I am very much a novice with this subject, so please be patient with me! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I had a question regarding police forces and their selection of working K-9s - a friend of mine had a GSD of German lines (that's all I know concerning the lines) and when she had to move into an apartment which would not allow her to bring her dog, she called her local police department and they came out to take a look at him. She said that they 'tested' him and found him to be very suitable for their program and took him in.

Is this commonly how it's done? I would think that the force would be much pickier about what lines, drives, etc. go into their working program. Thanks in advance. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In my area this would be very uncommon. However, I am told that agencies with limited budgets take in donated dogs occasionally.

I would be curious to find out whether the dog is actually being worked right now and in what capacity.

Laura;

While such is not common for most medium / large agencies anymore...because it is simply not cost-effective as a general rule...it is not unheard of for an officer or agency to take a donated dog.

"Lines", papers or pedigrees really don't matter since it is the individual dog that will be doing the work and not his grandfather, etc. If the dog was healthy and had excellent ball drive, he could always be used for drug/explosive detection even if his drive to bite was low.

Laura

Speaking as a trainer for the state police, Ikor is pretty much on target. I get many calls for people wanting to donate dogs to our cainine unit, but it is a matter of timing more than anything. If I am in the process of putting together a class, and the dog passes the required tests, then certainly the dog will be entered into training. I've never really cared where a dog came from, the important thing is can the dog do the job. Seems though, when I am trying to put together a class, the donated dogs just aren't available, just bad timing. In a situation like that, we look at reputable breeders of working stock. The acceptance of any dog is still totally dependant on the dog passing the same tests. As for single pupose dogs though, I've been very fortuate there in obtaining rescues, mostly labs, goldens, or what I refer to as lab look-alikes. Of course prior to accepting any dog, first they must pass the behavior test, then a complete physical including xrays. I've been indeed fortuate in single purpose dog aquisition (drug, explosives, cadaver detector etc.) as 15 of the last 20 I've put on the road have been rescues.

DFrost

 Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Lilley:
I would be curious to find out whether the dog is actually being worked right now and in what capacity.

I apologize - I should have been more specific. This was actually several years ago when this happened - she just told me about it not too long ago and I was curious.

Thanks for the helpful replies! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />