The Ministry of Defence Guard Service - BPSCA.net

Suppliers to 

Britain's Police Forces 

&Ministry of Defence, 

Worki ng &Domestic 

Dog Owners, 

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE 

SURREY POLICE HEADQUARTERS 

WEDNESDAY 11TH DECEMBER 1996 10.00-16.30hrs 

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: 

• Bruce George MP 

• William Swann, Assistant Chief Vet. Officer RSPCA 

• John Berry, Chairman NASDU 

• Graham Buchanan, Inspector Surrey Police 

Legis/atio 

Codes ofPractic 

Progress & Formatio 

Inspection Procedur 

Other topics will include Membership and Open Forum questions 

Fully inclusive cost for the day £49.95. Accommodation available. 

Further details and Bookings: 

NASDU, Image House, Kingfield Road, Old Woking, Surrey GU22 9DZ 

Tel: 01483 721222 Fax: 01483 776168 E-Mail: surreysecure@surrey-net.co.uk 

HISTORY 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITY DOG USERS 

In 1991, British Standard 7499 was introduced for the self regulation of the Manned Guarding secto 

of the Security Industry. Many reputable companies began to comply with the standard and many wer 

have been and will be, inspected to its requirements. 

The standards however fell short of including Guard Dogs. The industry at the time was using dogs 

in small numbers because of the introduction of the Dangerous Dogs Act and the bad press dogs we 

getting at that time. 

Slowly but surely since then, Guard Dogs have been reintroduced into the manned guarding sector. 

The industry has moved on but has still failed, probably due to the lack of expertise, to cater for Gua 

Dogs. 

As a result of this and with the will of those who wish to see the Dog Sector properly 'policed' and 

inspected, a democratically elected National Steering Committee was formed to investigate and establis 

nationally recognised standards for Trainers, Dogs & Handlers and to propose and prepare a workab 

Code of Practice for all to adhere to. 

The National Association, which will act as an inspectorate body, a standards body and a link to the 

main security associations who do not have the necessary expertise to deal with this area of the industr 

NASDU has already been introduced to IPSA (International Professional Security Association), BSIA 

(British Security Industry Association), SITO (Security Industry Training Organisation) and the lSI 

(Inspectorate of the Security Industry). All of these organisations are 'main players' within the Securi 

Industry and all have penned their support for the NASDU. 

In addition the RSPCA recognise and support the efforts of NASDU and have recently accepted Code 

of Practice written by the NASDU committee. 

The NASDU committee is made up of members from England, Wales & Scotland at present. Prospectiv 

members will come from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further interest has been 

shown from Jersey and the Isle of Man. 

It is fully expected that Full, Associate Company membership and Individual Membership will reach 

the 1000 mark by the end of 1997. 

John Berry, Chairma 

38 The Service Dog

Prison Service College, Newbold Revel 

26th National Prison 

Service Dog Championshipsrfc· :rz£.. 

For the 26th year, dogs and handlers working in 

prisons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 

competed against each other in regional dog 

trials earlier this year to select the 15 finalists 

who competed for the national championship, 

between Thursday 5 September and Saturday 7 

September. 

The Prison Service College at Newbold Revel, 

Warwickshire , presents a beautiful setting for a 

competition of this nature, setin open countryside, 

itis rich in flora and fauna, but also has first class 

accommodation, leisure and sports facilities 

necessary to hold an event such as this. The 

weather over the three days was also excellent. 

Sam Mackay, Governor of Prison Dogs in 

Northern Ireland, and Dave Marshall a 

Directorate Principal Officer were the judges for 

the event and they put all 15 dogs and handlers 

through a testing schedule which included 

obedience, agility, search for property, search 

for a hidden person and manwork exercises. 

A very high standard of dog handling was seen 

by a large appreciative audience, made up mainly 

of handlers' families, friends and colleagues and 

the 'esprit de corps' which exists in the Prison 

Service Dog Section was shown by the applause 

which greeted the winner and runner-up at the 

presentation ceremony. 

Results: 

1996 Prison Service National Champion 

Officer Dave Bates with dog 'Tyson', Northern 

Ireland Prison Service, HMP Maze. 

Reserve Champion 

Officer Vic Enticott with dog 'Zac', Northern 

Ireland Prison Service, HMP McGilligian . 


Barrowmore Industries 

APPROVED SHELTERED WOR KSHOP OF 

BARROWMORE VILLAGE SETILEMENT 

REGISTERED CHARITY No 228817 

PATRON : HM QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER 

NEW EQUIPMENT 

Kennels and agility equipment 

On the inside front page you will see that Service Dog has 

gained the support of Barrowmore Industries. Many of you are 

already familiar with the organisation and the high quality of 

the Dog Kennels and Training Aids manufactured in their 

workshop. 

Barrowmore Industries sponsored by The British Red Cross 

and The Order of St John, has for the past 75 years provided 

meaningful and long term employment for disabled people. 

Their factory and Timber Storage areas cover some five/six 

acres of the 133 acre estate and settlement just outside Chester. 

The settlement provides employment for over 70 people with 

nearly 80 disabled people placed in employment in such places 

as banks, supermarkets and garden centres. All of the fencing 

products manufactured in the workshops are timber based, ie 

garden fencing products, garden sheds, summer houses, picnic 

tables/benches, folding tables and work benches. 

Five years ago the Trust decided to diversify and sought work 

from the Ministry of Defence which led to the organisation 

becoming noted manufacturers and suppliers of Dog Kennels, 

and Dog Training Aids. It was a natural progression to extend 

this service to police, British Transport Police, Customs and 

Excise and the Ministry of Defence Police Dog Sections. So 

successful have they been it has enabled the organisation to 

invest in new machinery, expand their manufacturing areas, 

and most important, to provide long term, meaningful 

employment for those less fortunate than ourselves. 

For further information, contact the Sales Department on 

01829740391 Fax: 01829740237 


EST. 1989 

• PUPPIES U/6 MONTHS - SOCIALISATION & OBEDIENCE TRAINING CLASSES 

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• SECURE, SPACIOUS OUTDOOR TRAINING V ENUE - FORMBY 

• INDOOR CLASSES R.S.P.CA EDUCATIONAL C ENTRE (SOUTHPORT) 

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• TRAINED DOGS AVAI LABLE FOR STAGE, FILM & TV PRODUCTIONS 

• SUPPLIERS OF DOG FOOD & TRAINING EQUIPMENT 

• QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS - MEMBERS B.I.PD.T., FD.T.C.B.. B.P.C .S.A. 

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Winner of both the scratch and 

handicapped competition was Patrolman 

Whitelaw with dog 'Pryce' from 

Kirkcudbright, pictured above receiving 

his trophy_ 

1996 Can 

There was a very special atmosphere at this 

year's open day at the Defence Animal Centre, 

Melton Mowbray. Not only was it the venue for 

the Canine Biathlon and the Service Dog of the 

Year Competition, butthe Royal Army Veterinary 

Corps were also celebrating the 200th 

anniversary of the first veterinary surgeon, John 

Shipp, being commissioned into the British Army. 

