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Archive for May, 2010
Sunday, May 30th, 2010
 
We are excited to announce that we have bred our two top Elite Family Estate Protection dogs, Mischa & Carlo. Mischa is an import German shepherd from Holland that we purchased for our breeding program. She is K.N.P.V. PH 1 titled, and has just completed our Elite Family Estate Protection dog program. This is an extraordinary accomplishment for a Female German shepherd. Her nerves are strong and her protection is extraordinary; at the same time, she is very efficient, very sociable and loves children.
Carlo is Holland’s top stud dog with a K.N.P.V. PH 1 title. As one might know, it is very rare to have both parents that are K.N.P.V. titled German Shepherds. K.N.P.V. is one of Europe’s most difficult dog sports. In the ten years that we have been in business, by far, Carlo is one of the strongest nerved German Shepherds which we have seen. He is not only stunning to look at, but is extraordinarily devastating in his protection. He comes in fast and hard, with a bone-crushing bite. Carlo is extremely intelligent, and learns very quickly. He is very social and loves to be around children.
Whelping date is July 3rd, 2010. We are expecting black and red pups with lots of bone density, big heads, with very strong nerves. The pups will be suitable for Family Executive Protection dogs.
Tags: Announcment, German Shepherd, K.N.P.V., Protection Dog, Puppies
Posted in Announcement | No Comments »
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
 The Koninklijke Nederlandse Politiehond Vereniging (KNPV) is a dog sport originating in Holland that uses a number of exercises in an attempt to mimic situations encountered by police k9 units. One such exercise is centered around guarding an object.
For dogs with a natural protective instinct, training to guard an article should not be a difficult task. The same guard drive that a canine would have experienced in the wild to protect food, a den or young puppies, can be applied to any object. For the K.N.P.V. exercise, the dog’s are trained to ignore distractions such as a people walking past the article, and to attack the decoy who will attempt to take the article. The article can be any object, but medium-sized objects such as a bag, or coat are often used. After the dog has taken a bite on the decoy, the decoy will release the object and step back, at which point the dog will return the article without any outside command.
As with many K.N.P.V. exercises, the idea behind it is well-intentioned, but the execution of the exercise as a sport is inevitably unsuitable for a real world scenario. The scenario that this exercise depicts is one in which someone has carelessly left something of value in a wide-open, public space. Imagine that you have something of great importance that you need protected, but instead of locking it inside of a building, within a contained, fenced-off area, you have left it out in the middle of a park. This is, essentially, the K.N.P.V. scenario. In a real scenario, guard dogs are most often used to prevent intruders from entering a specific area rather than guarding a specific object. This is due to the simple fact that if you have an object valuable enough to hire highly skilled guard dogs to protect it, you are better off preventing intruders from even coming near the object rather than waiting until they have fully grasped it.
Although we have great respect for the K.N.P.V. dog sport, one should always remember that it is only a sport. Guard dogs and protection dogs should be trained for real world scenarios, not for sport.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, Guard Dog, K.N.P.V.
Posted in K.N.P.V., Sporting Dogs | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
 Police Protection Dogs are a valuable asset to police forces everywhere and essential to many police operations. Among all of their capabilities, tracking is one of the most frequently used. However, when dealing with serious cases, as the police often do, the reliability of a dog’s tracking ability is of incredible importance. At present, United States courts do not consider a dog’s tracking ability to be 100% reliable. The results produced by a police tracking dog can only be used as supporting evidence, and cannot be presented as the only available evidence. Furthermore, the dog’s tracking ability must also be proven to be reliable. In all cases, the first test of reliability is the dog’s ability to track human scent.
A dog’s ability to reliably track human scent has been a topic of debate for many years. As humans, it is difficult for us to understand the process of scent tracking from a canine perspective. The canine nose is more than capable of identifying between a wide variety of scents, but ensuring that a police dog is following the correct scent is far more difficult. The biggest skeptics have always maintained that rather than tracking a humans unique scent signature, dogs track scents left behind by the disturbance of the ground as a human walks or runs, and thus kicks up a variety of dust and dirt particles along the way. Others have suggested that dogs are primarily focused on the scent of the feet or shoes that have left behind traces as they have rubbed against the ground. Others still say that unique human scents are left behind as a multitude of skin cells and hair are shed from our bodies. The reality is that a well trained tracking dog will be looking out for a mix of both human scent as well as ground disturbance. However, human scent must remain the focus with ground disturbance acting only to assist in maintaining the trail on a human scent. A reliable dog must be able to demonstrate the ability to track human scent without getting distracted by converging trails left by other humans.
