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A DOG PATROLMAN FOR
EVERY BEAT
By A R T H U R B. JONES
G E R M A N shepherd dogs first
became conspicuous in the
town of Hildesheim, Germany,
about twenty years
ago, by being placed as members
on the police force of that community.
In the years that followed, up
to the outbreak of the European struggle,
the idea grew, until in 1914 over two
thousand dogs were actively engaged in
German towns and cities in active guard
and police duties.
Other European countries took up the
idea. Then, finally, America began to
see the advantage of this four-footed
sleuth and guardian of the peace. There
has been for several years now one section
of Brooklyn that has a squad of
these dogs attached to the local police
station. Belgian shepherds were chiefly
used at first. Now the German shepherd
is finding his place here also. Various
small towns have introduced the animals
to supplement their inadequate police
force.
71Z
A Noble Type of Dogthe
German Shepherd
The German police dog is a gaunt yet
sinewy animal, with large, erect ears and
a head somewhat resembling that of a
wolf. The adult weighs fifty pounds or
more.
The animal is intelligent and is relatively
easy to train. Perhaps this statement
may make some of the canine instructors
smile, for at best the task of
drilling a four-footed animal is by no
means free from difficulties.
The first essential is to inculcate obedience.
The greater the intelligence the
greater the difficulty sometimes of teaching
the animal to go through a certain
routine. His own individuality is likely
to assert itself. Here is where the skilled
master uses discretion.
Under proficient instruction, police
dogs soon learn
to give tongue
w hen the
dummy quarry
y
— a specially
hired individual"
—b r e a k s from
cover and dashes
away. Also they
learn to curb their
hunting instincts
and stop abruptly
at the cry or
whistle of command.