RAILWAY POLICE DOGS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10150, 21 November 1910, Page 3

RAILWAY POLICE DOGS.

TRAINING ON THE NORTH-

EASTERN.

A writer in "The Railway and Travel Monthly" describes the police dogs which arc used on the NorthEastern Railway. Each dog undergoes a most elaborate training, which centres wholly round one idea —viz., that every person dressed in other than police uniform is _an enemy. This is an important point, and no person dressed in plain clothes is allowed to touch or pet the dogs. The policeman who tends them must only enter the kennels in uniform. The dogs are taught to obey a policeman's whistle, which they soon learn for the Airedale terrier is obedient. Each animal undergoes strict and rigid training, which includes, first and foremost, the chasing and holding of theives., Next they are taught to guard a prisoner, and later to jump over walls and leap through windows of houses in pursuit of theives. On some occasions the dogs will watch a "prisoner" for hours, and not allow him to escape. The policemen help in training by changing into plain clothes, or getting disguised as a tramp, and then commencing to run away, whereupon they are pursued and brought to a standstill. Sometimes the scene of the training is a large warehouse, wherein the officer, now in plain clothes, will hide behind some bales of wool 1 , and then a constable in uniform will muzzle the dog and tell him to hunt for the man. So brave are thest police dogs that they will attack a man even though he is armed with a revolver or a club.