Lviv dog handlers are preparing puppies for service at the border. The exercises begin as early as two months. Future service dogs are taught to overcome obstacles and follow basic commands. Already at eight months, the animals will move on to basic training, where they will learn, together with a dog handler, to detect explosives, drugs, and also detain violators, in order to later become a “thunderstorm” for all smugglers.
The Public found out how puppies are trained.
Cynologist Maryana Anastas says that training for puppies begins at two months. In the form of a game, kids are taught to overcome obstacles and follow commands, and puppies are rewarded with treats and praise for successful work.
“From two to four months, he should have developed fetch, a grip on a rag, a puppy sleeve, run up by name, and must get used to external stimuli,” says the dog handler.
Dog handler Yuri Rudysh is currently fostering a dog. Fresh will be a detective service dog.
“He is calm and balanced, loves to bite, run, overcomes all obstacles. So he will be a very good detective, he will paw at border violators,” says Yuri Rudysh.
Dog handler Vladimir Zanko is also preparing puppies for service. Now the dog handler has a ward – a three-month-old German shepherd, Kelis.
“A dog is like a small child; from childhood you begin to train him to be an adult dog. It’s like with a small child. The initial command is to sit. She must learn to concentrate well on a person, this is so basic. There must be a connection between man and dog – this is the main thing is in cynology,” says the cynologist.
Each dog has its own character and you can determine what the dog is inclined to, says the dog handler.
“You can tell right away by the dog’s inclinations. For example, when they have more aggression, they will be wanted; when they are calm and sniff a lot, they will be special for drugs and explosives. Well, mine-explosive ones are also, for example, food spills and she’s still like that sniffs, it will be on a mine-hunting mission,” says Vladimir Zanko.
When the dogs are eight months old, they will be sent to more advanced training.
“They teach tracking, searching the territory, they teach them even in the forest, when a person is hiding, the dog can even understand by the sound of the heart that there is something in the forest. She immediately turns her head and you should notice it. These are the exams that are held “, the man adds.
When the puppies grow up, they will learn to detect explosives, drugs, and also detain violators, after which they, together with border guards, will guard the border.
