Shaping A Dogs Behavior
Eden and White utilize the training principle of shaping, an operant conditioning technique where the dog is encouraged to discover the correct behavior on his own rather than physically manipulated or lured into the desired behavior. In the early stages, the handlers job is simply to manage the training environment in a way that prevents the dog from self-rewarding undesired behavior. Eden calls this letting the dog teach himself.
If we get a dog into training that we allow to teach himself, the benefits are exponentially greater than what we had under the old system of negative reinforcers and compulsive training, he says. We found that it was so much better and the results were at the point where we had very little recidivism.
When he does what you want and is rewarded, it modifies the behavior so that he continues to achieve his reward by consistently doing the same right thing over and over again, Eden explains.
For canine officers, one of the most difficult behaviors to train is the out or bite release, especially from a training sleeve. Handlers are required to maintain clean bite release work in training and on the street with suspects. If the team is ever involved in litigation, they must prove the dog is responsive to cues in all settings. Most police dogs are high-drive and equipment-oriented they live for the chance to fight a decoys protective sleeve. Convincing them to let go is a challenge.
Shaping VS. Luring
How To Become A K9 Officer: Career Description Salary And Steps To Take
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K9 officers and their dogs endure rigorous testing and training on an ongoing basis to protect and serve their communities. They are often dispatched to the most dangerous calls and must have a high level of athleticism, police skills and fearless dedication to do their jobs well.
In this article, we provide an overview of what K9 officers do, how they’re trained and what the requirements are for performing this vital role.
Where Are The Dogs Kept Do They Live With Their Handler
Each DNR K9 is assigned their own handler. The dog lives with the handler and their family at the handler’s home. The handler is responsible for the daily care and training necessary to ensure the dog excels at its tasks.
The dogs have indoor/outdoor kennels to ensure they are properly acclimated to seasonal temperatures, so they can work in those conditions. They are allowed inside the homes of the handlers and spend a great deal of time with the handler and their family. This helps to ensure the dog’s social needs are also met.
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Other Elements Of Police K9 Dog Training
Although the basic elements of police K9 training are very similar if not the same for every dog, there are also a wide variety of working situations which require very specific skill sets. Particularly for police dogs, no two job descriptions are ever the exact same. For this reason, we are happy to provide specialized training in any area specifically requested by our customers. If you need a dog to perform a job, we can train it!
Officer Fluffy: How Police Dog Training Happens
Posted January 31, 2018 by VWU | Criminal Justice
Police dogs are a critical part of law enforcement agencies across the country. Their unique abilities make these animals ideal partners for K-9 police officers. The value of trained police dogs is clear when you consider that, according to Slate, anyone who kills a federal law enforcement animal will face fines andup to 10 yearsin prison. It is most common for breeds such as German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Doberman pinschers and bloodhounds to work as police dogs due to a combination of temperament, strength and a powerful sense of smell.
Law enforcement officers who partner with police dogs are referred to as K-9 officers. They work for local, state and federal agencies like Customs and Border Patrol , the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Transportation Security Administration . These officers receive specialized training to learn how to interact effectively with police dogs.
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The Old Way To Handle K9s: Compulsion Wears Out Fast
When Phoenix police officer Vince Bingaman joined the department 10 years ago, compulsion was the name of the game.
With the types of strong dogs we deal with, thats how you got an animal to do something, he says. He was forced to do it and there was a negative repercussion if he didnt. When the dogs did well we praised them, but we were really into compulsion to force strong-willed dogs to do what we wanted them to do and it led to a lot of conflict.
The conflict between dog and handler led to many handlers sustaining serious bites. The idea of compulsion and punishment leading to increased bites is not limited to working police canines. Many pet dogs react the same way, especially when punishment techniques are employed in an attempt to modify aggressive behavior. The agency eventually turned to Bob Eden, who, over three months, helped transform the canine department with amazing success.
Compulsion adds a lot of stress to a dog and we had difficulty getting ideas across to the animal, says Bingaman. With compulsion, because the dogs were forced to do what we asked them to do, the results were quicker, but they werent long-standing. It was a cycle. The dog would work for us for a while and then there would be some negative side effects of the dog falling back into his old ways and then the compulsion would have to come back in and the dog would comply and the cycle would continue. When we trained the dogs in a more positive environment, the training stuck.
