What dog breeds are the best bloodhounds

10 Best Police Dog Breeds in the World

A dog has been man's friend for many centuries. At home, she is a favorite and fun to play with, but if she serves in the police, she is obliged to comply with standards and follow commands to help a person. There are more than 100 dog breeds in the world, let's take a look at the ten best breeds that are ideal for police service.

German Shorthaired Pointer

The German Shorthaired Pointer or Kurzhaar is one of the best dog breeds for the police. The breed was developed in the 19th century and has a spotted coat, small size, short smooth coat, and an energetic and friendly personality. In addition to the fact that this breed is excellent for police service, it is also an excellent hunter.

Care

They require very little, if any, professional care. This doesn't mean they don't shed. Some shed heavily, although not to the same extent as other dog breeds. Bloodhounds also have a fairly strong "doggy smell" that many people don't like.

Owners should pay special attention to their dogs' wrinkles and droopy ears. You should clean your ears regularly to prevent infection and unpleasant odors. It is certainly advisable to start doing this from a very early age to avoid difficulty and fear as the dog grows to full size and strength.

English hound

The English hound has long, large ears; this feature makes the breed original in appearance. This is an excellent breed for police service as it is a disciplined, muscular and strong dog. This is almost the only breed that stands still and waits for the owner’s command to complete the task. The English hound was bred as a hunting dog, which, unlike the shorthaired pointer, hunted larger game than birds, for example, deer.

Brache

Thus, the brache is most likely a type of limier, distinguished by a more subtle sense, like Tristan's hound, which was looking for wounded game. Thus, in the heroic poem it is said that “the braches howled loudly when they smelled the smell of a wild boar.”

Bird dogs apparently quickly acquired dwarf forms, like the dogs with long hair that climbed onto the banquet table of Jean de Berry, as well as the dogs in the miniature “Going Out to Hunt” in the same book of hours and in the love scene of the 14th century. Small Spaniels (ancestors of modern Cavalier King Charles Spaniels) were used to hunt rabbits. On large French tapestries, such as “Ladies on a Unicorn,” falcons are depicted next to small dogs, which they often accompanied on the hunt. To catch small animals from holes, tame ferrets were used, as Gaston Phebus wrote about. The name "terrier", which was applied to small burrowing dogs, did not appear until the 1530s.

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Boxer

The name of the breed indicates that it is a fighting breed. There are two types of boxers: the service boxer and the German boxer. Thanks to their athletic constitution, boxers are able to jump well in height and length, which is what they rely on during training. Boxers' agility and instant reaction are the main qualities of a real police dog.

Labrador Retriever

This smart-faced dog breed is considered the friendliest, which is why it is so common among families with children or elderly people around the world. This smart dog with the character of a puppy will always come to the rescue and will serve faithfully. Despite the listed characteristics, Labradors are ideal for police service. The dog will easily find explosives, drugs, and will be the eyes and ears of the policeman. You need to be a brave and selfless dog to find bombs.

War years

In the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, almost all service dog breeding clubs in our country began to hand over their students to the army. The number of animals sent to help Soviet soldiers was in the thousands. At the same time, most clubs and nurseries managed to preserve breeding stock.

During this most difficult time for our country, dogs were used to form squads of mine detectors and tank destroyers. Often, specialist dog handlers went to the front along with their pets. The war caused great damage to the service dog breeding of the Soviet Union, and many kennels and clubs began their work in the post-war years from scratch.

Giant Schnauzer

A large dog already benefits due to its size and can easily detain a criminal. Few people would be afraid of a small decorative dog, but a giant schnauzer by its very appearance evokes fear and respect. The Schnauzer has long hair on its face and looks like a retired general with many years of service and a long track record behind him. The dog is ideal for police service due to its height, body length, sharp teeth, powerful jaw, courage and loyalty. In addition, the dog is highly trainable.

Doberman Pinscher

It is very difficult to teach an adult dog new tricks and commands, but the Doberman is a dog that learns throughout its life. This is a medium-sized dog, ideal for police service. The Dobie, as this breed is affectionately called, is an athletic and graceful dog, light in weight, but with excellent speed and physical characteristics. These dogs are valued by the police because they are real bloodhounds, hunters and have the stamina that is necessary when tracking or chasing a criminal.

