Training Dog to Protect
The preceding steps in training a dog to stop and hold a `criminal’ have assumed that the latter will not offer too much resistance. The following exercises teach the dog how to protect himself and his handler if the suspect shows more determination in trying to make a get-away.
Get the assistant to swing the dog round in a clockwise direction, and from this time onwards he must do the something every time the dog is given the command ‘Stop him’. It’s essential that while the dog is swung round on the protected arm his feet should not leave the ground since, should he release his hold, he might suffer injury either to feet or legs. The action, although instigated by the assistant during training, is actually copied by the dog when he is fully trained, so that, when he is commanded to ‘Stop him’, he seizes the suspect’s arm and tries to swing him round and round in a clockwise direction. In doing so it makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the suspect to kick the dog or hit him with a stick. Thus, the dog learns to avoid injury from the suspect who, in turn, often becomes dizzy from being whirled round and round, and easier for the handler to deal with.
To attain this desirable objective, proceed by directing the dog to stop him, in the usual way, after the assistant has run distance of about twenty yards. When the dog has taken hold of the assistant, the latter then swings the dog round in clockwise direction and, with his left foot, gently at first, kicks at the dog’s right side, then more forcibly, but not so fiercely as to make the dog release his hold. Later, the assistant should employ a stick in the same way, instead of the foot. After practicing this several times it will be found that the assistant, instead of having to swing the dog round, will himself be swung round by the dog, who will be trying to avoid being either hit or kicked.
This part of the dog’s training is essential if it is to be employed in tackling a real criminal, who will almost certainly be armed with a stick or other weapon. It also assists the handler in getting the dog off the criminal’s arm. The handler, as previously mentioned, should approach from an anti-clockwise direction.
The dog is now taught to protect the handler, and here he is eventually expected to act on his own, whenever the occasion may arise. The dog, of course, must be assisted in the initial stages. Have the assistant run away from you, waving his arm up and down all the time he is running until he is about twenty yards away. Order the dog ‘Stop him’, and as he obeys, run-up to the assistant, order the dog to cease his hold, and to go down about two yards from the ’suspect’. Speak to the assistant loudly, as though questioning a suspect on what heist doing, and walk slowly round him, running your hand about him as though searching him. These actions will instill the dog the necessity of keeping his eye on the quarry, and prepare him for the next part of the exercise.
When you are between the assistant and dog, let the assistant push you to the ground, yell out as though hurt, and at the same time call loudly to the dog ‘Stop him’. The assistant attempts to run off, not too quickly, as the dog should be given sufficient time to hold him by the arm again, and en-courage if necessary. The dog is then taken off and directed to go down as before. Repeat the procedure of searching the’ suspect’, and practice the above each time the dog is directed to chase and stop that person. Later, the dog must do the holding on his own immediately. Practice with and without the command ‘Stop him’ until the dog acts on his own every time the assistant pushes you to the ground.
The handler can occasionally walk with the assistant on his left side, as though taking him into custody, holding him byte protected arm with the right hand. If the dog attempts to jump up and hold the protected arm, as may happen in the early stages, the handler can easily ward the animal off. After walking a little distance, get the assistant to give you a push and fall to the ground. If the ’suspect’ tries to get away, he should again be stopped by the dog. Walk on another ten yards and go through the same procedure, preferably when the dog is least expecting it or is becoming less interested. It will soon be found that the dog will immediately respond, and keep close to the prisoner to prevent his trying to escape.
It will be appreciated that an assistant who runs away from ado, or attempts to escape, should be most careful to position himself in such a way that he can offer his protected arm to the dog when it goes for him.
Do not encourage a dog to go for the legs of a quarry; should either fall, one or the other may sustain a back injury. If an assistant should ever fall on a dog during this exercise, the dog will never chase again. Dogs taught to go for the legs of a ’suspect’ lend themselves open to instant injury, for prisoner can use both arms to free himself by killing the dog. I have known cases when a person so held by a dog was able to pick up a stick and ram it down the dog’s throat.
Carry this exercise a step further: the assistant being questioned by the handler, the dog in the down position about two yards away, the handler going round the ’suspect’, who is waiting until the handler is between the dog and himself. Now let the suspect grab the handler round the neck with the left arm, being careful to offer the dog the protected arm, and try to swing both dog and handler round. In the struggle that is bound to follow, the handler, of course, eventually frees himself and again commands the dog to go down. This exercise will help to ensure that the dog goes to the assistance of the handler under all conditions; especially if the handler yells out on each occasion as though hurt.
As soon as you feel confident that the dog will protect you, and that he understands he has to act on his own without any word of command, take hold of your assistant, by either arm, walk him into a shed or room, and sit him on a chair or form. Order the dog to go down close to the suspect and, at the same time, say ‘Watch him’ (see below). Leave the dog and man alone, and hide yourself behind a door or screen. Acting on your instructions, after a few minutes the ’suspect’ will try to get away. It doesn’t matter in which direction he goes soling as he is in a position to offer the protected arm to the dog. The dog must then hold the suspect by the protected arm. Jar may be necessary to direct him in the initial stages, or for the assistant to encourage him, but eventually he will do it automatically. Take the dog off and praise him by saying’ Good boy’ and so on. Repeat the exercise three times each day. Direct the assistant to take longer each time in trying to escape, so that dog and suspect can be left for some fifteen to twenty minutes while you pretend to be making enquiries and son. Practice several times, treat the assistant more roughly, and pretend to struggle with him as you push him on to chair or form. Try to make it as realistic as possible, and talk loudly as though there was a disagreement of some kind.