K9 dogs

well, I personally would be more afraid of the malinois, but your point is well taken. Big dark dogs are scary to many people. Most of our local working-but-not-biting-dog people, like drug sniffers at the airport and search and rescue prefer to use yellow labs because of their friendly image to the public.

mudpuppy

well, I personally would be more afraid of the malinois

Oh me too!  But most people on the street that don't know dogs don't know what they are and just see a dog that is smaller, finer, and less dark than say a DDR or Czech line GSD known for their big heads and "dumptruck" like build.  Heck people are terrified of my Kenya and she is very small and light (in color) for a GSD. 

I think often labs are the dog of choice for drugs and arson. 

 Obedience dogs routinely ignore bitches in season. There's always at least a few at any dog show that includes conformation. I don't see how it would be a problem, at all, for a serious working dog.

Ena B came into season a DAY after we got home from our recent dog show. I'm sure she was smelling quite fancy AT the show, and she was near the obedience rings.

jennie_c_d

 Obedience dogs routinely ignore bitches in season. There's always at least a few at any dog show that includes conformation. I don't see how it would be a problem, at all, for a serious working dog.

 

Ena B came into season a DAY after we got home from our recent dog show. I'm sure she was smelling quite fancy AT the show, and she was near the obedience rings.

Yeah it really shouldn't matter.  Working dogs and sport dogs like SchH don't really interact anyway.  The only consideration is for trials I believe the males compete first, bitches last.  Then there's not *smell* all over the fields, but still in training every club I know of has males and females and no one looks down on a bitch in heat being worked.  In fact most will welcome it because it gives them a chance to proof the males against that distraction. 

kle1986

 I have several questions after watching K9 Cops. I looked it up on the net but couldnt find any answers!!

Why are the dogs always males?
Why are they not neutered?
Are they more driven that way or are they gonna be used as a stud later?
Do any of them come from the US?
Do they ever get to play with other dogs?
How come German Shepard's are the only dogs used?
 

Sorry but I am very nosy. Must know everything I can about dogs!!
 

From the k9 officers I'm friends with ~

The dogs aren't always male, but it can be a lot more difficult to get a suitable female because the breeders keep them.

They're not neutered because the thought is that intact males are more protective.

Some come from the US. Many police departments don't believe there are good enough dogs produced in the US. Also a lot of the dogs come through a "finder" who will get the dogs from his sources, which tend to be overseas.

Not much play with other dogs. They need to be totally focused on the handler and the work and playing with other dogs can detract from that.

GSDs aren't the only dogs used. Some departments like the uniformity of all the dogs being one breed, sometimes it's because whoever is procuring the dogs for the department is working only with GSD breeders. Also, and this isn't something they'll tell many people but one reason for the GSd preference is that among the breeds suitable for police work, GSDs are the most forgiving of novice handler mistakes.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! I DARE you to come into my house when I am not home and Gypsy is on patrol.  I have had BIG guys (6'5", 275 lbs) back OFF the porch when Gypsy has decided they DO NOT belong there. My neighbor is a cop and future K9 handler and he has the utmost respect for Gypsy's abilities.

As for drive, the driviest (is that a word?) dog I have seen in a LONG time is a JRT we have up for adoption right now.  Boy, if he were a GSD, he would be a shoe-in for K9 work.

Do any of you remember the Mythbusters episode where the put a safe in the middle of an enclosed field and used different ways to get past a trained security dog (intact dog)?  He ignored meat, and other lures, but WHAM!--a bitch in season (actually urine dribbled around the edge of the field).  He was GONE to look for the "girl" and they walked out and took the "jewels" out of the safe.

 Yes more driven agressive/defensive by testosterone  and physically more durable  intact males and will likely be used as a stud also.

They are NOT always German Sheps.popular though .

 Yes I just saw that the other night. rerun I think...

I saw that episode and all I could think was that's one badly trained dog. He ate the steak and didn't work when they gave him some bitch-in-season urine.

They mostly use labs and beagles for narcotics detection, right? Is a Lab's sense of smell stronger then a GSD's? Just wondering outloud now.

Kyda

They mostly use labs and beagles for narcotics detection, right? Is a Lab's sense of smell stronger then a GSD's? Just wondering outloud now.

corgipower

Kyda

They mostly use labs and beagles for narcotics detection, right? Is a Lab's sense of smell stronger then a GSD's? Just wondering outloud now.

Nope. Many use GSDs or mals or whatever else they're using for detection, many dogs are dual trained ~ protection and detection. Some use labs or beagles for detection - may be a matter of availability, department needs, handler preference. There's no indication that any breed has a better sense of smell than any other breed.