Police dogs: Bringing up puppies like bringing up children, says handler

Rotorua dog handler Constable Jason Owen reckons bringing up a german shepherd puppy before it starts police dog training is just like bringing up children.

"I don't have kids but I can only imagine it's the same as that - although I suppose kids don't bite your ankles," he told NZPA.

Mr Owen has been a dog handler since 2001. He owns seasoned police dog Cane, and is now bringing up 3 1/2-month-old Taz to take Cane's place when he retires.

Owners of puppies have a responsibility right from the start to do some basic training, such as getting them used to distractions, Mr Owen said.

"It's what we call the socialisation phase. I live by a redwood [forest], so I just take him for walks there so he gets to see other people and other dogs, but also so he learns they are not a distraction."

Mr Owen said it was also important to get the puppy used to environments such as different floor surfaces.

"As silly as it sounds, if they get an aversion to even walking upstairs, it will be with them for the rest of their life and you'll always have problems with that."

There are also some firm rules owners have to follow for the dogs to get the best chance to grow into working dogs.

"You have to allow them to become quite wilful, like when you play games with them they always win ... because that leads on to the man-work side of things later on."

Mr Owen said there was lots of positive reinforcement with Taz, and they were never allowed to smack dogs or use a choker chain to discipline them.

"Even if they are naughty you never give them negative reinforcement at this age, you just let them do it."

However, once the pups get older owners occasionally say a "short, sharp 'No!'," Mr Owen said.

"He's still got to be allowed to be a pup. I'll quite often not even say no to him, I'll just grab him and move him away from what he's doing to get his mind off it."

Mr Owen said civilians who also take on the job of bringing up a pup do it through a mixture of loving dogs and wanting to help the police out, he said.

But it must be difficult to let them go at the start of their training, he said.

- NZPA