Foreign police dogs hit language barrier

[bigdoglover]

The Sydney Morning Herald

British police are drafting in foreign dogs to help with their fight against crime because of a shortage of suitable home-bred alsatians.

However, handlers are having to overcome a language barrier before the new recruits from countries such as Slovakia, the Netherlands and Belgium can be set to work.

The dogs responded only to commands in their native handler's tongue, which has meant at least two forces either sending officers abroad to learn how to speak to them or enlisting interpreters.

Eight of South Yorkshire Police's 48 dogs are from abroad.

Police Constable David Stephenson, who handles two-year-old Flint, from Slovakia, said: "At first we were telling them to sit and they weren't taking a blind bit of notice."

Translators were brought in to provide a breakdown of basic words in the canine lexicon to help train the dogs the English way. Constable Stephenson said: "We'd give the commands in both languages, but wean them off the Slovakian. We obviously picked up the basics of the language ourselves.

"We usually source alsatians from all over the country, but we're finding that foreign dogs are often more motivated - they have a better drive.

"I'd say their instincts are more acute as well. A higher percentage of Slovakian dogs will make the grade.

"The animals are a very important part of police work. They save a lot of manpower in searches and can be a powerful visual deterrent in public order."

After 14 weeks' intensive coaching at the police dog training centre in Sheffield, the animals are ready to go on duty with their handler - with whom they will live and spend their entire working lives.

Avon and Somerset Police has had to import three dogs to join the ranks because of a shortage of suitable alsatians in Britain.

Brought from Valkenswaard in Holland, they are two-year-old alsatians named Professor and Amigo, and Dutch, a 15-month-old Malinois, a Belgian breed popular throughout Europe but new to the force.

The dogs came with a "crib sheet" of practical commands in Dutch, the only language the animals understand.

The three dogs have now been trained to a high level but still have to undergo further training to meet Home Office standards on safety, efficiency and control.