Breed that helped nab Osama to Join state Police
BENGALURU : Two officers who have proved themselves to be the best in the world in carrying out their investigation duties, will be joining the Karnataka Police this week. These are Belgian Malinois puppies, the same breed that sniffed Osama Bin Laden out of his hiding place in Pakistan. S Siddaraju, DCP, CAR (City Armed Reserve) South, says the government sanctioned the pilot project on July 18. "It is an internationally-reputed breed. They play a pioneering role in security operations in Israel. They have great features, are alert and fast. Hence, we thought of having them on our team to upgrade training programmes," he says.
The dog squad is an important aspect of the police system. "With increasing population, we need to improve our security services. Hence, our other teams that assist us in investigations, such as dog squads, should be upgraded. Belgian Malinois is a better breed for investigative purposes as compared to Labradors, German Shepherds and Dobermans. They are more active and alert and are used in the US as well. The training will take about six to nine months, and then, we will either use them in crime detection, narcotics or bomb squad, depending on the dog," he adds.
Train through motivation: Canine shrink
It is said that the Belgian Malinois is a terrific police dog because it has a great sense of scent. Generally, they are used for security purposes at airports, railway and subway stations. If trained well, Malinois' are usually active, intelligent, friendly, protective, alert and hard working. The three-and-a-half-month-old puppies are being provided by Amrut Dog Guru Services, and will be named Poru and Gautam. Inspector Ningareddy Patil adds, "We are happy to have this breed on board, and are in the process of selecting handlers for the dogs. Team discussions are going on, as we will need voluntary participation from their end — someone who can understand the behaviour and psychology of the breed to train them efficiently."
The dog is known to thrive in any climatic condition. "In India, they are serving the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), NSG (National Security Guard) and are deployed at Kaziranga National Park. They are healthier and have better immune systems. The thin coat of fur makes maintenance and grooming easy," he says.
Belgian Malinois' have high drives — prey, play and hunt — and are more interested in moving objects. Amrut S Hiranya, a certified canine psychologist who was recently hired as a consultant with the Police Dog Squad, says that he would recommend these puppies be trained through motivation. "It's a play-and-learn method. Toys or treats are motivation for these dogs.
They should get used to playing with the toy, then we need to start frustrating them say by keeping the dog in a cage and showing it the toy. They'll get so frustrated that they would do anything to get it," he says, adding that that's when you start the real training. "You need to increase these drives in them. Get them to track using their 'hunt' drive — You can rub a toy on the ground. Once he sniffs and finds the toy, we can throw the toy for him to catch using his 'prey' drive. Once he gets used to the scent, targets can be changed," he says. Siddaraju adds that if the project is successful, they will add more number Belgian Malinois' to their team.
Healthy, but should be tested regularly
Malinois is generally a healthy breed, but they should be screened for health conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia and eye problems. As with all breeds, the ears should be regularly checked for signs of infection. Teeth should also be brushed regularly too. National Breed Club recommends the following tests: Hip evaluation, elbow evaluation and tests by ophthalmologist.
K-9 officer that sniffed out Osama
Cairo, a Belgian Malinois that assisted an 80-member American commando team, was the first to sniff out Osama Bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan. US Navy SEALS mainly use Belgian Malinois' or German Shepherds for their operations. The breed shot to international fame post the Osama raid. While similar to German Shepherds, this breed is smaller, lighter and stubbier. They are better for parachute jumping and rappelling operations, often done by SEAL teams.