Farrier and equine displays were matched by 

sheep and gundog demonstrations, with swing 

boats and bounci ng castles to entertain the 

younger element. Pimms and beertents catered 

for mums and dads, the weather was beautiful 

and so a good day was had by one and all. Or 

was it? 

If you were a service dog handler, had to run 

six kilometres cross country with your dog and 

during that run had to go over, under or through 

35 obstacles designed to test to the full the 

strength and endurance of both dog and handler, 

would you say that you'd had a 'good day. The 

answer if you are a Canine Biathlon entrant is a 

resounding 'Yes'. 

This year's course had been redesigned so 

that the first eight obstacles were close to, and in 


The Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) 

In both this issue and issue 

15, readers will see articles 

MOD Vehicle Depot, Ashchurch 

concerned with the Dog 

Section of The Ministry of 

Defence Guard Service. 

Anyone connected with 

Ministry of Defence 

establishments will probably 

be well aware of this service, 

but for the benefit of others I 

hope this article will introduce 

what is a comparatively new 

service. 

The Ministry of Defence 

Guard Service was formed 

on 1 October 1992. It was 

created from a variety of 

patrolling and watching 

grades, both industrial and 

non-industrial, to form a new class of nonindustrial 

civil servant, that of Civilian Security 

Officer. On its formation the MGS establishment 

was 2,700, it is now over 4,000 strong and has 

a dog section with 180 dogs and 350 dog 

handlers. 

Prior to the formation of the MGS, guarding at 

MOD establishments was done by service 

personnel, Ministry of Defence Police (MOP) 

directly employed labour (patrolling and watching 

grades) and contractors. The three services and 

other MOD organisations trained their own 

patrolling and watching grades and in some 

instances never trained them at all. This situation 

was most unsatisfactory. 

Following the IRA attack at the Royal Marines 

Depot in Deal in September 1989 a study made 

various recommendations concerning the setting 

up of a unified MOD guard service. Among these 

was the need to have a well trained professional 

force as an essential ingredient in the overall 

security guarding mix. The objectives, set for the 

structure and centralised training . This provides 

the MOD with a guard service which is 

professional, alert and well trained, well informed 

on the threat and capable of integration into the 

mix of guarding forces at MOD sites and 

installations. 

The Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence 

Police is responsible for the management of the 

MGS which he delegates to the head of the 

Guard Services who, with his headquarters team , 

area co-ordinators and training wing , provide 

the training and policy support. 

Training for the MGS is centralised at MOP 

Wethersfield , Essex, with the training wing 

commanded by a MOP Inspector and instructors 

fro m the services and MOP. Courses last 10 

days and cover a range of subjects from counter 

terrorist and access control to first aid and health 

and safety. There is a strong emphasis on 

practical skills, written and oral communication 

are given suitable prominence. All recruits are 

required to attend and pass the course within 

service, were to rationalise guarding three months of joining. Recruits who fail the 

arrangements , improve standards , relieve 

service personnel and MOP from routine 

unarmed guarding duties and from those posts 

where there is no requirement to exercise 

constabulary powers. 

course are discharged. 

Dog and handler training is provided by the 

Defence Animal Centre at Melton Mowbray. 

Dogs are used in the security role only and are 

mainly the patrol arm true variety although some 

The Guard Service has a distinctive uniform, guard dogs are also in service. 

common professional standards, common pay 

and conditions of service, a common grading 

I am grateful to Mr P M C Welply, Head of 

Guard Services for providing this article. 


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Cover Story 

'Star' the UK's first Fire 

Investigation Dog 

A new weapon has been launched in the 

war against the crime of arson by the 

West Midlands Fire Service, and a new 

service is added to the list ofthose who 

use trained canines. 

'Star' a male black labrador, handled by Stalion 

Officer Clive Gregory, has been trained to detect 

the presence of hydrocarbon substances used 

in the sel1ing of deliberate fires. Star began 

operational duty in late September 1996, 

reinforcing the West Midlands Fire Research 

and Investigation Section, whose officers already 

lead the field in the detection of suspicious fires. 

Sponsorship - Fire losses due to arson are 

running at a million pounds per month in the 

West Midlands area alone. Much of this cost is 

met by insurance companies, although it has to 

be said that the cost in human terms is 

incalculable. 

A successful sponsorship partnership was 

negotiated in the training of this dog and handler, 

between the Eagle Star Insurance Company 

and the West Midlands Fire Service. The 

insurance company has sponsored the entire 

programme for a period of five years, the 

anticipated working life of the present dog. 

'Star' and Station Officer Clive Gregory 

The Training - The training course for dog and 

handler lasted three months, during which the conducted to ascertain whether or not the 

dog was trained to detect the full range of commitment of the search dog is appropriate. 

accelerant substances (eg paraffin, petrol , Safety of the dog will be a predominant feature , 

cellulose, thinners etc.). Substances that are with paw protection, safety line and harness 

produced naturally during a fire situation do not used as necessary. 

form part of this vocabulary, thus eliminating the Suspicious substances identified by the dog at 

problem of 'false alerts' commonplace with a fire scene will be made available to police for 

technological apparatus. Star is triggered into forensic examination. It is antiCipated that the 

action by the application of a search harness, a accuracy of the dog's nose will not only speed up 

system similar to the training of dogs for both the detection of suspicious substances, but will 

drug and explosive search. 

also reduce the number of forensic samples by 

Star and Station Officer Gregory graduated eliminating false alerts from 'natural' 

from the course after a series of certification hydrocarbons. 

tests were conducted, when hidden hydrocarbon The British Police and Services Canine 

substances were located by the dog and handler Association offers its congratulations to Star, 

team. 

Station Officer Gregory and the West Midlands 

At the Fire Scene . When arriving at a Fire Service, and welcomes them to the ranks of 

suspicious fire scene, an appraisal will be those who train and work service dogs. 


The Role of Vitamin C in Collagen 

Formation and Hip Dysplasia 

In recent years major advances have been achieved in 

ou runderstanding of the metabolism' and of the important 

part played by vitamin Cin this process -e.g. the research 

of Wegger and colleagues (1984). Studies have shown 

that the biosynthesis', and amount, of vitamin C stored, 

and used, in the body depends on man y factors. 

In various nutritional deficiencies, and in many 

diseases, the biosynthesis of vitamin C is reduced and 

consequently the amount stored in the blood plasma 

drops. At the same time a reduction occurs in the 

concentration of vitamin C in the body's cells and this 

results in a slowing down of many biochemical reactions 

with the perfonmance of various cell types being impaired 

. reduced energy metabolization in the mitochondria, is 

an example. 

Studies, particularly those carried out over the 

past decade, have clearly shown that even those animals 

that are able to sythesize vitamin Ccannot make enough 

for all their metabolic requirements. This is especially 

important if they are ill and this is aggravated further when 

the animal is subjected to stress. As biosynthesis of 

vitamin Cin the liver and absorbtion of vitamin Cfrom the 

gut is impaired in the presence of astressor, vitamin Cis, 

for this and other reasons, a most important vitamin and 

the one which is most likely to be insufficiently available 

unless provided, by dietary supplementation, for the dog. 

