you sure do you where that soldier

I'm split on this one.

While the Rottweiler is a true working dog, my sentiments are that being police dogs promotes the "manwork" element which the image can't afford to take.

Back to Schutzhund in a way, in the main a misunderstood sport some breeds can afford to take the false translation but Rotts can't. All the press see is manwork/police dog=bite. Personally I don't hold with Schutzhund for Rotts for this reason.

I appreciate that we are going away from the true working origins but if it's a choice of that or losing the breed in the UK, I know which side of the fence I'm on.

Dizzy, would agree with you that certain lines are more work orientated than others. In the UK we have quite dire working lines in terms of being proven but having said that is it because the owners are not interested in working them?

There is certainly a growing trend in imports at the moment which has both sides of the coin - good and bad. Depends on who is doing the importing and what they are doing with the import.

Not a lover of GSD to be honest... don't trust them one bit.
My mum has one... and i don't like it, always telling it to p**s off.... thats really bad i know but it doesn't do a thing its told and its just a pain in the a**e

Rotties would be suited better to the job i think could be wrong though

There is a new rottie in the police force where I stay and I was over the moon to read an article in the local paper about how good the dog is becoming and how great natured he is and how they get such a bad reputation. Brilliant news for the breed. They picked him up from the local dog pound too!!!

Great news that some Rotties are being used by the Police...Police Dogs are very highly trained animals and I enjoy watching them in training and at trials.
The media,as usual,got it wrong though....the Police are finding it harder to get the right type of GSD and are considering other breeds but there are less than 20 Rottweilers in the UK Police. On the whole Rotties from UK lines do not have the drive or the physique for work (UK show dogs,that I have seen,are often too heavy for Police work).
The GSD is still by far the most popular breed for the Police with the Belgian Malinois second...even they are from specific breeders who breed working dogs and not from show lines.
I am very happy with the temprement of the Rottweilers I have seen working in the Police & Security and doing Schutzhund in the UK. I do,however,understand your resevations Alison as there are people with knowledge of dogs who misunderstand protection training let alone non-doggy people. I actually had an old friend say I was putting my children at risk and go on to tell me about the dangers of protection training....when I calmed her down enough to talk properly we established she had never owned a dog wheras I have had 6 GSDs and a mongrel,she had never seen any protection training whereas I have been watching training/trials etc for over 2o years and worn a sleeve/taken bites from different breeds in sport & working situations,she had never mixed with protection trained dogs wheras I have been around hundreds etc....but guess what ? She was still right and I was wrong....you can't win with some people!

i think it is a great idea

but couldn,t see harley as a police dog somehow

mind you my brother in law is a policeman and he said he wouldn,t argue with harley

For those unsure this is a Malinois...the short-coated Belgian Shepherd Dog. A very popular Police/Military dog in Europe and the USA...there are two people,that I know of,breeding these dogs specifically for Police work in the UK.

more info
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/Malinois/index.html

The above is not my site but eagle-eyed members may spot me making an appearance somewhere on the site

Do you have any Presas at your club K9uk?

I've never seen a working Presa but have seen them mentioned on another forum. Have seen a few breeds work but have most experience of GSD,Rottweiler & Malinois.

I think they are quite popular in the US as working dogs and I've considered trying it with Rocky, just to boost his confidance.

Look forward to seeing some of your action Pics!