The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Police canines put through their paces at duty meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Police canines put through their paces at duty meet

Staff Reporter

Tracking, explosives and narcotics detection competitions

TESTING SKILLS: A German Shepherd crossing a hurdle after retrieving a dumbbell at the State Police Duty Meet Dog Squad competitions in Chennai on Tuesday. — Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: Anxious handlers awaited the call for the hurdle jump with their canines. Soon after the announcement was made, the canines stood in line according to the number allotted to them. They started exhibiting their talents as their names were called.

This was the scene at the IIT stadium on Tuesday. The occasion: State Police Duty Meet Dog competitions.

A total of 59 dogs from the State Police Dog Squad with their handlers assembled at the venue for the competitions. Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, Dobermann and a Golden Retriever from 18 police Ranges in the State have come to the city to take part in the Police Duty Meet Dog competitions.

The canines were classified into three categories: Tracking, Explosive and Narcotics.The tracking dogs have to retrieve a dumbbell by clearing two hurdles of three feet height; scent discrimination; scent identification and tracking tests.

Dogs trained in explosives and narcotics detection have to search buildings, grounds, vehicle, luggage and human body. Obedience test and refusal of food is common for all the three categories, said the event organisers.

The various events in the competitions have been split into two days and each dog will be awarded a total of 400 marks for all the tests, says V. Appaji Rao, a veterinarian and one of the judges of the competitions.

A couple of dogs went astray, without obeying the commands of their handlers, which made them very uncomfortable.

Lack of communication between the canine and his master is one of the reasons for the animal not obeying its handler's commands, said K. Satish Babu, judge of the dog competitions. "Building a bond with the dog is very important," he said.

The venue selected for conducting the competitions was ideal.

To overcome the simmering heat conditions in the city, both the handlers and their canines were seen resting under the trees on the sprawling IIT campus.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu