Optimising Police Dog Breeding and Development for Operational Performance – Presented by Scott Bruce

Optimising Police Dog Breeding and Development for Operational Performance: Required outcomes and the impact of genetics, the shaping of Central Nervous System responses and early behavioural development.

The New Zealand Police Dog Section breeds and develops approximately 100 German Shepherds and 30 Labrador Retrievers annually, selecting for essential traits such as hunt drive, nerve strength, and the ability to bite and grip to ensure their success in high-intensity environments. Evolving operational demands of policing require refining breeding, behavioural development, and training methodologies to optimise operational effectiveness.

This presentation focuses on the optimal characteristics of a successful Police dog for operational duties and on the indicators impacting this success: (1) genetic potential within working dog lineages, (2)  the Central Nervous System in shaping genetic potential, and (3) the impact of early behavioural development and training on mindset and physiological reactivity. By understanding and tracking these indicators we can optimize genetic selection, neurological function, and behavioral conditioning to achieve the essential operational traits of a high performing Police dog.

Coming soon.