Detection Dogs and their Training

Graham Vest stated, “the one absolutely unselfish friend a man may have in this selfish world….is the dog” at a Missouri trial in 1870, over 500 years after the first instalment of dogs in civil services (Orbaan, 15). Unlike man, canines possess a courageous attribute that does not fail even in the moment of an emergency and will not back down to daily challenges that may arise on the job each day. Law enforcement agencies around the world, both big and small, employ canines to assist officers in the field. Therefore, canine units have become an integral part of law enforcement around the world, yet to be able to detect bombs, drugs, or the like, canines and their handlers, must undergo extensive training to ensure “familiarization” between man and dog and its purpose.

Moreover, on record, France was the first to use dogs for civil protection-patrolling the perimeter of Saint Malo in the early 1300s (Chapman, 8). Yet, it was not until 1899, in Ghent, Belgium, would there be schools for dogs to be trained for use in law enforcement. By 1906, 120 men were working with between 50 and 60 dogs. However, as you can see by the popularity of canine units today, canine training schools did not stay within the boundaries of Ghent, but diffused to other European countries before spreading around the world as well. In 1910, the 1987 British Home Office report stated, “the first use of dogs in law enforcement in England…more closely resembled an informal operation” (Chapman, 11). Therefore, England’s role in the development of canine units has become common knowledge in American homes today, although they are not the true developers of such a productive special unit in law enforcement.

Although, it is Americans awareness that the history...

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...ing to serve the world’s civil services and law enforcement agencies to their fullest. However to keep reinforce the extensive training both dog and handler endure, repetition and extended practice each week will keep the bond strong and performance level at their peak.

Works Cited

Brown, B. (1970). Dogs that work for a living. New York, NY: Funk & Wagnalls.

Chapman, S. (1960). Dogs in police work: A summary of experience in Great Britain and the

United States. Brattleboro, VT: The Vermont Publishing Company.

Davis, L. (1976). Go find!: Training your dog to track. New York, NY: Howell Book House Inc.

English, M. (1976). A basic guide to dog training and obedience. New York, NY: A Filmways

Company.

Orbaan, A. (1968). Dogs against crime: True account of canine training and exploits in worldwide police work past and present. New York, NY: The John Day Company.