Origin of the name of the breed

There is currently some debate as to what this breed was originally named. Many modern historians tend to argue that Bloodhounds were so named not because of their ability to smell blood, but rather because they were purebred.

This theory appears to have originated in the nineteenth-century writings of Le Cutulle de Canteleu and was enthusiastically and uncritically repeated by later writers, perhaps because changing the origin of the name would remove this undeniably good-natured breed from suggestions of a bloodthirsty temperament.

Unfortunately, however, neither de Canteleu nor later authors ever provided any historical evidence to support this view.

It is historically certain that the first person to ponder the origin of the name was John Caius (1576), undoubtedly the most important figure in chronicling the early history of the breed. In his writings he gives numerous descriptions of bloodhounds and their uses, detailing their use in game parks to track the scent of blood, their ability to track thieves and poachers by the scent of their feet, how they will howl if they lose the trail when thieves cross water. He also details their use in and around the Scottish Borders (the Borderlands) to track smugglers.

For him, Bloodhounds got their name from their ability to follow bloody trails. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, there is no reason to doubt Kai. Additionally, the use of the word "blood" in relation to lineage came hundreds of years after Kai's observations.

Belgian Tervuren

The Belgian Tervuren is not a traditional breed, and its name also has a root from the word “terror” (fear), which is exactly what it was supposed to evoke. Everyone is afraid of a big dog, even if he is kind at heart. A Tervuren is a long-haired dog that looks like a wolf, and therefore, as people thought, it is as ferocious as a wolf. But, in fact, this is a kind and friendly dog, but which behaves like a wolf or a lion if necessary to protect the owner. The Tervuren is a good watchdog and search dog.

Rottweiler

Rottweilers are known for their aggressive behavior and energetic nature. While not the biggest dog on this list, he is without a doubt the bravest attack dog that will make the ground burn under the feet of a criminal. He can easily bite off your finger. A criminal will think twice about his actions when meeting a Rottweiler. Taking into account the fighting and aggressive qualities of the dog, which he shows even in puppyhood, during training and training, emphasis is placed on discipline. You must be extremely strict and careful with this dog.

German Shepherd

The best breed of dog ideal for police service is the German Shepherd. In terms of his psychotype, he is a “boss”. Yes, not only people have personality, but dogs too. The shepherd behaves like a comrade, like a family member who understands everything, but cannot speak. This is a very smart and wise dog. The breed has acquired many positive qualities throughout its selection. The German Shepherd is ideal for police service for various reasons, including the ability to attack with lightning speed and immobilize the enemy. Basically, they are trained to search for and apprehend criminals. This dog, following a command, will not stop in front of obstacles in the form of high fences, water, etc. But even the bravest dog will need protection in the form of an anti-parasitic collar,

which you can do yourself.

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The category of wanted four-legged friends of man is rightfully considered one of the most valuable among service dogs. Bloodhounds are called upon to search for a person by his scent. They have such a developed sense of smell that they are able to follow a trail left several hours ago for tens of kilometers.

Detection dogs help in detaining violators, protecting them, and searching the territory in order to find a person or things belonging to him. In addition, bloodhounds are able to identify the wanted person by smell alone.

It is not for nothing that detection dogs are recognized as the most faithful assistants of those who guard the state border, serve in the internal troops and public order agencies.

Historical excursion

The potential of dogs to benefit investigative activities was first noted by the founder of forensic science, Hans Gross, in 1893. He wrote that with the use of four-legged animals, the trace of a person who has broken the law can be detected much faster, thanks to the special olfactory system of dogs.

The very first bloodhound schools were formed in Germany. About four hundred police departments across the country used specially trained dogs in the early nineteenth century. Such work to combat crime in the country was a success, as a result of which forensic departments in other countries became interested in trained dogs.

In Russia, four-legged friends began to be involved in maintaining law and order only at the end of the nineteenth century; at that time there was no unified coordination and a common system. In 1908, following the example of the Germans, the Society for the Use of Dogs in Police and Guard Service was formed, which was patronized by the royal family.

A dog kennel for the police, as well as a school for their handlers, was formed in St. Petersburg in 1909, and became the first such institutions in Russia. At that time, dogs of such breeds as the German Shepherd or Doberman were mainly involved in the government service.