The presence of this much-ignored vitamin is 

necessary forthe absorbtion of dietary iron, for example, 

as well as playing a vital, life-supporting role in other 

biochemical functions such as the production of 

antibodies, the fonmation of collagen (important to the 

strength of ligaments and tendons), the efficient 

metabolization of bone (through its influence on vitamin 

D) and the efficient metabolization of amino acids and 

carbohydrates. 

These are a few examples of how vitamin C 

supportsthe biochemical functions of the body, there are 

many others. We should remind ourselves here that 

vitamin C is largely destroyed through any processing 

that involves heat, moisture, or pressure. The raw 

materials that make up so-called 'complete diets' are 

subjected to atl three I 

Administration of vitamin C has been found 

beneficial in the treatment regimes of various infectious 

diseases, hip dysplasia, etc. As has been mentioned 

above, the list of biochemical functions involving vitamin 

C is very ex1ensive. 

Hip Dysplasia 

In large breedsof dogs,hip dysplasia was long considered 

to be an inherited birth defect (ie. it is generally passed 

12 The Service Dog 

on). Recent research , however, suggests that it may be 

an easily controlled biochemical condition. The onset of 

the lesion in hip dysplasia appears to be due merely to 

poor quality, low strength collagen in the affected 

ligaments. In litters from dysplastic German Shepherd 

parents or parents that produced dysplastic offspring, 

there have been no signs of hip dysplasia when the 

bitches were given higher than normal doses of vitamin 

Cduring pregnancy and the pups were given daily doses 

of vitamin C until they reached young adulthood . 

In potentially dysplastic pups of large breeds, the first 

year or two of life is fraught with high metab olic and 

phYSiological stress. Therefore, the demands on the 

body are great and the demands for large quantities of 

vitamin C and other micro-nutrients even greater. 

The laxity, or looseness of the hip ligament and the 

changes in the pectieus muscle and tend on, are as a 

result of the absence of high quality, strengthening 

collagen. Weak collagen in the ligaments causes them to 

stretch or loosen, resulting in joint laxity, which allows the 

young femoral head to separate from the acetabulum 

(hip socket). After separation an inflammatory process 

(arthritis) ensues and varying amounts of scar tissue 

form in the acetabulum, preventing the head of the femur 

from returning to its nonmal position. This results in 

coxfemoral subluxation (hip dysplasia). 

Simultaneously, poor quality collagen in the pectieus 

muscles and ligaments retards their growth and 

development. The impaired growth and development of 

tendon and muscle, together with the rapid growth of the 

femur, contributes furtherto the severity of the dislocation. 

In the trials, mentioned above, none of the pups which 

were maintained on high doses of vitamin C have, to 

date, shown evidence of hip dysplasia. 

The recommended management regime consists in giving 

the pregnant bitch high doses of vitamin C in the daily 

ration. At birth, the pups are given 50 to 200mg of vitamin 

C oral ly. When the pups reach three weeks of age, the 

daily amount is increased to 500mg until th epups are four 

months old. At that time, the dosage is increased to 1 or 

2gm daily and maintained at that level until the pups are 

18 months to two years of age. 

, Metabolism - the total chemical and physical changes 

that occur within the body to sustain life especially 

through the release of energyforthe production of tissue, 

etc. 

, Biosynthesis - to produce inside a living organism (the 

body).

Nordic Police 

Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland all have 

very active police dog sections and their own 

police dog association. 

In Finland the association is called Suomen 

Poliisikoirayhdistys, and it was formed in 1965. 

The association has 240 members or which 165 

members are active police dog handlers. The 

association's magazine, Poliisikoira is published 

four times a year. 

The Swedish association is called Polisens 

Hundforarforbund, formed in 1967 it has 470 

members with a magazine called Polishunden 

published five times a year. 

Norway has an association called Norsk 

Politihundelag, formed in 1932, with 350 

members. The Prison Service is included in their 

association and their magazine is called 

Politihunden. 

Denmark has two police dog associations. 

The oldest, Dansk Politihundeforening, was 

formed in 1909, in two sections. Section one for 

police dog handlers has 213 members, section 

, 

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NATIONAL 

DOG TATTOO 

REGISTER 

TATTOO 

REGISTER 

PROTECT YOUR DOG WITH ATATTOO ID AND 

A NATIONWIDE NETWORK HELPS HIM HOME 

IF HE GETS LOST 

AN ID DISC CAN GET LOST TOO 

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COST: TATTOOING £4.50 

puppy TATTOOING £4.00 

REGISTRATION £7.50 

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INFORMATION CENTRES 

N England 

Midlands 

East Anglia 

S England 

Bob Hutchinson 

Ellis Oldf,eld 

Nikki Farley 

Norma Brown 

April Fearn 

Barbara Massey 

Rita Bertram 

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Registration centre 

- 01274 880408 

- 01673818772 

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- 01 232 70 1137 

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Founded by tlze German Slzeplzerd Dog League 


New Zealand Police Dogs 

Trail Blazers 

199(; marks the 40th anniversary of 

police dog training in New Zealand, 

marked with the official opening of 

a new $1 million (£470,000) training 

centre at Trentham. 

Today it would be unthinkable not to have a 

police dog section in New Zealand but for the 

people who laid the foundations, the first 10 

years were a struggle. The early handlers were 

short on funding, equipment and acceptance 

and at one point the entire dog section came 

within two minutes of being scrapped. This 

occurred during the tenure of a police 

commissioner who wasn't 'dog minded'. 

Constable Colin Guppy and his dog 'Dante' 

were instructed to carry out a tracking exercise 

in the hills behind the dog training centre. Colin 

was told where the 'offender' was last sighted, 

cast his dog and picked up the scent. Colin and 

his dog tracked the offender for nearly two hours 

and found him at 10.58 hours. It wasn't until he 

came down from the hills that he found out that 

if he hadn't found the offender by 11 .00 hours 

there would have been no more dog section, it 

would have been disbanded. 

The first handlers were 'up against it', says 

Colin. Back at their stations they were on their 

own. Vehicles and equipment were hard to come 

by and there was no uniform - 'you wore khaki 

stuff the army didn't want, or your own clothes'. 

Handlers tended to look scruffy which did not 

endear them to their bosses. 

The Dog Training Centre asked local farmers 

to let them have cows that died of bloat for dog 


Superdog Geisha and 

the six foot mesh scsle 

Superdog 96 

by Roger Haywood 

I was honoured this year by the organisers of the 

Brentwood Town and Country Show in being 

asked to judge the Specialist/Working Trial 

section in the above competition, held on Sunday 

22 September 1996, Ted Buckle a BPSCA 

member assisted me as steward. 

Entry to this specialised dog competition is 

restricted to seven dogs and handlers, selected 

from handlers nominated by both civilian and 

service organisations. Each dog and handler 

takes part in 14 different exercises, based on 

working trials, agility and obedience exercises, 

devised by Roy Dyer, Chief Instructor of the 

Essex Dog Display Team. Some of the agility 

has been specially devised for this event. 

