Working Dog Candidate: Things to Consider When Selecting Your Canine

Issue 9 | May/June 2018 | $9.95

Every Dog Has His Day Clinton Police Department K9 Unit

2018

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Working Dog Candidate THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING YOUR CANINE

By Jay Brock

T

he importance of selecting the right working dog candidate for a department’s K9 program cannot be understated. It almost goes without saying that the investment of both time and money into a single prospective working dog is substantial.

The initial dog purchase, initial training courses, and officer compensation over multiple weeks of training can easily reach into the tens of thousands. Much of this could be lost if the working dog candidate fails to complete training satisfactorily or has undesirable traits that make it unable to be placed into service. The reasons for finding the right vendor and conducting testing and evaluations become obvious. First, a working dog with the correct characteristics and drives can be properly trained for the intended purpose (patrol, detection, tracking, etc.).

Second, a working dog properly matched with the handler will have a reduced chance of conflict, thus allowing for a positive working relationship. The combination of these two factors will ensure that when the K9 team goes into service, both dog and handler will have the best chance of being an effective tool for the department and the community in which they serve.

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Photos by Scott Daigle daiglephoto.com

Vendor Selection

This information is provided under the assumption that your department will be working with a vendor you selected to acquire a dog from. Do your homework by speaking to other departments about the vendors that they are using, and do not hesitate to ask the vendor lots of questions about the dogs and services they provide. These questions should include cost, health guarantees, and workability guarantees. A quality vendor is immensely valuable and will have a good idea about what your needs are based upon the information you provide. For example, the needs and type of dog suited for a cross-trained patrol dog working the streets will be different from a detection dog working in a custody facility or airport. A vendor should allow testing of the dogs available for purchase that they show your department. This testing is crucial to determine the characteristics and abilities of the dog prior to placing it with the handler and to entering a training program.

Initial Impressions Before getting into the specifics about selecting a vendor and testing the dog, those who have limited experience with working dogs, or are purchasing one for the first time need some generalized explanation. The “ideal” candidate is a working dog that has the ability to be a confident and social animal and then when commanded, transition into a working machine. For a patrol dog this could be visiting with people at a demonstration one minute and then aggressively hunting for a wanted felon the next. Another important part of the acquisition process to understand is that dogs will generally be confident at their “home.” Therefore, it is important when evaluating the dog to do so at a place away from its normal kennel or training location. Once placed into service, working dogs will be expected to perform at unfamiliar locations in often extremely difficult conditions, so it is important to see them working in a strange environment. The reasons that most agencies go through a reputable vendor are expertise and guarantees. This leads to a brief discussion about dog vendors.

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Upon your arrival at a training facility or kennel, the vendor will likely present a dog for testing. You should watch how the dog behaves upon approaching strangers and how it interacts with the trainer. A dog should be stable and confident. This would be tail down or up and wagging, ears up or down (depending on social signals), dog out at the end of the lead, and no outward signs of fear. The dog should not be skittish and defensive (tail tucked, hackles up, ears pinned back, etc.) or the opposite — overly aggressive and not approachable (growling, barking, etc.). The dog should also not be sensitive to the trainer, known as hand shy, as if being afraid of being struck with a hand. The dog’s new handler should be present and should be allowed to take the lead and walk with and interact with the dog.

The new handler should also be involved in the testing process to ensure there are no obvious conflicts. The word conflicts would describe the dog being aggressive toward the handler, or the dog being overly sensitive and fearful of the handler. These traits are not desirable and could lead to training and relationship issues between dog and handler.

It should be noted that these dogs are typically high drive and full of energy, which is completely normal. The following tests are intended to be a guide and not all that could be conducted. This is written with the assumption that this will be a dual-purpose candidate, meaning patrol and a detection discipline (narcotic, explosive, firearm, etc.).

If you are seeking a single-purpose dog, detection only, then follow the detection processes.

Detection Testing The dog should be taken to an open area with grass or something similar. The purpose will be to evaluate the dog’s toy drive and willingness to retrieve. The toy should be what will be used during the training course, such as a ball or other high-value toy. The handler will hold the dog by the collar and then toss the ball, letting it come to rest about 20 or 30 feet away. Once the ball stops, the dog should be released.

The dog should immediately run to the ball, pick it up (possessing it), and then return with it quickly and with enthusiasm. The dog should not go out and sniff the ball without picking it up or be distracted by other activities going on in the general area.