The wars of the early twentieth century almost destroyed the developments in this area, so V.V. Yazykov, as a scientist, had to renew the system of breeding service dogs in general and training bloodhounds in particular. His activities marked the beginning of mass training of four-legged animals, with whose efforts it was subsequently possible to solve many cases and detain hundreds of criminals.

During the Patriotic War, at least 6,000 dogs were trained to detect mines; their contribution to the cause of victory became so significant that the Victory Parade on Red Square in 1945 was not complete without their participation. On it, soldiers with their faithful four-legged comrades marched behind shelves with military equipment.

Today, detection dogs work in customs, army, police, rescue services, and also search for drugs.

Development of service dog breeding in the Soviet years

After the end of the Civil War, service dog breeding continues to develop. New nurseries are being formed and dog handlers are being trained. In 1923, a course program for border guard instructors was developed. In the same year, the school of detection dogs began its work. The animals were prepared for the criminal investigation of the NKVD.

At the end of August 1924, the famous nursery “Red Star” was created. Since 1928, service dogs have been registered in the All-Union Pedigree Book. At the same time, courses for training experts in breeding and judicial work were opened.

The Doberman became the main service breed in Soviet Russia, but already at that time experts began to discuss the possibility of selecting domestic breeds, as well as purchasing purebred German shepherds abroad.

Characteristics

Search dogs are trained in a special way. The requirements for sniffer dogs are much higher than for other categories of dogs.

Bloodhounds are trained and acquire the necessary skills for about six months; mainly, special training centers are used for this. Instructors, i.e. Persons in charge of training sessions must have an excellent understanding of the theory of the basics of dog training and have sufficient practical experience in the training and use of detection dogs.

In order to master the profession of a trainer of such dogs, you need to love them, know canine training, have perseverance and determination in achieving your goals, have sufficient physical fitness, endurance, and have the skills to navigate the terrain at any time of the day. In addition, you need to carefully study the character traits of dogs, be able to handle them, make decisions quickly, and calculate the situation several steps ahead.

The German Shepherd is recognized as one of the best breeds suitable for investigative work. This dog deservedly enjoys the reputation of a faithful, reliable assistant in search activities. The following breeds are also used for search:

Airedale;
Great Dane;
Giant Schnauzer;
Doberman;
Rottweiler;
Boxer;
Scottish Sheepdog (Collie).

The choice of breed is carried out taking into account the climatic and other conditions of the areas where they are used.

How to choose a puppy and how much it costs

There are not many purebred representatives of the breed in Russia, therefore, when choosing a Bloodhound, you should be prepared for a high price and a long wait.

At 2 months of age you can already pick up the puppy. It is at this time that education and training must begin. The older the child, the more difficult it is to teach him.
Bloodhound puppies are hounds. They need space to develop. If a breeder keeps a mother and puppies in an apartment, you should cross off his number from your contact list.
It is necessary to familiarize yourself with medical reports about the puppy’s parents, paying special attention to hereditary dysplasia. A breeder who has nothing to hide will definitely have the results of the examination and x-rays.

Bloodhound puppies, depending on their pedigree and their own characteristics, cost from 50 to 90 thousand rubles. The price is also influenced by the famous name of the nursery.

Detection Dog Skills

For work related to the search, the selection of dogs under the age of three years is carried out taking into account their physical development, visual acuity, endurance, development of hearing and sense of smell. During the period of upbringing and instilling professional skills, high demands are placed on mastering the skills of general disciplines, such as good endurance, obedience in following commands at a distance of up to thirty meters from the trainer.

Special Skills

In addition to general disciplinary skills, training dogs must master special skills unique to detective dogs. These include:

Wariness towards strangers, ability to detain a convoy of criminals, readiness to rush to the defense of the conductor;
Search for a person;
Search the territory, both open and closed;
Selection of objects by the smell belonging to a person and, conversely, selection of a person by the smell of his things;
The ability to be alert and quietly notify someone when someone is approaching;
Security.

In addition to acquired skills, dogs intended for search activities must have special physiological characteristics.

Mating

Only functionally and clinically healthy animals are allowed for mating. Bloodhounds come into heat at 8-12 months, but Saint-Hubert dogs cannot be crossed that early. Unformed individuals do not bear full-fledged offspring. The optimal age for mating is 2 years and older. About a week before her heat, the bitch's state changes from extremely excited to apathetic.

