Become a K9 Officer: Train with Loyal Police Dogs and Serve Your Community

K9 officers are known for their furry partners--trained police dogs. K9 officers MUST LOVE DOGS. They also must be able to handle a large breed of dog. Officers bond strongly to their canine partner, and both the dog and the human must have full faith and trust in the other. Various breeds may serve as K9 partners, although German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are the most common because of their intellect, herding instinct, size, and keen sense of smell. These animals have completed rigorous training in one or more complex criminal detection specializations. Police dogs are referenced as "single purpose" or "dual purpose." A single purpose K9 is used only for detection or patrolling. A "dual purpose" police dog is trained for both roles. However, police dogs trained in detection will specialize in sniffing out either drugs or explosives (never both). Many precincts choose German Shepherds that are bred in Europe (especially Germany), as the EU requires rigorous breed standards. Poor breeding leads to health issues that impact physical performance, placing both the human officer and the police dog at risk while in the line of duty. Police dogs serve loyally beside their human, protecting their partner and putting their lives at risk each day.