Our Police Service Dogs

Our general duty and specialty detection teams use only purebred German Shepherds.

Why we use German shepherds

With their versatility, strength and courage, German Shepherds are well suited to police work. These traits, combined with their physical stature and adaptability to work in a variety of climatic conditions, make them the ideal choice to support operational policing in the diverse locations that the RCMP polices across Canada.

Desired characteristics

The RCMP utilizes both male and female dogs that display the drive and temperament needed to be a Police Service Dog (PSD).

Dogs need to:

  • Be in excellent physical condition, structurally sound, with good confirmation.
  • Exhibit an even temperament and demonstrate consistent positive behaviours in a wide range of environments.
  • Have a keen hunting instinct.
  • Demonstrate intelligence, trainability and respond to positive reinforcement.

Our Police Service Dogs:

  • Search a car in approximately three minutes.
  • Start formal training between the ages of 14 to 18 months after success in the Potential Police Service Dog Imprinting Program (PPSDIP).
  • Usually retire at 7 or 8 years of age.

Our breeding program

The RCMP started a formal breeding program in 1999. Prior to this date, we purchased all of our dogs from brokers in North America and Europe. Only one out of six of these dogs successfully completed training as a police service dog and we did not have control over prices, availability or quality.

Since 1999, we have progressed to having approximately 18 breeding females that live with volunteer civilian brood keepers who reside close to our kennels.

The majority of our studs for our breeding program are working Police Service Dogs in the RCMP. Studs are selected based upon performance, health and genetics.

The PDS breeding program has enabled the Police Dog Service Training Centre (PDSTC) to be self sustaining since April 2010. Fifty percent of the puppies born at the PDSTC will become working dogs, e.g. RCMP, search and rescue, other domestic and international law enforcement agencies, broods.

Our imprinting program

Imprinting of our puppies begins with socialization and familiarization activities conducted by our kennel attendants at the PDSTC. The Potential Police Service Dog Imprinting Program consists of RCMP members who demonstrate a desire to become police dog handlers and volunteer to participate in the program. Members are selected to attend a one-week Potential Police Service Dog Imprinting Course. Upon successful completion of the course, they are assigned potential police service dogs to imprint. These dogs reside with the member/imprinter who are responsible for the dog’s daily health and welfare. Supervised by a trained dog handler, they will also develop the dog in the following areas:

  • Socialization – promoting a neutral behaviour and being comfortable with other animals, people, places and activities.
  • Familiarization – promoting a confident behaviour when exposed to a variety of surfaces, obstacles, buildings, etc.
  • Informal obedience.
  • Tracking.
  • Prey and defence drives.

Potential PSDs are monitored monthly and are evaluated at 49 days, 4 months, 8 months and 12 months.

A dog that is successful in the imprinting process will return to the PDSTC at around 14 to 18 months of age for training. The duration of training is dependent on whether the dog is teamed with a new handler or existing trained handler.

Retirement

The handler may keep the PSDs as a pet when it retires from duty. If this is not an option, the PSD can be adopted. The handler arranges the adoption to ensure the dog goes to a suitable home.

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