The partners are first introduced on neutral territory so that they get used to each other, then the bloodhound bitch is brought to the male. Immediately before mating, the pets are walked, but not fed. Mating is best carried out from 11 to 15 days from the start of estrus.

Bloodhounds are usually bred freestyle. For a young bitch, it is recommended to find an experienced dog. If owners are crossing their pets for the first time, they should seek help from a professional breeder who will supervise the process. To increase the likelihood of a favorable outcome, a control mating is carried out after 1-2 days.

Bloodhound pregnancy lasts from 56 to 72 days. If more time has passed, but the bitch has not whelped, it is necessary to take the animal to a veterinarian. a delay indicates the appearance of any pathologies. A healthy Saint-Hubert dog produces on average 3-4 puppies.

Special Features

Detection dogs in the general sense are those that work using their developed sense of smell and sense of smell. Sniffer dogs have received a wide field for demonstrating their unique abilities in the following areas:

Searching for people by their scent-trace;
Convoy;
Sentinel activities;
Detection of mines and explosives;
Sanitary assistance,
Ore prospecting;
Detection of narcotic drugs.

The special sensitivity of the olfactory receptors, as well as the high organization of the central nervous system, gives dogs the ability to find odors, very sensitively recognize and isolate the desired one from a mixture of extraneous aromas, and remember the required smell of a footprint or hands on things and objects. A subtle sense of smell leads you along the trail and allows you to choose the right person from a whole group of people.

In a dog’s life, the ability to perfectly distinguish the nuances of smell is of great importance. The sense of smell gives a signal to the animal about the onset of a dangerous factor, the proximity of food, the appearance of relatives nearby and other events.

Observing dogs' excellent sense of smell, flexibility, and potential for training, people began to apply these valuable abilities to their goals.

Bloodhound

In the forensic work of departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one cannot do without a dog’s sensitive sense of smell. Sometimes a sniffer dog helps solve complex crimes that many employees thought were “unheard of.”

Dog handlers are confident that the bloodhound is an animal that has reached the top of its “career.” Not all representatives of various breeds are capable of engaging in such a noble cause. And those who, by definition, can cope with this work undergo a serious course of education and training, which does not stop until the end of the animal’s service.

A real sniffer dog must master the following skills:

work on the trail;
security of premises and individual items;
search of a building or area;
distrust of strangers;
detaining the criminal and protecting him until the arrival of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

During training, bloodhounds develop not only their sense of smell, but also their ability to sense the general condition of a person becomes more acute. Trainers say dogs sense fear. This often helps four-legged “law enforcement officers” solve the most complicated crimes.

It has been scientifically proven that the probability that a dog will make a mistake in the smell is one in one hundred million. The behavior of an animal during an odorological examination (for example, when it is necessary to determine whether a crime weapon belongs to a specific person) is irrefutable evidence in court.

To raise a good bloodhound, it is necessary to take into account the age of the animal. The dog must be no older than three years old, hardy, physically strong, have keen hearing and a unique sense of smell. The training of such animals lasts about six months in specialized schools.

Search service

One of the most complex and time-consuming types of use of service dogs has become the search service.
Guard activity requires the dog to have a certain anger, distrust of strangers, and determination; these qualities are mastered within two to three weeks. To gain the skills of search activities, a much longer period of training and acquisition of knowledge by the dog will be required. In addition, the dog's handler must undergo a special training course in this area in order to properly handle the trained animal and obtain more effective interaction.

To prepare for investigative work, young pets with developed senses are best suited. Their disposition should be quite vicious and courageous. The psyche of a search dog must have stability and balance, and the nervous system must be strong.

A search dog knows how to find the trail of a criminal, choose him among others, and work with objects left behind by a particular person.

The procedure for search activities

Despite the fact that the criminal is inclined to cover his tracks, confuse them, and use any tricks, this will not confuse a trained dog and make him lose the trail. Dogs are trained to work with a trail that can loop, be interrupted, change its direction, intersect with roads and pedestrian paths, and follow through populated areas.

The criminal constantly invents new ways to mislead his pursuers: he walks on water, climbs trees and mountains, uses stilts and other means of transportation, and treats his tracks with odor suppressants. A trained dog easily avoids such obstacles on the way to the goal, is able to steadily move in a given direction, and catch up with the criminal. It happens that this may take more than one hour. Having discovered and overtaken the pursued criminal, the dog detains him and waits for the handler.