To help you assess the skill of dogs and 

handlers entering this competition, here is a 

precis of the 14 exercises: 

Speed agility - against the clock over a full 

agility course - 100 points. 

Position ramp - dog to sit, stand and down while 

negotiating a ramp - 25 pOints 

Retrieve over obstacle - retrieve judge's article 

over a complicated obstacle - 25 points. 


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Dogs love the luxury of their OWII 

'TREASURECOT' Bed. It has a 

REMOVABLE & WASHABLE Cover in 

Flame Retarda nt 

Plush Fabric, the base of which is bonded 

and quilted in a diamond pallern 

onto the hard wearing 'CambreLle'. 

This affords extra protection to the cover 

f or those pets who tend co scralch around 

bef ore they settle down .. 

Th e bed has a 2" thick insulated polyester 

f oam base with 8 " deep x 2" thick polyester 

wall which is bonded on the outside 

to corded material. Draught-proof Hygienic 

and light-weight. Suitable f or the car or home. 

THESE BEDS ARE IDEAL FOR PETS 

WITH ARTHRITIC LIMBS. 

Covers avai lable in eight colours. 

Eac h bed is hand made to you r requirements. 

" LIKE TO 

\; HELP SAVE A 

!JWOULDYOU 

DOG'S LIFE? 

For just £10 you ca n get regular newsletters, 

FREE visits to the sanctuary, and help to save 

the lives of the hundreds of dogs that are 

seeking new and reall y ca ring homes. 

N ~\/VI¥...__ ..... __ • . _. 

",DDI:9RL ... 

'1 fl"m;~!il: !I r '/ DO ,'MT IO N 

WARNHAM ANIMAL 

SANCTUARY TRUST 

MAYES LANE, WARNHAM 

RHl2 3SG W SUSSEX 

Reg Charity 1019569 

~~'J. 

" 

___ ... l. 

" ~:. --- . 

...-;-. 

.. 

~ 

- 

nII'TII£RAPEUTIL 

CHASE, CHIW EXPERILNCl 

Jasha ifl.'.ide 5X bed 40" A24" 

Seven sizes from Toy Dogs to Great Danes. 

Prices from £ 14.00 to £65.00 plus P&P. 

A 'TREASURECOT' BED IS 

NOT A BEAN BED. 

For Sample Swatches & .~ 

Price List send SAE co: ~ 

Treasurecot Pet Beds, (A.S.) 

14 Com Meadow Green, 

Worcester WR3 7PN 

TelephonelFax: 0 1905 453 152 

Our Beds comply wilh 'he 

FurnilUre & Purnishi ng (Fire) (Safely) ACl 1988. 


Members' page 

News, Sales 

and Wants 

This page is set aside for the use of members. It 

may be used to advertise products for sale, skills 

and services, or items wanted. The service is free. 

Linguists needed 

The circulation of our magazine continues to 

grow and as a result over the last couple of 

months I have received dog handling 

magazines from the following countries; 

Russia, France, Denmark, Finland, Sweden 

and Norway. 

If you can read Russian, French, Danish 

Finnish, Swedish or Norwegian, now is the 

time that you can be of constructive 

assistance to your association. Get in touch 

with me and I will send you the appropriate 

magazine for you to read, in the hope that 

you will be able translate into English any 

article which you feel would be of interest to 

your dog handling colleagues. 

We also receive magazines from our 

Canadian , Australian and American 

colleagues, but I manage to translate these 

into English mysell. 

Pen Pals 

Corporal Grant Teeboon of the Royal Australian 

Air Force visited England on holiday in 1993, 

and had the pleasure of visiting the Police Dog 

Training School at RAF New1on. Unfortunately 

due to time constraints his tour only lasted a 

couple of hours and since then he has thought of 

many questions and ideas that he would like to 

discuss with other members of our profession. 

This he believes he could achieve by obtaining 

a dog handler pen pal in this Country. 

He also makes a very generous ofter by inviting 

any dog handler who is contemplating a visit to 

Australia to call in and visit him when he hopes 

that he will be given the opportunity to return the 

hospitality that was aftorded to him in this country. 

Grantcan be contacted atthe following address: 

Cpl Grant Teeboon A126290 

Police Dog Section, 307 Air Base Wing, 

RAAF Fairbairn ACT 2600 Australia 


Re-union 

Ex-military policemen/Women -Did yo 

with either 200 Provost or the Dog C 

RMP in Singapore between 1959 and 

so, a grand reunion is being arran 

November. For full details contact Gerr 

on 01516440244 

1997 Service 

Dog Calenda 

Crufts Dog Show 

NEC Birmingham 

6 - 9 March 1997 

Nordic Police Dog Seminar 

Tammerfors, Finland 

March 1997 

Regional Police Dog Trials 

1 Region (North West) 

No Regional Trial in 1997 

2 Region (North East) 

Hosts Humberside Police 

23 - 27 March 1997 

3 & 4 Region (Midlands & East) 

Hosts Warwickshire Police 

17 - 21 March 1997 

5 Region (South East) 

Hosts Bedfordshire Police 

7 - 10 March 1997 

6 & 7 Region (South West & Wales) 

Hosts Devon & Cornwall Police 

20 - 24 March 1997 

8 Region (Metropolitan Police) 

3 - 7 March 1997 

9 Region (Scotland & RUC) 

Hosts Lothian and Borders Police 

3 - 7 March 1997 

National Police Dog Trials 

Hosts Dorset Constabulary 

2 - 6 April 1997 

Anyone wishing to attend either regio 

national police dog trials is advised to 

the dog section of the host force for fur 

details. 

Nordic Police Dog Championships 

Esbjerg, Denmark 

9 - 12 October 1997

Service Dog 01 the Year Competition 

Police 


Service Dog of the Year Competition 

For the second year running, the above competition was 

held by kind permission of the Commanding Officer, 

Colonel A H Roache, at the Defence Animal Centre, 

Melton Mowbray in conjunction with the Canine Biathlon, 

and the centres open day. 

This year's competitors were drawn from the Devon 

and Cornwall Police, the Northumbria Police, the Royal 

Air Force Police, the Ministry of Defence Police, HM 

Prison Service and the Northern Ireland Prison Service 

For anyone interested in trained dogs, this really was a 

good day out for the whole family. Not only was there the 

opportunity to see the above service dogs in action, the 

canine biathlon provided day long entertainment, and 

you could view the kennels and training facilities at the 

centre. 

Close result 

All of the dogs were thoroughly tested in heelwork, 

retrieving ability, agility and the crowd pulling manwork tests. with the final result being decided 

by one half of a mark. The eventual winner of the 1991) cumpetit i o'1 was the 1895 champion, 

Prison Officer Dave Bates from the Northern Ireland Prison Service with a total of 272 marks. 

Police Sergeant Paul Glennon of the Devon and Cornwall Police obtained 2711 /2 marks and was 

placed second. 

Our congratulations go to the winners, and our thanks to the competitors, judges and officials 

for providing a first class competition. We appreciate th e support we received from Pedigree 

Petfoods and the excellent prizes they provided. 

