HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia RCMP have just welcomed two potential new members to the force, and they’ll soon be getting ready to hit the pavement on all fours and learn the basics of policing.
Hamer and Helo are 10 weeks old, and were brought to Nova Scotia three weeks ago to be part of the Police Dog Service Puppy Program.
Each of the dogs have been paired with an imprinter, an officer who along with performing regular police duties, takes care of the dog on their own time.
Over the next year, the puppies will be socialized and learn a number of skills.
“Everything he goes through now is training for him,” said Const. Richard Bushey, who will be caring for Hamer.
“The more people he’s around, the more stairs he climbs, the more animals he’s around, it’s training for him. We start slow and eventually as he gets older we’ll get into the tracking side of it and the obedience side of it.”
All paws on deck
Every four months, the puppies will get tested and assessed for their suitability for police dog training.
“Helo and Hamer will do a lot during their first year,” said Division Coordinator of Police Dog Services, Sgt. Rick Bushey.
“Our goal is to socialize and familiarize the pups by introducing them to all sorts of situations and surroundings.”
If the puppies do well, they will get paired with a handler who will start their police dog training. An area of the RCMP that members say is crucial to their success.
“I think it’s very important to our line of work,” said Const. Tim Reid, who is paired with Helo. “There’s a lot of times we go to calls and it’s that break and enter into a residence and no one knows who that person was and the only way that we’re going to find that way is if the dog man shows up with his dog and is able to track the guy.”
WATCH: Meet the newest Nova Scotia RCMP recruits, puppies Helo and Hamer.
Const. Reid says an ideal police dog has three main qualities.
“We want strong and confidence and lots of attitude.”
There’s no guarantee that either Helo and Hamer will make the cut. In fact, only one out of every 20 dogs that are considered for the Police Dog Service Program successfully completes it. If the dogs are not cut for working in the RCMP, they will be sold as household pets.
For the first time, the public follow Helo and Hamer’s training through social media. Const. Mark Skinner says it’s a way to show the public a different side of the RCMP.
“Over the next year, we’ll be posting pictures of different events that the puppies are involved in, different milestones they’re reaching. We’ll be able to show the public as we go forward and as the imprinting begins what’s happening in their lives,” Skinner said.
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