All police dogs start out as police puppies. Although they are not working as police dogs just yet, they are extremely adorable. This Instagram post by @babyanmlpics shows the New Taipei Police Department’s new police puppy recruits in a photoshoot. But how do police puppies begin their training? Read on to learn more!
Some dogs are bred specifically for police work.
©ConstanzaMartinez/Shutterstock.com
In the post above, the cutest puppies you’ve ever seen are posed in a police theme photoshoot. These pups will later train to become police dogs for the New Taipei City Police Department. The puppies are posed in front of a police car’s lights, wearing a police harness, or simply sleeping. All of the pups are adorable, with tiny faces and cute yawns. The puppies in the post are still too young for training, so they have some time before they become actual recruits. Some larger police departments may have their own in-house breeding programs. These programs help ensure that new puppies have desirable temperaments and are in good health. The puppies that pass can go on to become police dogs, while those that do not are put up for adoption in loving homes.
Puppies require plenty of socialization before they can be considered for police work. Most of the time, police puppies live in foster homes with other dogs. This initial environment provides essential elements for a puppy’s growth, such as food, stability, and socialization. This helps prepare the puppies for the rigorous training required by the police. The most common way police departments acquire new dogs is through adoption from trainers. Specialized trainers eliminate the hassle of screening for suitability, allowing the dogs to begin work sooner. While police dogs often begin their official working careers around 12 to 24 months old, their training and socialization typically start much earlier, sometimes as young as 8 to 12 weeks. The adorable police puppies featured in the post above are sure to become amazing police dogs one day!