20 The SeNice Dog The Service Dog 21

Service Dog 01 the Year Competition 


Police

Members' page 

News, Sales 

and Wants 

This page is set aside for the use of members. It 

may be used to advertise products for sale, skills 

and services, or items wanted. The service is free. 

Linguists needed 

The circulation of our magazine continues to 

grow and as a result over the last couple of 

months I have received dog handling 

magazines from the following countries; 

Russia, France, Denmark, Finland, Sweden 

and Norway. 

If you can read Russian, French, Danish 

Finnish, Swedish or Norwegian, now is the 

time that you can be of constructive 

assistance to your association. Get in touch 

with me and I will send you the appropriate 

magazine for you to read, in the hope that 

you will be able translate into English any 

article which you feel would be of interest to 

your dog handling colleagues. 

We also receive magazines from our 

Canadian , Australian and American 

colleagues, but I manage to translate these 

into English mysell. 

Pen Pals 

Corporal Grant Teeboon of the Royal Australian 

Air Force visited England on holiday in 1993, 

and had the pleasure of visiting the Police Dog 

Training School at RAF New1on. Unfortunately 

due to time constraints his tour only lasted a 

couple of hours and since then he has thought of 

many questions and ideas that he would like to 

discuss with other members of our profession. 

This he believes he could achieve by obtaining 

a dog handler pen pal in this Country. 

He also makes a very generous ofter by inviting 

any dog handler who is contemplating a visit to 

Australia to call in and visit him when he hopes 

that he will be given the opportunity to return the 

hospitality that was aftorded to him in this country. 

Grantcan be contacted atthe following address: 

Cpl Grant Teeboon A126290 

Police Dog Section, 307 Air Base Wing, 

RAAF Fairbairn ACT 2600 Australia 


Re-union 

Ex-military policemen/Women -Did you 

with either 200 Provost or the Dog Co 

RMP in Singapore between 1959 and 1 

so, a grand reunion is being arrang 

November. For full details contact Gerry 

on 01516440244 

1997 Service 

Dog Calenda 

Crufts Dog Show 

NEC Birmingham 

6 - 9 March 1997 

Nordic Police Dog Seminar 

Tammerfors, Finland 

March 1997 

Regional Police Dog Trials 

1 Region (North West) 

No Regional Trial in 1997 

2 Region (North East) 

Hosts Humberside Police 

23 - 27 March 1997 

3 & 4 Region (Midlands & East) 

Hosts Warwickshire Police 

17 - 21 March 1997 

5 Region (South East) 

Hosts Bedfordshire Police 

7 - 10 March 1997 

6 & 7 Region (South West & Wales) 

Hosts Devon & Cornwall Police 

20 - 24 March 1997 

8 Region (Metropolitan Police) 

3 - 7 March 1997 

9 Region (Scotland & RUC) 

Hosts Lothian and Borders Police 

3 - 7 March 1997 

National Police Dog Trials 

Hosts Dorset Constabulary 

2 - 6 April 1997 

Anyone wishing to attend either region 

national police dog trials is advised to co 

the dog section of the host force for furth 

details. 

Nordic Police Dog Championships 

Esbjerg, Denmark 

9 - 12 October 1997

TREASURECOT 

PET BEDS 

(Establis hed 1979) 

Makers of Luxury yet practical 

beds for discerning pets. 

Dogs love the luxury of their OWII 

'TREASURECOT' Bed. It has a 

REMOVABLE & WASHABLE Cover in 

Flame Retarda nt 

Plush Fabric, the base of which is bonded 

and quilted in a diamond pallern 

onto the hard wearing 'CambreLle'. 

This affords extra protection to the cover 

f or those pets who tend co scralch around 

bef ore they settle down .. 

Th e bed has a 2" thick insulated polyester 

f oam base with 8 " deep x 2" thick polyester 

wall which is bonded on the outside 

to corded material. Draught-proof Hygienic 

and light-weight. Suitable f or the car or home. 

THESE BEDS ARE IDEAL FOR PETS 

WITH ARTHRITIC LIMBS. 

Covers avai lable in eight colours. 

Eac h bed is hand made to you r requirements. 

" LIKE TO 

\; HELP SAVE A 

!JWOULDYOU 

DOG'S LIFE? 

For just £10 you ca n get regular newsletters, 

FREE visits to the sanctuary, and help to save 

the lives of the hundreds of dogs that are 

seeking new and reall y ca ring homes. 

N ~\/VI¥...__ ..... __ • . _. 

",DDI:9RL ... 

'1 fl"m;~!il: !I r '/ DO ,'MT IO N 

WARNHAM ANIMAL 

SANCTUARY TRUST 

MAYES LANE, WARNHAM 

RHl2 3SG W SUSSEX 

Reg Charity 1019569 

~~'J. 

" 

___ ... l. 

" ~:. --- . 

...-;-. 

.. 

~ 

- 

nII'TII£RAPEUTIL 

CHASE, CHIW EXPERILNCl 

Jasha ifl.'.ide 5X bed 40" A24" 

Seven sizes from Toy Dogs to Great Danes. 

Prices from £ 14.00 to £65.00 plus P&P. 

A 'TREASURECOT' BED IS 

NOT A BEAN BED. 

For Sample Swatches & .~ 

Price List send SAE co: ~ 

Treasurecot Pet Beds, (A.S.) 

14 Com Meadow Green, 

Worcester WR3 7PN 

TelephonelFax: 0 1905 453 152 

Our Beds comply wilh 'he 

FurnilUre & Purnishi ng (Fire) (Safely) ACl 1988. 


I) ...J ~ ....l ....lJ 

J-'J~-0s ~JJ , $ R 

....l ~) \ I 

.::...;~J~ JiB 

. L 

t a 


Superdog Geisha and 

the six foot mesh scsle Superdog 96 

by Roger Haywood 

I was honoured this year by the organisers of the 

Brentwood Town and Country Show in being 

asked to judge the Specialist/Working Tria 

section in the above competition, held on Sunday 

22 September 1996, Ted Buckle a BPSCA 

member assisted me as steward. 

Entry to this specialised dog competition is 

restricted to seven dogs and handlers, selected 

from handlers nominated by both civilian and 

service organisations. Each dog and handle 

takes part in 14 different exercises, based on 

working trials, agility and obedience exercises 

devised by Roy Dyer, Chief Instructor of the 

Essex Dog Display Team. Some of the agility 

has been specially devised for this event. 

To help you assess the skill of dogs and 

handlers entering this competition, here is a 

precis of the 14 exercises: 

Speed agility - against the clock over a full 

agility course - 100 points. 

Position ramp - dog to sit, stand and down while 

negotiating a ramp - 25 pOints 

Retrieve over obstacle - retrieve judge's article 

over a complicated obstacle - 25 points. 


New Zealand Police Dogs 

Trail Blazers 

199(; marks the 40th anniversary of 

police dog training in New Zealand, 

marked with the official opening of 

a new $1 million (£470,000) training 

centre at Trentham. 

Today it would be unthinkable not to have a 

police dog section in New Zealand but for the 

people who laid the foundations, the first 10 

years were a struggle. The early handlers were 

short on funding, equipment and acceptance 

and at one point the entire dog section came 

within two minutes of being scrapped. This 

occurred during the tenure of a police 

commissioner who wasn't 'dog minded'. 