Police K9 Training Is An Investment
You should understand that training police dogs is not cheap. In fact, for full training in hard surface tracking, patrol work and detection, youre looking at anywhere from $12,000 to $15,000 per dog, depending on the length and extensiveness of each class. Plus, you have to continually train and keep your dogs skills sharp on a monthly basis.
Training a police dog requires care, time and a lot of hard work. Make sure whoever will be the K9 handler, as well as your entire force, is willing to take on the responsibility that comes with owning a K9.
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Skills Needed To Become A K9 Officer
Success in this role tends to rely on your possession of the following skills:
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Mental and physical stamina. Officers and their K9 partners must remain alert through the duration of their shifts, often staying on their feet for long stretches of time.
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Interpersonal skills. Officers and K9s often present public demonstrations to increase awareness in the community about the K9 unit’s contribution to mitigating crime in the area. These demonstrations may take place at schools, municipal facilities and other local venues.
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Communication skills. A K9 officer has the responsibility of communicating with not only their colleagues and the community at large, but they must maintain immaculate communication with their dog at all times. Additionally, K9 officers must be able to decipher subtle signals and changes in behavior from their canine partners.
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Love and respect for animals. To work with animals in any capacity, you must respect them, fulfill their needs and show compassion toward them. Your K9 dog is your partner, therefore, there will be times when you must be able to protect each other’s life. Trust them and they’ll trust you.
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American Pit Bull Terrier
Despite the negative stigma attached to the American Pit Bull Terrier, many U.S. police agencies have over the past few years been using American Pit Bulls as detector dogs. The reason for this is simple: price. A fully trained imported German Shepherd can cost as much as $20,000 for a single dog, whereas rescued Pit Bulls are extremely cheap. Thanks to a grant program run by police Universal K9, police agencies can have rescued Pit Bulls trained as single-purpose narcotics or explosive tracking dogs, free of charge.
This is a fantastic initiative that not only provides communities in the United States with a K9 resource that their local police may not otherwise have been able to afford, but it also helps reduce the number of abandoned American Pit Bulls that destroyed or end up spending their lives languishing in animal shelters.
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Check Your Ego At The Door
Ego often interferes with good dog training. Much of the often inhumane actions inflicted on dogs are based on the handlers need to feel dominant over the animal.
You can shoot yourself in the foot if you take it personally when the dog doesnt listen to you, says Bingaman. If a dogs not listening, I need to step back and look at how I need to adjust my training its the human end of it thats missing something. The dog is a simple-minded animal. Theres no conspiracy going on in the dogs head, no matter what people think.
The problem with ego is compounded by the general human misunderstanding that dogs have the logical capability to know right from wrong to a degree that they can make a logical decision. Dogs make behavioral decisions, not logical ones. The dog will only do what the dog wants to do. As White often explains it, whenever you ask a dog to do something, the first thought that goes through his mind is, Whats in it for me right now?
The dog has to have the desire to do it, reiterates Eden. If he doesnt get a reward for what hes doing, hell only do it to avoid punishment. When you have a dog whos constantly under stress and doing things to avoid punishment, he wont work as intensely, as efficiently, or as stress-free as one who does it because he understands and knows what he needs to do to get the desired result.
What Are The Credentials Needed To Ensure That The Person Training The Dog Is Qualified
When considering a trainer’s qualifications, be sure to research their organization’s accreditation. Your department can provide the basic information of the training organization, if the training is outsourced, and from there you can research to satisfy your questions. Nationally-recognized organizations like The U.S. Police Canine Association, The National Narcotic Detector Dog Association, The North American Police Work Dog Association and The National Police Canine Association are the most trustworthy K-9 associations in the US.
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How To Buy Police Dogs
A police dog is an important part of the layered approach of law enforcement today
Properly trained and deployed K-9s have a direct impact on reducing crime in the areas where they are deployed.
Studies have shown that dogs search faster and more accurately than humans. Detection K-9s can locate hidden contraband more quickly and more accurately than hand searching and, as the size of the search area increases, that efficiency becomes even more pronounced. K-9 narcotics and drug money seizures keep contraband off the streets and provide funds for key equipment purchases. No matter how large or small your agency may be, a K-9 unit is an integral part of todays law enforcement package for your community.
Getting a new K-9 unit started, however, requires a complete understanding of the issues involved and the options available to the purchasing agency.
How Are Police Dogs Trained
Police dogs are highly trained officers just like their owners. It can be envious sightseeing of a perfectly trained police dog obeying the orders of his owner and being happy about it. These dogs are trained for months or years to perform the complicated tasks that the police dogs are required to accomplish. Their training is rigorous and different from what your pet might need and thats why we usually see just a few specific breeds being trained as police dogs.