The next exercise will require taller grass or bushes to allow for a short search. The handler should once again hold the dog by the collar and then toss the ball into the tall grass about 20 to 30 feet away. The dog should be turned in a circle so that it does not have a specific point to run to. The handler should then release the dog to search for the ball. If possible, this exercise should be done into the wind (if air movement is present). The dog should actively search the entire time until it locates the ball and once again return with it enthusiastically. The dog should not lose interest and should not be averse to going through tall grass or bushes.

The last consideration is what is known as being environmentally sound. If possible, the dog should be taken indoors and onto slick surfaces, up and down stairs, and in tight spaces to make sure it will not refuse to work in these areas. A dog that “freezes,” or shuts down, in these environments is not desirable. Those dogs that initially show concern, but quickly overcome it, can still be suitable working dog candidates.

Patrol Testing The patrol testing is divided into three sections to assess the dog’s different drives.

Once again, the ideal testing location for this evaluation is somewhere unfamiliar to the dog. This gives the most accurate representation about the dog and its nerves and character. Something worth mentioning is that a young dog (12 to 18 months old) has likely not fully matured, and this should be taken into consideration when testing. The next three tests are listed in a particular order with the most stressful first and the others allowing for the dog to release that stress.

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Defense Test

This test is meant to show the dog’s reaction to human confrontation and nerve stability.

The dog should be tied out or staked out on a harness or a flat collar in a more remote area with limited distractions. The dog should be left alone without the handler or trainer present.

After sitting for five to ten minutes, the dog should relax to a neutral state. At this point a “stranger” in civilian clothing should approach the dog in a confrontational manner. This should be at a slow, direct walk toward the dog while exhibiting confident body posture and making constant eye contact with the dog. The one delivering the test will continue forward until getting a continued response from the dog and then will retreat. Note: at no time will this person and the dog come in direct contact with one another. The desired response is a dog that stays at the end of the tie out with initial curiosity that will generally evolve into growling/barking, some level of hackles up, and a display of confidence attempting to prevent the “intruder” from continuing. Conversely, the unwanted response is a tucked tail, ears pinned back, whimpering, and attempting to flee the area.

Once the test is completed, the dog is retrieved from the tie out.

Prey Test This test is meant to show the dog’s prey drive and willingness to pursue a person. The handler should have the dog on a flat collar or harness and a six-foot lead. For a younger dog with less bite experience, the decoy can wear a bite sleeve, or a full suit can be worn, depending upon the dog’s experience. The decoy should get the dog’s attention by showing movement and once ready should feign fleeing. The handler should allow the dog to drag him forward toward the decoy at a quick pace and allow the dog to bite. The dog should bite firmly and deeply, attempting to stop the decoy’s flight. A dog that has a shallow bite or continues to release and appears fearful is not desirable. This is a foundational exercise, and the dog should not have any hesitation or reluctance to bite and should show complete confidence during this exercise.

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Courage Test

This test is intended to show the dog’s ability to take pressure put upon it during confrontation with a decoy. The handler should have the dog on a six-foot lead on a harness or flat collar. The decoy should have a padded stick, clatter stick, or a plastic jug with gravel or something similar. The decoy should get the dog’s attention by once again showing movement, but during this test, he will advance upon the dog in a confrontational manner similar to the defense test. The decoy should raise the stick overhead in a threatening manner and walk straight into the dog.

The desired response is the dog remaining at the end of the lead and going straight into the decoy, biting the front surface — the chest or biceps — of the bite suit. Dogs that show avoidance, cower, or attempt to flee are not desirable.

These tests are certainly not meant to be allinclusive, nor do I suggest that they are the only manner in which a dog can be tested for workability.

In addition, the suggestions for suitability are subjective and are intended as a base guide for working dog selection. I have personally tested hundreds of dogs and can attest that the successful completion of these tests translates directly into working dogs that are having successes on the street today. The next consideration in the working dog team is a competent and capable handler, to be discussed further in a future issue. I wish you much success in your pursuit of finding the best dog for your department.

Lieutenant Jay Brock is the current unit commander of the Farmersville (CA) Police Department K9 Unit. He has 28 years of law enforcement experience, has managed and supervised K9 units for over 15 of those years, and has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminology. Jay has worked six different dual-purpose dogs including one on a full-time SWAT team and has competed in working dog competitions at the local, state, and international levels as well as being a trial decoy, trial judge, and trial master.

Jay is the owner and training director of Top Dog Training Center, LLC founded in 2003. He has earned the reputation as a highly skilled and hands on trainer striving to use innovative and continually evolving training methods.

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January/February 2019 | 39

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