Constable Colin Guppy and his dog 'Dante' 

were instructed to carry out a tracking exercise 

in the hills behind the dog training centre. Colin 

was told where the 'offender' was last sighted, 

cast his dog and picked up the scent. Colin and 

his dog tracked the offender for nearly two hours 

and found him at 10.58 hours. It wasn't until he 

came down from the hills that he found out that 

if he hadn't found the offender by 11 .00 hours 

there would have been no more dog section, it 

would have been disbanded. 

The first handlers were 'up against it', sa 

Colin. Back at their stations they were on th 

own. Vehicles and equipment were hard to com 

by and there was no uniform - 'you wore kha 

stuff the army didn't want, or your own clothe 

Handlers tended to look scruffy which did n 

endear them to their bosses. 

The Dog Training Centre asked local farme 

to let them have cows that died of bloat for d 


Nordic Police D 

Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland all have 

very active police dog sections and their own 

police dog association. 

In Finland the association is called Suomen 

Poliisikoirayhdistys, and it was formed in 1965. 

The association has 240 members or which 165 

members are active police dog handlers. The 

association's magazine, Poliisikoira is published 

four times a year. 

The Swedish association is called Polisens 

Hundforarforbund, formed in 1967 it has 470 

members with a magazine called Polishunden 

published five times a year. 

Norway has an association called Norsk 

Politihundelag, formed in 1932, with 350 

members. The Prison Service is included in their 

association and their magazine is called 

Politihunden. 

Denmark has two police dog associations. 

The oldest, Dansk Politihundeforening, was 

formed in 1909, in two sections. Section one for 

police dog handlers has 213 members, section 

, 

BEECH MESH 

FABRICATION 

Tel.. 01322 273980 

* Manll/actllrero/Galv(JJli..w!d SqulIre rue Panelling. 

* BolL together systems oJ !ligll Qual,:,)'. 

* Ketlneis are madefrom Welded Mesh pandframed in /" 

Square tube and hQI dipped Gal""ollised after mo"u/acfllre. 

MainteMlle/! Ira. 

* ROlige oJ sizes and speci4Jls. 

* Made to order. 

Please telephone for free Quotation or Price Hst. 

BEECH MESH FABRICATION Tel: 01322 273980 

62B Lowfield Street, Dartford, Kent, DAI 1R.I. 

NATIONAL 

DOG TATTOO 

REGISTER 

TATTOO 

REGISTER 

PROTECT YOUR DOG WITH ATATTOO ID AND 

A NATIONWIDE NETWORK HELPS HIM HOME 

IF HE GETS LOST 

AN ID DISC CAN GET LOST TOO 

BUT liE CANNOT l.OSE A TAnOO 

USED BY POLICE DOGS 

COST: TATTOOING £4.50 

puppy TATTOOING £4.00 

REGISTRATION £7.50 

LITTERS - REGISTRATION £7 per litter 

only one paymellt Jor life 

INFORMATION CENTRES 

N England 

Midlands 

East Anglia 

S England 

Bob Hutchinson 

Ellis Oldf,eld 

Nikki Farley 

Norma Brown 

April Fearn 

Barbara Massey 

Rita Bertram 

Scotland David Bissen 

N Ireland Jackie Duff 

S [rei and Maeve Clissman 

LO.M 

Andrew Parker 

Registration centre 

- 01274 880408 

- 01673818772 

- 01675 443133 

- 01487-812939 

- 01322 613249 

- 01435862704 

- 01255870504 

- 01875 611297 

- 01 232 70 1137 

- Dublin 2881814 

- 01624 82 3862 

- 01206 3975 I 0 

Founded by tlze German Slzeplzerd Dog League 


The Role of Vitamin C in Collagen 

Formation and Hip Dysplasia 

In recent years major advances have been achieved in 

ou runderstanding of the metabolism' and of the important 

part played by vitamin Cin this process -e.g. the research 

of Wegger and colleagues (1984). Studies have shown 

that the biosynthesis', and amount, of vitamin C stored, 

and used, in the body depends on man y factors. 

In various nutritional deficiencies, and in many 

diseases, the biosynthesis of vitamin C is reduced and 

consequently the amount stored in the blood plasma 

drops. At the same time a reduction occurs in the 

concentration of vitamin C in the body's cells and this 

results in a slowing down of many biochemical reactions 

with the perfonmance of various cell types being impaired 

. reduced energy metabolization in the mitochondria, is 

an example. 

Studies, particularly those carried out over the 

past decade, have clearly shown that even those animals 

that are able to sythesize vitamin Ccannot make enough 

for all their metabolic requirements. This is especially 

important if they are ill and this is aggravated further when 

the animal is subjected to stress. As biosynthesis of 

vitamin Cin the liver and absorbtion of vitamin Cfrom the 

gut is impaired in the presence of astressor, vitamin Cis, 

for this and other reasons, a most important vitamin and 

the one which is most likely to be insufficiently available 

unless provided, by dietary supplementation, for the dog. 

The presence of this much-ignored vitamin is 

necessary forthe absorbtion of dietary iron, for example, 

as well as playing a vital, life-supporting role in other 

biochemical functions such as the production of 

antibodies, the fonmation of collagen (important to the 

strength of ligaments and tendons), the efficient 

metabolization of bone (through its influence on vitamin 

D) and the efficient metabolization of amino acids and 

carbohydrates. 

These are a few examples of how vitamin C 

supportsthe biochemical functions of the body, there are 

many others. We should remind ourselves here that 

vitamin C is largely destroyed through any processing 

that involves heat, moisture, or pressure. The raw 

materials that make up so-called 'complete diets' are 

subjected to atl three I 

Administration of vitamin C has been found 

beneficial in the treatment regimes of various infectious 

diseases, hip dysplasia, etc. As has been mentioned 

above, the list of biochemical functions involving vitamin 

C is very ex1ensive. 

Hip Dysplasia 

In large breedsof dogs,hip dysplasia was long considered 

to be an inherited birth defect (ie. it is generally passed 


on). Recent research , however, suggests that it may be 

an easily controlled biochemical condition. The onset of 

the lesion in hip dysplasia appears to be due merely to 

poor quality, low strength collagen in the affected 

ligaments. In litters from dysplastic German Shepherd 

parents or parents that produced dysplastic offspring, 

there have been no signs of hip dysplasia when the 

bitches were given higher than normal doses of vitamin 

Cduring pregnancy and the pups were given daily doses 

of vitamin C until they reached young adulthood . 

In potentially dysplastic pups of large breeds, the first 

year or two of life is fraught with high metab olic and 

phYSiological stress. Therefore, the demands on the 

body are great and the demands for large quantities of 

vitamin C and other micro-nutrients even greater. 