The key to reliability in a police protection dog is to begin training at an early age. It is not enough to simply begin training track drive in a young Belgian Malinois puppy or German Shepherd puppy. Detecting human scent should be taught almost from the beginning, and should remain the focus of tracking exercises throughout the dog’s career.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, Belgian Malinois Puppies, German Shepherd, German Shepherd Puppies, Police Dog, Protection Dog, tracking dog
Posted in Training | No Comments »
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
 Just as it can be with humans, hyperthermia, or heat stroke, can be a very serious and potentially life-threatening problem. All warm-blooded mammals produce natural body heat which is dissipated in a number of ways. Humans dissipate heat by sweating, which helps keep the body’s core temperature at about 98.6 ° Fahrenheit. As many people know, dogs cannot sweat, but instead dissipate heat through panting. A healthy dog’s core body temperature should be between 101 ° and 102.5 ° F. In all mammals, once the core body temperature rises above a certain point, damage can occur to the brain and other organs, resulting in heat stroke. For canines, a core body temperature of 105 ° F or higher is enough to cause serious problems.
There are a number of reasons why a dog may be unable to properly dissipate heat. For dogs with an undercoat, such as the German Shepherd, failure to properly brush and remove the loose undercoat as the warmer seasons come can put your dog at risk. Walking on dark asphalt on a hot day can also raise your dog’s core temperature considerably, as the heat from the ground is radiating directly towards the chest and abdomen of your canine. Working protection dogs and police dogs are at even greater risk due to higher levels of exertion combined with activities such as tracking that require your dog’s mouth to remain closed, thus preventing proper heat dissipation through panting. Lack of proper hydration, as well as muzzles or anything else that may prevent proper panting can leave your dog at risk for heat stroke as well. Finally, never leave your dog unattended in a vehicle. Even on a relatively mild day, the temperature inside your vehicle can quickly raise to dangerous levels.
If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke, there are a number of indicators to look out for. Frantic panting, rapid heart beat, dizziness and staggering, refusal to obey commands, inability to sit up or stand, and collapse or unconsciousness are all signs of potential heat stroke. In the event that your dog is suffering from hyperthermia, your first action should be to cool the dog down by whatever means necessary, be they water, air conditioning or even ice packs. Immersing or dousing your dog in cool water is an excellent way to cool it down, but avoid cold water, as the drastic change in temperature can be a shock to the dog’s system and produce further complications. If you have a thermometer on hand, keep track of your dog’s temperature. Once it drops back down to about 103 ° F you should discontinue cooling and head immediately to your veterinarian, or the nearest veterinary hospital. If no thermometer is available, look for other signs that your dog’s core temperature has dropped, such as a reduced panting and distress.
In almost all cases, heat stroke is preventable. Proper grooming, hydration and care are all it takes to keep your protection dog or guard dog cool and healthy on a hot day.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, Guard Dog, heat stroke, hyperthermia, Protection Dog
Posted in Canine Health | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
 There’s no questioning the incredible powers of the canine sense of smell. From narcotics detection, to accelerant detection, sniffer dogs have put their powerful noses to work for police forces all over the world. While humans have approximately 5 million olfactory receptors to detect different scents, canines have over 250 million. This incredible ability to detect minute scents has recently been put towards the unexpectedly useful skill of detecting cell phones.
Just as chemicals and narcotics have a unique scent that dogs are able to pick up on, the plastics and component materials in cell phones also leave minute scents. Cell phone detection dogs are trained to pick up on these minute traces, and indicate the location of discovered cell phones to their handlers. While this is not necessarily useful in a public scenario, cell phones are one of the most common forms of contraband in prison. Convicted criminals smuggle in cell phones to help them organize outside crimes, promote smuggling, plan escapes and riots, or worse.
The breeds of dog most commonly used as cell phone detection dogs are common working breeds such as the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherd. This is due to that fact that these breeds are both widely available for use by police forces as well as being extremely intelligent, obedient and efficiently trained.
While narcotics detection dogs have been used by prison officials for years, cell phone detection dogs have only just begun to make an appearance, with the first use of a cell phone detection dog taking place in 2006. Hopefully, these dogs will be continue to help prison officials prevent crime for years to come.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, cell phone detection, Dutch Shepherd, German Shepherd, Sniffer Dogs
Posted in Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
 Canines have a long history of helping those in need. Whether they are guiding the visually impaired, retrieving help for the injured, or just providing companionship to those in need of emotional support, dogs have helped improved the quality of life for countless people.
Sadly, the lives of many people are still severely affected by disabilities that leave them vulnerable to crime. No one wants to be a victim of crime, but those with disabilities are at increased risk from criminals who may see them as an easy target. The inability to run away, or the inability to defend oneself is a frightening prospect. Thankfully, a personal protection dog can offer these people the security and safety they need to better enjoy their lives.
