Police pups bound ahead in battle to lick crime

Training sessions

For a puppy to become a qualified police dog, it needs to meet several conditions, according to Xia, the puppy training team director. It should have a strong search and retrieve drive, while character and courage are important qualities for a canine to perform the role, he explained.

"If a puppy does not want to acquire things, it will be hard for it to perform different types of missions later when on duty," Xia said. The ideal age to start a puppy's basic training is when it is about 3 months old, in order to get a sense of its character and cultivate its adaptability to different circumstances.

"We have an elimination process since we do not rule out the possibility that there are little puppies that do not meet requirements," he said. "But we prefer to create a playful environment for them, similar to a kindergarten, which allows them to develop essential skills unconsciously while they're having fun."

For the puppies unable to meet all the standards immediately, extra lessons take the form of pats on the back, hand claps, snacks and verbal encouragement to help them catch up.

A towel is a good tool for puppy training because it cannot only be used as an inducement, but also protect the developing dog's teeth if it pulls too hard, said Xia.

Training typically involves four sessions a day, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. However, on scorching summer days, the training is reduced to twice daily, with a session limited to one to two hours.

Xia said the habits instilled in daily training are essential for the dog's professional life.

"Puppies have a make-or-break period, which is between three and six months old. Training during these three months lays a solid foundation for the dogs and their abilities will improve rapidly afterward," he said.

Xia gave an example of a Belgian Malinois, an active, highly intelligent breed of dog with strong athletic ability and good obedience. The Belgian Malinois is well-suited to the role of a police dog, but during its puppy stage it can be very sensitive and require a handler's full attention and care. "Through constant interaction with the puppy or continuous petting during training, the bond between the trainer and little Malinois is boosted, which soon helps desensitize it," he said.

Xia and seven other auxiliary police officers train the puppies at the breeding center. Spring and autumn are the seasons when breeding dogs give birth, and currently there are more than 30 puppies in the center, all born this spring.

"Early morning and late evening are the slightly cooler parts of the day in summer and recently we've started training the puppies during these times," Xia said. "Besides training their retrieving instincts, the puppies have been practicing climbing stairs, and crawling through hoops and tunnels. We've included various distractions into the training to strengthen the young police dog's psychological resilience."

Their diversified diet includes beef, chicken, eggs, and milk. To ensure optimal nutrient absorption, officers feed the puppies with smaller kibbles.

The base also has a veterinary center and the dogs are given routine checkups and are provided with treatment when needed.

"It's such a fulfilling journey to train these puppies from the very beginning. We tailor our training methods to each individual dog, and it's really something to watch them grow up from when they couldn't do anything to a time when they can," said Xia.

A police dog's working life usually depends on its physical condition. Healthy, strong dogs often remain in service until about the age of 10.

Ujan is now 4 years old. After the early struggle to train the dog, Zhao said: "I'm proud of Ujan and treasure every chance to work with him."