The laxity, or looseness of the hip ligament and the 

changes in the pectieus muscle and tend on, are as a 

result of the absence of high quality, strengthening 

collagen. Weak collagen in the ligaments causes them to 

stretch or loosen, resulting in joint laxity, which allows the 

young femoral head to separate from the acetabulum 

(hip socket). After separation an inflammatory process 

(arthritis) ensues and varying amounts of scar tissue 

form in the acetabulum, preventing the head of the femur 

from returning to its nonmal position. This results in 

coxfemoral subluxation (hip dysplasia). 

Simultaneously, poor quality collagen in the pectieus 

muscles and ligaments retards their growth and 

development. The impaired growth and development of 

tendon and muscle, together with the rapid growth of the 

femur, contributes furtherto the severity of the dislocation. 

In the trials, mentioned above, none of the pups which 

were maintained on high doses of vitamin C have, to 

date, shown evidence of hip dysplasia. 

The recommended management regime consists in giving 

the pregnant bitch high doses of vitamin C in the daily 

ration. At birth, the pups are given 50 to 200mg of vitamin 

C oral ly. When the pups reach three weeks of age, the 

daily amount is increased to 500mg until th epups are four 

months old. At that time, the dosage is increased to 1 or 

2gm daily and maintained at that level until the pups are 

18 months to two years of age. 

, Metabolism - the total chemical and physical changes 

that occur within the body to sustain life especially 

through the release of energyforthe production of tissue, 

etc. 

, Biosynthesis - to produce inside a living organism (the 

body).

Cover Story 

'Star' the UK's first Fire 

Investigation Dog 

A new weapon has been launched in the 

war against the crime of arson by the 

West Midlands Fire Service, and a new 

service is added to the list ofthose who 

use trained canines. 

'Star' a male black labrador, handled by Stalion 

Officer Clive Gregory, has been trained to detect 

the presence of hydrocarbon substances used 

in the sel1ing of deliberate fires. Star began 

operational duty in late September 1996, 

reinforcing the West Midlands Fire Research 

and Investigation Section, whose officers already 

lead the field in the detection of suspicious fires. 

Sponsorship - Fire losses due to arson are 

running at a million pounds per month in the 

West Midlands area alone. Much of this cost is 

met by insurance companies, although it has to 

be said that the cost in human terms is 

incalculable. 

A successful sponsorship partnership was 

negotiated in the training of this dog and handler, 

between the Eagle Star Insurance Company 

and the West Midlands Fire Service. The 

insurance company has sponsored the entire 

programme for a period of five years, the 

anticipated working life of the present dog. 

'Star' and Station Officer Clive Gregory 

The Training - The training course for dog and 

handler lasted three months, during which the conducted to ascertain whether or not the 

dog was trained to detect the full range of commitment of the search dog is appropriate. 

accelerant substances (eg paraffin, petrol , Safety of the dog will be a predominant feature , 

cellulose, thinners etc.). Substances that are with paw protection, safety line and harness 

produced naturally during a fire situation do not used as necessary. 

form part of this vocabulary, thus eliminating the Suspicious substances identified by the dog at 

problem of 'false alerts' commonplace with a fire scene will be made available to police for 

technological apparatus. Star is triggered into forensic examination. It is antiCipated that the 

action by the application of a search harness, a accuracy of the dog's nose will not only speed up 

system similar to the training of dogs for both the detection of suspicious substances, but will 

drug and explosive search. 

also reduce the number of forensic samples by 

Star and Station Officer Gregory graduated eliminating false alerts from 'natural' 

from the course after a series of certification hydrocarbons. 

tests were conducted, when hidden hydrocarbon The British Police and Services Canine 

substances were located by the dog and handler Association offers its congratulations to Star, 

team. 

Station Officer Gregory and the West Midlands 

At the Fire Scene . When arriving at a Fire Service, and welcomes them to the ranks of 

suspicious fire scene, an appraisal will be those who train and work service dogs. 


ARE YOU PERMANENTLY ON PARADE 

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Look around you and find the best 

looking leather you have ever seen 

and you will have found someone 

using LEATHER LUSTRE. 

This product has been used by law 

enforcement, fire and rescue, sports 

officials, medical and military 

personnel throughout the world. 

We will send you an 80z can with full 

instructions for only £10.50 plus £2.50 

for postage and packing and you will 

have enough to do all of your shoes, 

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For larger orders please ring for 

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Total cost of cans 

p.p. £2.50 per ca n 

TOTAL EN CLOS ED 

DISCOUNT AVAILABLE ON LARGER ORDER 


The Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) 

In both this issue and issue 

15, readers will see articles 

MOD Vehicle Depot, Ashchurch 

concerned with the Dog 

Section of The Ministry of 

Defence Guard Service. 

Anyone connected with 

Ministry of Defence 

establishments will probably 

be well aware of this service, 

but for the benefit of others I 

hope this article will introduce 

what is a comparatively new 

service. 

The Ministry of Defence 

Guard Service was formed 

on 1 October 1992. It was 

created from a variety of 

patrolling and watching 

grades, both industrial and 

non-industrial, to form a new class of nonindustrial 

civil servant, that of Civilian Security 

Officer. On its formation the MGS establishment 

was 2,700, it is now over 4,000 strong and has 

a dog section with 180 dogs and 350 dog 

handlers. 

Prior to the formation of the MGS, guarding at 

MOD establishments was done by service 

personnel, Ministry of Defence Police (MOP) 

directly employed labour (patrolling and watching 

grades) and contractors. The three services and 

other MOD organisations trained their own 

patrolling and watching grades and in some 

instances never trained them at all. This situation 

was most unsatisfactory. 

Following the IRA attack at the Royal Marines 

Depot in Deal in September 1989 a study made 

various recommendations concerning the setting 

up of a unified MOD guard service. Among these 

was the need to have a well trained professional 

force as an essential ingredient in the overall 

security guarding mix. The objectives, set for the 

structure and centralised training . This provides 

the MOD with a guard service which is 

professional, alert and well trained, well informed 

on the threat and capable of integration into the 

mix of guarding forces at MOD sites and 

installations. 

The Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence 

Police is responsible for the management of the 

MGS which he delegates to the head of the 

Guard Services who, with his headquarters team , 

area co-ordinators and training wing , provide 

the training and policy support. 

Training for the MGS is centralised at MOP 

Wethersfield , Essex, with the training wing 

commanded by a MOP Inspector and instructors 

fro m the services and MOP. Courses last 10 

days and cover a range of subjects from counter 

terrorist and access control to first aid and health 

and safety. There is a strong emphasis on 

practical skills, written and oral communication 

are given suitable prominence. All recruits are 

required to attend and pass the course within 

service, were to rationalise guarding three months of joining. Recruits who fail the 

arrangements , improve standards , relieve 

service personnel and MOP from routine 

unarmed guarding duties and from those posts 

where there is no requirement to exercise 

constabulary powers. 

course are discharged. 

Dog and handler training is provided by the 

Defence Animal Centre at Melton Mowbray. 

Dogs are used in the security role only and are 

mainly the patrol arm true variety although some 

The Guard Service has a distinctive uniform, guard dogs are also in service. 

common professional standards, common pay 

and conditions of service, a common grading 

I am grateful to Mr P M C Welply, Head of 

Guard Services for providing this article. 


