OBEDIENCE - A police canine’s obedience is pretty much the same as normal pet dogs.  Canines have to know how to heel, make right and left turns while heeling, sit, down, stay, and have quick recalls.  The areas were police canines differ is the canines are expected to do obedience in a variety of situations and environmental conditions.  The canine must stay at heel with the handler regardless of the attractions that are bothersome to the canine such as gunfire.  Police canines train in what we call tactical obedience.  In tactical obedience the handler will practice a variety of shooting stances on the move.  The canine is taught to automatically go into the down position as the officer’s handgun is drawn.  The canine will down when the officer goes into a standing, kneeling, or prone shooting stance.  In tactical obedience we work on recalls while moving with our handguns drawn.  During a recall the canines are placed in a down behind the handler instead of at heel.  Having the canine down behind the handler is so the canine will not be under the handler’s feet.  Hand signals are also used so the movements of the canine may made without the noise of a verbal command. Handlers spend many hours working on obedience with the canines.  Obedience is the basic fundamental behavior all canines must have to do the job of a police canine. 

AGILITY - Police canines practice agility to assure they will be able and ready to accept the challenges they may face while working.  The obstacles at our Academy agility course have been specifically selected.  The dogs are trained in jumping over three foot chain link fences. This is to replicate a chain link fence the canines may encounter around a residence. The six foot wall is another jumping obstacle.  The six foot is the same height as a residential yard fence.  They practice the window jump to teach them to go through open windows.  The canines are trained to walk across a teeter totter.  The teeter totter teaches the canine to be calm and sure footed when walking over moving uneven surfaces.  One of the most difficult obstacles for the canines is the ladder climb.  The canines are taught to climb the ladder in the event they are needed to make an attic entry or go on the roof of a business.  We also practice with a lifting hoist. The hoist goes around the canine’s torso and is used when extracting a canine from a high attic or off the roof a building.  Our canines have a feeling of accomplishment when they are able to complete the obstacle course.  They are always rewarded for the efforts with an exciting toss of their favorite toy.