When the pursuit just begins, the dog can move away by the length of the leash, i.e. at a distance of up to ten meters, following the scent. Immediately before the arrest, the handler unfastens the leash, giving the bloodhound freedom of action. The dog overtakes the offender, rushes to detain him, thereby turning his attention to himself, giving the handler the opportunity to approach in relative safety and end the pursuit. When a criminal is detained, a handler and a dog escort him to the place of temporary detention. During the convoy, the dog is trained to vigilantly observe every movement of the detainee, keep an eye on him and prevent all attempts to attack the conductor or escape from the place of detention.

Training

Raising a Bloodhound is not an easy process. They sincerely love their owner and are smart, but at the same time they are stubborn and independent . Experienced breeders advise that most training should be done outdoors, not at home. Physical punishment does not work on them; it will only push the dog away.

You will have to be patient and repeat the same command over and over again Many note that this breed cannot be ordered, it must be asked.

Do not practice commands for more than 15 minutes. If you continue training, the dog will ignore the instructions. The training should end at the moment when the dog has followed the command and you have praised it.

Despite the training, a bored bloodhound will chew and spoil things, so load it up to the maximum during walks: go to dog parks with logs and rings, throw a frisbee, organize a search for things.

Features of investigative work

In addition to tracking down criminals, detection dogs have many other useful skills. They are trained to search a given perimeter, look for abandoned items, and bring them to the guide. When a stranger is detected, dogs are taught to bark and apprehend until the handler appears.

In addition, dogs are allowed to get acquainted with the smell of a person, for example, by letting them smell his hand, they are taught to choose the right one from a bunch of objects, i.e. belonging to a specific person. An exercise is used with the reverse principle, i.e. Having become familiar with the smell of a thing, the dog is taught to find its owner among other people. When a wanted person, whose trail is taken by a dog, tries to get lost in the crowd, the dog must detect him and bark, ignoring other people.

Among other things, dogs learn to look for shelters and hiding places, carefully camouflaged, hidden in the depths. An important skill is the ability to confidently refuse treats that strangers are trying to offer, or edible finds.

The dog should not be afraid of sharp and loud sounds, such as gunshots, falling objects, explosions; it needs to be able to work in any environment, without being distracted by anything.

The above list of skills is not complete, but it already becomes clear from it how difficult the fate of a search dog is. The service requires, both from the dog and from the person, remarkable patience, strong character, and the desire to be useful.

Types of dogs and nuances of their use

Different breeds of dogs are used for search activities. Over the years of service, many of them have proven themselves to be faithful, reliable companions and assistants. Proper, comprehensive training of the dog, combined with the knowledge and experience of its handler, leaves no chance for criminals.

The most frequently searched for are:

East European and German Shepherds;
Rottweilers,
Airedale Terriers.

Short-haired breeds successfully work in cities in response to various types of events and incidents; they work at train stations, airports, customs inspection points, and other buildings or structures.

Long-haired dogs are capable of serving in harsher weather conditions; they are used to protect state borders, in the armed forces, and forestry departments.

On the border

At the border service, dogs are trained to work in secret, i.e. in an ambush organized jointly with the guide. The dog’s task, being vigilant, is to listen carefully to the surrounding environment and warn in advance of the proximity of an intruder.

It takes remarkable restraint not to give yourself away ahead of time, not to make a sound and to indicate the direction from which the border violator is approaching. When the dog is released from the leash, its task is to detain the criminal until the handler appears. If the criminal still managed to leave the place and hide, the dog follows the trail to find him.

When accompanying border guards on patrol, the search dog, on the command “listen,” must immediately stop and quietly let the handler know if there is danger nearby. Unleashed, she combs the nearby territory. In cases of suspicion of committing offenses, the border patrol goes out to guard the border only with a patrol dog, this significantly increases the efficiency of security and activities related to the detection and detention of offenders.

As a rule, dogs work in search until they reach the age of ten years, later their hearing is impaired, their vision and sense of smell deteriorate, they lose their former endurance, and it becomes difficult for them to cope with stress.

There are many uses for service dogs. Features of the climate, social situation, national color and other unique circumstances are the reasons for the emergence of new types of applications for man’s four-legged friend, who is ready to serve and is always happy to be useful.