Winner of both the scratch and 

handicapped competition was Patrolman 

Whitelaw with dog 'Pryce' from 

Kirkcudbright, pictured above receiving 

his trophy_ 

1996 Ca 

There was a very special atmosphere at t 

year's open day at the Defence Animal Cent 

Melton Mowbray. Not only was it the venue 

the Canine Biathlon and the Service Dog of t 

Year Competition, butthe Royal Army Veterina 

Corps were also celebrating the 200 

anniversary of the first veterinary surgeon, Jo 

Shipp, being commissioned into the British Arm 

Farrier and equine displays were matched 

sheep and gundog demonstrations, with sw 

boats and bounci ng castles to entertain 

younger element. Pimms and beertents cater 

for mums and dads, the weather was beaut 

and so a good day was had by one and all. 

was it? 

If you were a service dog handler, had to 

six kilometres cross country with your dog a 

during that run had to go over, under or throu 

35 obstacles designed to test to the full 

strength and endurance of both dog and hand 

would you say that you'd had a 'good day. T 

answer if you are a Canine Biathlon entrant i 

resounding 'Yes'. 

This year's course had been redesigned 

that the first eight obstacles were close to, and 


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6 The SeNice Dog

Barrowmore Industries 

APPROVED SHELTERED WOR KSHOP OF 

BARROWMORE VILLAGE SETILEMENT 

REGISTERED CHARITY No 228817 

PATRON : HM QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER 

NEW EQUIPMENT 

Kennels and agility equipment 

On the inside front page you will see that Service Dog has 

gained the support of Barrowmore Industries. Many of you ar 

already familiar with the organisation and the high quality of 

the Dog Kennels and Training Aids manufactured in their 

workshop. 

Barrowmore Industries sponsored by The British Red Cross 

and The Order of St John, has for the past 75 years provide 

meaningful and long term employment for disabled people. 

Their factory and Timber Storage areas cover some five/six 

acres of the 133 acre estate and settlement just outside Cheste 

The settlement provides employment for over 70 people wit 

nearly 80 disabled people placed in employment in such place 

as banks, supermarkets and garden centres. All of the fencin 

products manufactured in the workshops are timber based, i 

garden fencing products, garden sheds, summer houses, picni 

tables/benches, folding tables and work benches. 

Five years ago the Trust decided to diversify and sought wor 

from the Ministry of Defence which led to the organisation 

becoming noted manufacturers and suppliers of Dog Kennels 

and Dog Training Aids. It was a natural progression to exten 

this service to police, British Transport Police, Customs and 

Excise and the Ministry of Defence Police Dog Sections. So 

successful have they been it has enabled the organisation to 

invest in new machinery, expand their manufacturing areas, 

and most important, to provide long term, meaningful 

employment for those less fortunate than ourselves. 

For further information, contact the Sales Department on 

01829740391 Fax: 01829740237 


Prison Service College, Newbold Revel 

26th National Prison 

Service Dog Championshipsrfc 

For the 26th year, dogs and handlers working in 

prisons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 

competed against each other in regional dog 

trials earlier this year to select the 15 finalists 

who competed for the national championship, 

between Thursday 5 September and Saturday 7 

September. 

The Prison Service College at Newbold Revel, 

Warwickshire , presents a beautiful setting for a 

competition of this nature, setin open countryside, 

itis rich in flora and fauna, but also has first class 

accommodation, leisure and sports facilities 

necessary to hold an event such as this. The 

weather over the three days was also excellent. 

Sam Mackay, Governor of Prison Dogs in 

Northern Ireland, and Dave Marshall a 

Directorate Principal Officer were the judges for 

the event and they put all 15 dogs and handlers 

through a testing schedule which included 

obedience, agility, search for property, search 

for a hidden person and manwork exercises. 

A very high standard of dog handling was seen 

by a large appreciative audience, made up mainly 

of handlers' families, friends and colleagues and 

the 'esprit de corps' which exists in the Prison 

Service Dog Section was shown by the applause 

which greeted the winner and runner-up at the 

presentation ceremony. 

Results: 

1996 Prison Service National Champio 

Officer Dave Bates with dog 'Tyson', North 

Ireland Prison Service, HMP Maze. 

Reserve Champion 

Officer Vic Enticott with dog 'Zac', North 

Ireland Prison Service, HMP McGilligian . 


~dUOO"~ 

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-.~ .s.._Q* 

am!'~· 

~ .,.>I-----of..s-... ~U_ 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE 

SURREY POLICE HEADQUARTERS 

WEDNESDAY 11TH DECEMBER 1996 10.00-16.30hrs 

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: 

• Bruce George MP 

• William Swann, Assistant Chief Vet. Officer RSPCA 

• John Berry, Chairman NASDU 

• Graham Buchanan, Inspector Surrey Police 

Legis/ation 

Codes ofPractice 

Progress & Formation 

Inspection Procedure 

Other topics will include Membership and Open Forum questions 

Fully inclusive cost for the day £49.95. Accommodation available. 

Further details and Bookings: 

NASDU, Image House, Kingfield Road, Old Woking, Surrey GU22 9DZ 

Tel: 01483 721222 Fax: 01483 776168 E-Mail: surreysecure@surrey-net.co.uk 

HISTORY 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITY DOG USERS 

In 1991, British Standard 7499 was introduced for the self regulation of the Manned Guarding sector 

of the Security Industry. Many reputable companies began to comply with the standard and many were 

have been and will be, inspected to its requirements. 

The standards however fell short of including Guard Dogs. The industry at the time was using dogs 

in small numbers because of the introduction of the Dangerous Dogs Act and the bad press dogs were 

getting at that time. 

Slowly but surely since then, Guard Dogs have been reintroduced into the manned guarding sector. 

The industry has moved on but has still failed, probably due to the lack of expertise, to cater for Guard 

Dogs. 

As a result of this and with the will of those who wish to see the Dog Sector properly 'policed' and 

inspected, a democratically elected National Steering Committee was formed to investigate and establish 

nationally recognised standards for Trainers, Dogs & Handlers and to propose and prepare a workable 

Code of Practice for all to adhere to. 

The National Association, which will act as an inspectorate body, a standards body and a link to the 

main security associations who do not have the necessary expertise to deal with this area of the industry 

NASDU has already been introduced to IPSA (International Professional Security Association), BSIA 

(British Security Industry Association), SITO (Security Industry Training Organisation) and the lSI 

(Inspectorate of the Security Industry). All of these organisations are 'main players' within the Security 

Industry and all have penned their support for the NASDU. 

In addition the RSPCA recognise and support the efforts of NASDU and have recently accepted Codes 

of Practice written by the NASDU committee. 

The NASDU committee is made up of members from England, Wales & Scotland at present. Prospective 

members will come from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further interest has been 

shown from Jersey and the Isle of Man. 

It is fully expected that Full, Associate Company membership and Individual Membership will reach 

the 1000 mark by the end of 1997. 

John Berry, Chairman 


Suppliers to 

Britain's Police Forces 

&Ministry of Defence, 

Worki ng &Domestic 

Dog Owners, 

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The Ministry of Defence Guard Service - BPSCA.net

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