Police dog breeding programme ahead of schedule

Since the NZ Police Dog Training Centre implemented its strategic plan in 2003/04, its breeding and puppy programme, research and development, and partnerships have advanced in leaps and bounds - making an impact throughout Australasia and internationally.

Inspector Brendon Gibson, National Coordinator: Police Dogs, says the main aim of the Dog Section's strategy was to ensure Police had suitable dogs available to meet operational needs.

"This included being 80 percent self-sufficient in dog supplies within five years," says Brendon.

By the end of the past financial year (June 2007), this goal was achieved two years ahead of schedule through a number of smart moves.

As part of the strategy, Sergeant Mark Sandford was appointed as the Centre's Breeding Services Manager.

Mark's knowledge of world breed lines for the German Shepherd dog is second to none in New Zealand, combined with a real passion to produce Police dogs.

Brendon established a breeding panel to guide the strategy, comprising Mark, operational and district staff, and Dr Vicki Erceg - a lecturer in behaviour and service dog health at Massey University.

"We focused on breeding with dogs from proven working lines," says Brendon.

"To do that we needed to not only use our own stock that were proven in the working environment, but to get stock from other Police services. That's included getting dogs from the United Kingdom, one from Holland and Canada."

The Centre has also used dogs from private New Zealand breeders who have stock from proven working lines in Europe.

"We've really improved our knowledge and skill around animal husbandry and reproduction, our use of science and training of staff."

This includes maximising litter sizes, closely mapping the medical histories of brood bitches and optimising the day for mating.

These days a litter of six is considered small. In the past, litters of two or three pups was common.

"We have a more scientific approach and no longer have small litters," says Brendon.

"We're more professional around managing the whole breeding process.

"One of the key things that's happened from our strategy is that, associated with our increase in production rate, is an increase in our success rate of producing Police dogs."

Brendon says the Centre is now looking much further ahead to its breeding needs for 2015, based on the age of the current population and when dogs need to be replaced.

Wellington brood bitch Nina with her eight puppies - five male and three females - in the whelping unit of the Dog Training Centre. Nina is the daughter of an operational dog Floyd, and the pups' father is Christchurch Police dog, Koal.