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What Kind Of Training Do The Dogs Receive
The type of training that the handlers and the dogs receive depends on what type of work they will be required to perform. The DNR uses a combination of single purpose and dual purpose handler/dog teams. The dual purpose dogs are trained and certified in patrol work and can be used for handler protection and criminal apprehension. The patrol dogs can also be used to locate items or people the way a single purpose dog would be capable of. The single purpose dogs are trained to detect items and missing persons. Single purpose dogs are used as a locating tool to find various items and people that would otherwise not be located or go unnoticed.
The handlers and dual purpose dogs attend a 12 week police dog school. They are trained to the certification standards of the United States Police Canine Association. During this school the dogs are trained in various areas to include tracking of persons, criminal apprehension, evidence searching/recovery, officer protection, obedience and agility.
DNR K9 handlers and dogs also attend 3 weeks of fish and wildlife detection training. This training develops the dog’s abilities to locate specific scents to assist in our mission to protect the state’s natural resources from poaching. After the formal training the dogs continue with annual certifications and ongoing training to maintain their proficiency.
Additional Requirements Of A K9 Officer
A K9 officer will have to undergo regular police education and training, along with other certifications for dog handling and training:
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Education: To become a police officer, it is required to have earned at least a high school diploma or equivalent, however, many employers prefer a candidate to hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
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Training: Successful completion of a 12- to 14-week police academy course plus two to three years of patrol experience are required to become eligible to apply for a position in the K-9 unit. The officer is then assigned a dog, and intensive training commences, in which the pair completes simulations and exercises focusing on agility and obedience, search, tracking and scouting, bite and protection work, suspect apprehension scenarios and tactical deployment exercises. The officer must successfully complete coursework relating to canine behavior and first aid techniques.
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Certifications: Organizations dedicated to training and working with canine police dogs offer certification programs, the completion of which can give you a competitive advantage in getting hired or promoted. Some organizations include The U.S. Police Canine Association, The National Narcotic Detector Dog Association, The North American Police Work Dog Association, The National Police Canine Association and more.
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Tips For Training Your German Shepherd Dog Or Puppy
Follow these German Shepherd training tips for a healthy, happy, well-rounded puppy.
Training your German Shepherd puppy involves teaching them how to be successful in your world and life.
This means they need to understand what you expect of them and how you communicate your expectations.
Using Treats Is Effective For Dog Training
Dogs are easily motivated by food. Thats why many trainers use dog treats to reward dogs for performing commands. Small dog treats allow for several repetitions before the dog becomes disinterested. More often than not, youll be the one cutting them off.
To avoid creating a bribe instead of a reward, keep the treat hidden. This way, the dog wont expect the treat until they perform the command.
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Youll also want to be careful about what treats you use. Many dog treats have high calories or can disrupt your dogs digestion if they get too many while training. Its important to choose training treats that are small and fragrant to motivate your dog.
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K9 Dog Training: How Police Dogs Are Trained For Duty
While dogs serve people in a variety of ways around the world, some of the most visible service dogs are police dogs. K9 dogs handle many jobs including protecting the dog owner, sniffing out drugs or bombs and patrolling sensitive areas.Each job requires different skill sets and thus a different type of training.
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There Are Essential K9 Dog Traits
Not every dog is cut out to be a police dog. There are a few necessary traits depending on how the dog will be used within the force. In addition to being alert, calm, obedient and smart, a future K9 should have the following traits.
-A keen sense of smell
-No sensitivity to loud noises
-Comfortable walking on various surfaces
-A sociable temperament
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What Is The Projected Growth For This Job Opportunity
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a 5 percent anticipated growth for police dog trainers between 2014 and 2024. On average, the BLS reported the average salary for a law enforcement dog trainer is $58,320.
Keep in mind that canines will likely always be used to help out law enforcement officers, meaning there will always be a need for police dog trainers.
Things To Know About Police K9 Training
A K9 dog is a crucial member of any police force. They not only patrol and sniff out bombs, bodies and narcotics, but they also protect the dog owner. Because of this, K9 police dog training is obviously much different than traditional obedience training for your pet. It is intensive and there are many required expenses, including police K9 equipment and time-involved maintenance training.
If you or your police department are considering purchasing and training a K9 dog, there are some vital things you should know first.
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