Anyone Rehomed A Failed Police Dog ?

[Renovation]

Neighbour was broken into last night - tied up, cars stolen etc

So I'd like to get a dog to deter / warn me about burglars

Hence a puppy won't really do.

I'm unwilling to risk a Dogs Home dog as you have no idea on it's past and I have young children.

However there is a Police Dog Centre nearby and they have rejects for rehoming and I grew up with German Shepherds as family pets.

As they haven't been mistreated and have had professionals training them I'm far happier.

Is there anything else I should consider ?

[DKL]

Chap on here going as silverbackmike has a very dopey GSD who I think was ex or failed police dog.
No issues that I'm aware of but drop him a pm.

[myvision]

What age do they retire the dogs at? Would that be a better bet if still young enough.

[Renovation]

AFAIK you can't rehome a retired Police dog as they have been trained to attack - I think the handlers usually keep them.

[HQ2]

Renovation said:

AFAIK you can't rehome a retired Police dog as they have been trained to attack - I think the handlers usually keep them.

Nonsense. A handler's career would outlast several dog lives. The reasons you want such a dog are also the same reasons you shouldn't have one/hopefully not allowed one.

[BlackCup]

My Dad was a copper and we grew up with failed police dogs, we had 3 german shepherds one after the other, all from very young puppies- the police know very early on whether a dog will make the grade or not.
Mostly they are simply not 'man enough' and I guess just not that clever, but are faultless in our simple eyes. Another positive was they are from good stock...

I wouldn't discount rehoming a dog either, dog's homes do have a few dogs that they know will make them perfect for families, any that they are uncertain about they will say quite clearly as they don't want to put the dogs through the stress of multiple rehoming.

Matt

Edited by BlackCup on Monday 18th August 19:20

[otolith]

There's a police dog handler lives near my dad - dad isn't a bleeding heart positive training devotee, but he doesn't like the way he's seen this man treat his young dog, and says the one that's currently working is a nasty piece of work. So I don't think you can necessarily rely on the dog not having been mistreated, though I hope that is the exception and not the rule.

Having said that, it's pretty shameful the way we treat retired police and military dogs, so anyone willing to rehome them is to be applauded.

[Renovation]

HQ2 said:

Renovation said:

AFAIK you can't rehome a retired Police dog as they have been trained to attack - I think the handlers usually keep them.

The reasons you want such a dog are also the same reasons you shouldn't have one/hopefully not allowed one.

Moron.

If you can find someone who can read, get them to read the OP - I want a failed dog - IE one that didn't make the grade not a trained attack dog.

[Renovation]

BlackCup said:

My Dad was a copper and we grew up with failed police dogs, we had 3 german shepherds one after the other, all from very young puppies- the police know very early on whether a dog will make the grade or not.

Local centre only rehomes after 12-18 months not before.

I believe they have volunteers raise the pups which are then assessed / trained after 12 months old (some presumably older depending upon need)

[ChrisNic]

We have a failed Police GSD, the force breed their own and test them at approx 14 weeks to see if they are suitable if they aren't they are made available to police officers. She is a beautiful, loving dog but short of a very intimidating bark she is no guard dog.

[Martin_M]

We have had our GSD since she was 6 weeks old. She is naturally protective and it would take a brave person to enter the house with the sound of her behind the door.

She's also protective of my wife when they go out for a walk together - if a man walks towards them she will stiffen up and watch him until he passes. We taught her to bark on command which has been good when passing intimidating groups of youths in the dark winter nights.

On the flip side, she is the biggest softy behind closed doors with an amazing personality and is excellent with the kids in the family. Hopefully she'll live for a long time to come but I don't think I'd want anything other than a GSD now.

[otolith]

They do get under your skin. Mine is the first dog I've owned of my own, but I grew up with GSDs and had the family dog at my home for some time.

Funnily enough, I only remember them as lovely grown up dogs, and had completely forgotten how hard work a puppy is!

[bexVN]

My old boss had a failed gsd police dog. They had persevered with him as he was perfect in every way but would not bite!! I think he was 18-24 months when my boss had him. He was great but a bit strong willed and you did need to show you weren't worried by hIm (he would ignore you else and just bark at you!)

His biggest problem was his barking, the police had encouraged him to bark in the hope it would get him to bite! My boss then spent many months trying to reverse this behaviour!

He was a fantastic dog, great with my bosses young family and menagerie of pets and I loved him (I dog sat for them a few times)

[kev b]

We had an ex Police German Shepherd, marvellous temperament, cheap to keep would eat anything, loved children......

[bexVN]

HQ2 said:

Renovation said:

AFAIK you can't rehome a retired Police dog as they have been trained to attack - I think the handlers usually keep them.

Nonsense. A handler's career would outlast several dog lives. The reasons you want such a dog are also the same reasons you shouldn't have one/hopefully not allowed one.

Not strictly true. I know several handlers that have kept their retired dogs and have another too work with at the same time. When this doesn't happen I believe they will rehome.

[Prof Prolapse]

I'm not convinced a failed police dog necessary best around children either to be honest. I mean, do they bother to socialise them for that sort of thing? Also, given it's status, what did it fail on? Is it easily scared, disobedient, stupid? These are professional trainers, if they can't sort it out it must have a significant defect? Personally I'm fussy. I don't want a guard dog with known defects.

For similar reasons I got a puppy. They're deterrents long before they're effective. I have the personality I want, confidence in his behaviour around people and animals, and we had the additional bonding from when he was a pup.

That said when they have bad habits you know it's entirely your fault.

[Phil Dicky]

We had a failed Police dog at my Dad's house and he was a fantastic guard dog, a few occasions I saw his reaction to people he didn't know turn up when he thought there were no other family members about. Once he saw one of us he calmed very quickly and became very docile. He failed on his reaction to gun shot, which was odd as we shot at my Dad's and he was fine with us.

Edited by Phil Dicky on Tuesday 19th August 15:29

[55palfers]

kev b said:

cheap to keep would eat anything, loved children......

Not a whole one at one sitting I hope.

[MrDan]

Although a great idea rehoming a police dog , Im sure a decent "bark" will scare any would be intruder off.

I have a golden Labrador called max whos now 3, hes a big dog and a softy. But when he is spooked his bark makes me jump out of my skin.

[Pesty]

ChrisNic said:

We have a failed Police GSD, the force breed their own and test them at approx 14 weeks to see if they are suitable if they aren't they are made available to police officers. She is a beautiful, loving dog but short of a very intimidating bark she is no guard dog.

You may be surprised if you are broken into or threatened.

Our old gsd was dopey, loving and docile. Once and only once I saw her change to scary wild wolf when the local scroat approached my grandmother. He disappeared sharpish at the snarling teeth. She went back to rub my belly mode.