Police dogs: breeds, training, kennel of service dogs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Since ancient times, the dog has been tamed by man. She became his faithful assistant - a guard, a shepherd, a watchman. Over time, the special qualities of these animals began to be used in the public service.

Service dog breeding in Russia: history

In Russia, many dogs have always been bred, which were used for protection, as well as as a means of transportation in the northern regions. In the Caucasus and Central Asia, shepherd breeds (South Russian Shepherd Dogs) were bred, which received awards at an exhibition in Paris.

In 1904, J. Bungard founded the service of sanitary dogs. It used German Shepherds.

In 1908, a society was created that promoted the use of dogs in the guard and police services. This organization was small, it included about 300 high-ranking officials and policemen. Later, this society opened a nursery and a school for training police dog handlers.

In our country, the Day of dog handlers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs units has been celebrated since June 21, 1909. It was from this date that the history of service dog breeding began. The first one opened in St. PetersburgRussian kennel that breeds and trains detective police dogs. A trainers' school began to work on its basis.

Quite quickly, the use of service dogs spread throughout the country - by December 1912, dogs began to be used to solve serious crimes in fifty Russian provinces.

Development of service dog breeding in the Soviet years

After the end of the civil war, service dog breeding continues to develop. New kennels are being formed and cynologists are being trained. In 1923, a program of courses for instructors of the border service was developed. In the same year, a school for detective dogs began its work. Animals were prepared for the criminal investigation department of the NKVD.

At the end of August 1924, the famous nursery "Krasnaya Zvezda" was established. Since 1928, service dogs have been recorded in the All-Union Pedigree Book. At the same time, courses for the training of 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 breeding domestic breeds, as well as acquiring purebred German shepherds abroad.

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 pupils to the army. The number of animals sent to help Soviet soldiers numbered in the thousands. At the same time, most clubs and kennels managed tosave breeding stock.

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

Development of service dog breeding today

Today the prestige of the cynological service in our country has increased significantly. Everyone who wants to become a cynologist undergoes a tough selection, not only among applicants for this position, but also among service dogs. A candidate for dog handlers must establish contact with the animal as soon as possible.

Today, 78 subjects of Russia have their own service dog breeding centers. They include: cynologists of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - more than 7,000 people, cynologists of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - more than 3,000 specialists.

Breeds

Today, police dogs in Russia are about a dozen breeds. Some of them perform the full range of service and search work, others are involved in certain areas.

The universal (and basic) police dogs are German Shepherds. These animals are also effective in working with the PPS outfit, have proven themselves excellently in operational and investigative work at the crime scene, and show excellent results in search units. The main advantage of the German Shepherd is a stable psyche. It is a physically strong, highly intelligent animal.

Similarqualities are distinguished by a close relative of the "Germans" - the East European Shepherd Dog. This dog is also widely used by the police today.

Belgian Shepherd

New, previously unused breeds are rapidly gaining popularity. Police dogs of the Belgian Shepherd breed are distinguished by their high speed and "explosive" throw, which leaves no chance for the attacker to avoid detention.

Rottweilers are much rarer in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. These brave, moderately aggressive and intelligent animals are successfully patrolling and engaged in search work.

Some breeds that are suitable for law enforcement are less represented in our police force. For example, black terriers and giant schnauzers are excellent guards, but their maintenance is too expensive. Dobermans, who served in the tsarist police, are not used at all today, as experts note a significant selective deterioration of the breed on the territory of our country.

Why aren't fighting breeds used?

Experts say that cynological units with representatives of fighting breeds can be counted on the fingers. This has its own explanations: for example, when detaining a criminal, the death grip of a bull terrier is not required. And given that these dogs react aggressively to other animals, it becomes clear that they cannot become police dogs.

There are breeds that experts continue to argue about to this daysince. There is no way they can identify dogs that are not intended for detention. The main battles are caused by police dogs of the Spaniel and Labrador breeds. The opinions of the cynologists were divided. Some believe that both breeds are suitable as search engines, others give the palm to spaniels, noting the conflict nature of Labradors and the fact that they are easily distracted from work by extraneous stimuli.

