a police dog, as the training process begins with training the k9 handler first. It's important to train the handler first so that they can train the k9 dog and access the highest abilities of the dog.

The handler has to undergo the required police academy training and 1-2 years of gaining patrol experience before they can even be eligible for a transfer for a canine unit.

A dog must pass a basic obedience training course before they can be considered for a police department. It's essential that they can obey a handler's commands without any hesitation. This is because the handler must be able to have complete control over the dog's actions at all times, including how much force they use with a suspect.

3DK9 Detection Services: Providing Quality K9 Dog Security Services

As you can see, police dogs serve a variety of functions that help to protect the public from dangerous individuals and situations. Every day, k9 dogs are providing valuable services to Americans all around the country.

At 3DK9, we offer the very best in canine detection and safety. Our teams are highly trained and dedicated in order to deal with any precarious situation you might face. If it's time for you to start protecting your loved ones with 3DK9, you can schedule a consultation today.