The Police Dog, Evolution, History and Service
is provided without charge as a PDF document, and may be disseminated freely.

The ancient alliance between man and dog was founded on mutual aid and protection, the timey detection and warding off of intruders. This was especially critical in the pastoral era—as we began to domesticate sheep, goats and cattle—when the dog took on the dual roles of containing the flock or herd and repealing predators, including other hominoids. Even today descendants of these ancient herdsman's dogs are the foundation of modern police and military service.

Although the roles of watch dog, guard dog and herding dog go back into antiquity formal police patrol service commenced much more recently, in Ghent, Belgium in 1899. In the early years of the twentieth century the German military especially began to incorporate canine units which would be extensively deployed in the First World War.

This comprehensive book fulfills a longstanding need for a broadly based presentation encompassing history and a century of evolution in breeding, training methodology and deployment strategy which have led to the ongoing police and military service of today. There are extensive chapters devoted to the breeds, national trial venues and service histories of the primary nations including Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.