Use of dogs in the MIA

Police dogs undoubtedly have a psychological impact on those around them. It is hard to imagine a daredevil who will not comply with the requirements of a police officer, or (even worse) will object to him, showing aggression, if a powerful Rottweiler or a shepherd dog is next to the guard on a leash.

Probably not everyone knows that the training of service dogs has the main goal - minimizing harm to humans. A well-trained and physically strong shepherd dog can cause very serious injuries during detention. That is why the main requirement is presented to her in this situation - to immediately and unquestioningly execute the command “let go!”.

In the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and in transport units, police dogs are engaged in the detection of explosives and drugs.

Snoop

In the forensic work of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one cannot do without the sensitive scent of a dog. Sometimes a sniffer dog helps solve the most difficult crimes that many employees seemed "deaf".

Cynologists are sure that the bloodhound is an animal that has reachedpinnacle of career. Not all representatives of various breeds are able to engage in such a noble deed. And those who, by definition, can cope with this work, undergo a serious training and training course that does not stop until the end of the service of the animal.

A real sniffer dog must master the following skills:

• trail work;
• protection of premises and individual items;
• searching a building or area;
• distrust of outsiders;
• detention of the criminal and his protection until the arrival of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

During training, bloodhounds develop not only a sense of smell, but also the ability to feel the general condition of a person is aggravated. Instructors claim that dogs feel fear. This often helps four-legged "law enforcement officers" to solve the most complicated crimes.

It has been scientifically proven that the chance that a dog smells wrong is one in a hundred million. The behavior of an animal during an odorological examination (for example, when it is necessary to establish whether the instrument of a crime belongs to a specific person) is irrefutable evidence in court.

To bring up a good bloodhound, you must take into account the age of the animal. The dog must be no older than three years old, hardy, physically strong, have a sharp ear and a unique sense of smell. The training of such animals lasts about six months in specialized schools.

Training

Police dog training takes place between the ages of one and three. In the nursery, the animal is assigned toinstructor and sent to training. Service dog training lasts six to eight months. During this time, the animal masters the general course of training and training in special disciplines (search for drugs and explosives).

The canine service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs uses a combination of two methods - playful and taste-rewarding. The second option allows you to establish close contact between the young dog and the instructor, thereby reducing the training time.

The first method realizes the dog's natural need to play and minimally loads the animal's nervous system, fosters a desire to complete the task. This method is especially effective for search engines. In addition, this method is successfully used when training for detention.

"Figurant" - a trainer in a tight suit, who portrays the intruder, fixes the dog's favorite toy on the suit, and the animal must rip it off. After successfully completing the task, the teenage puppy is allowed to take away the protective sleeve from the trainer and pat him to his heart's content. Training is based on the hunting instinct of the animal.

After completing a training course, a dog is able to detain a criminal without being afraid of either blows or shots. You need to know that training on the site, where the animals “tear to pieces” of the instructor, have little in common with the actual use of the dog. We have already mentioned that after a bite, the dog must release the offender on the first command. "Gnawing" on the training ground is allowed to satisfy the instinctsanimal and gives him emotional release.

Sampling things by smell is done simply and does not require much time and effort. This skill is essential for scent differentiating dogs (snoops). Today, training methods based on sampling are also promising for training dogs of protective guard and search services. In this regard, almost every kennel of service dogs of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs used training in sampling for a treat, designating the selected item with a pack.

However, this technique, which at one time significantly increased the effectiveness of work, has significant drawbacks - dogs pollute the chosen things with their own smell. Animals only work effectively on things that smell strong and fresh.

The use of service dogs in law enforcement agencies around the world is still relevant. Whether she works on the trail, or looking for drugs - her help in solving crimes can hardly be overestimated. But it should be borne in mind that dog professions are very diverse - they serve as rescuers in the Ministry of Emergencies, assistants to the military and drug police, show excellent results at customs, guard important objects.