Owning a protection dog can help increase the confidence of those who might otherwise be afraid to travel alone, or to visit the corner-store or at night, or any number of other scenarios. Having a German Shepherd or a Belgian Malinois protection dog by ones side not only projects the appearance of being well-protected, but also ensures 100% true protection in the event of an attack. As well as offering security and protection, a personal protection dog can also be a life-line in the event of a medical emergency, by recognizing a crisis and retrieving help when appropriate. There is no question that the peace of mind offered by owning a protection dog is invaluable to those who seek to enjoy life to its fullest.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, disabilities, German Shepherd, Guard Dog, Protection Dog
Posted in Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
 The Koninklijke Nederlandse Politiehond Vereniging (KNPV), roughly translated as “Royal Dutch Police Dog Sport”, is an intense dog sport that developed in the Netherlands as a way to test the breeding potential of working dogs to ensure their bloodlines remained strong and capable. While a variety of breeds are permitted to participate in KNPV, the sport is largely dominated by the Belgian Malinois. Although the breed does enjoy a fair bit of popularity in the area, its widespread use as a sporting dog for KNPV is a result of the Belgian Malinois’ ability to prove itself in KNPV trials time and time again.
Breeders put an incredible amount of time and effort into keeping their bloodlines strong and training their dogs to perform their absolute best. Whether they are training working dogs for police work, or sporting dogs for KNPV, it is important that training begins while the dogs are still puppies. A breeder must also determine the capabilities of his puppies very early on. While KNPV sporting dogs often produce very strong litters whose pups go on to be full-fledged police dogs or protection dogs, it is important to realise that the type of training they receive must be centered around the work they will be doing from the very beginning. Training a Belgian Malinois as a sporting dog will make it unsuitable for work as a true protection dog, even if it were to be cross-trained. It takes a huge amount of skill and expertise on the part of the breeder to ensure that their Belgian Malinois puppies are living up to their full potential and continuing to improve their bloodline.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, Guard Dog, K.N.P.V., Police Dog, Protection Dog, Puppies, Sporting Dog
Posted in Belgian Malinois Puppies, K.N.P.V. | No Comments »
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
 The American Bulldog is a stocky, muscular mastiff-type breed, and one of several breeds that grew from the original Old English Bulldog. Their coat is short, smooth and generally white, although color patterns including black, brown and brindle are not uncommon. Between the modern British Bulldog and the American Bulldog, the American breed is the larger of the two, and most closely resembles the original Old English breed.
Like many breeds of dog, the Bulldog nearly vanished after the Second World War. American breeders by the name of Alan Scott and John Johnson, among several others, sought to rebuild the breed. Keeping a close eye on preserving the breed’s original loyalty and working ability, the resulting breed became the American Bulldog that we know today.
Due to the bulky, muscular appearance of the dog, they are frequently portrayed in television and movies as a fearsome and intimidating breed, often in roles as a guard dog. However, the true temperament of the American Bulldog is actually much friendlier. Due to their history as a working dog being focused largely on hunting, their prey drive is especially strong. Even today, they are commonly used to hunt wild boar. Unfortunately, breeds with a high prey drive often do not make good guard dogs or protection dogs. Other working breeds with a naturally high defensive drive such as the Belgian Malinois or German Shepherd are much better suited for work as a guard dog.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, Bulldogs, German Shepherd, Guard Dogs, Protection Dogs
Posted in Guard Dogs | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
 The Koninklijke Nederlandse Politiehond Vereniging (KNPV) is a dog sport originating in Holland that uses a number of exercises in an attempt to mimic situations encountered by police k9 units. One such exercise is centered around a search for small articles.
The KNPV small articles search takes place in a square section of grassy field. Three small objects, such as a key, a ring, a bullet casing, or a coin, are placed on the field. The dog then has 10 minutes to search the field and retrieve the objects. The handler is permitted to give basic commands instructing the dog to search, stay or release the retrieved object. A retrieval time of under 3 minutes is required to obtain a perfect score, while the dog is also graded on general obedience, the manner in which it searches the field, and how it handles the objects during the retrieval stage.
The intent of this exercise is to train the dog to act in a manner that mimics a police search for evidence. Unfortunately, the way this exercise is performed by the KNPV presents a number of problems when compared against what would be required of a search conducted by actual police forces. One of the biggest problems is that the dog is trained to mouth the object, pick it up and bring it back to the handler. In a real police search, investigators wear latex gloves to avoid disturbing the evidence any more than absolutely necessary. To have the dog mouth a piece of evidence might completely ruin it. The correct action for the dog to take would be to indicate passively by sitting next to the found article. Secondly, because KNPV is a sport, the exercises are performed with specific regulations concerning the search area. During a search, an officer can almost never rely on evidence being simply dropped in a perfectly square patch of grassy field.
The most important thing to remember is that KNPV, like all other dog sports, is just a sport. Police dogs, protection dogs and guard dogs alike need to be trained to handle real situations from the very beginning. Training for sport just isn’t good enough for work in the real world.
Tags: Belgian Malinois, K.N.P.V., Police Dog, Search, Small Article, Sporting Dog
Posted in K.N.P.V. | No Comments »
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