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When it comes to police dogs, the good ones are those that get the job done, and that is what will be expected of Prince Albert Police Dog, Pando, and his partner, Constable Matthew Brown.
The pair will be one of 30 teams that compete in the Canadian Police Canine Association (CPCA) trials between Sept. 10 and 13 in Saskatoon.
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Despite it being his third time competing, Brown said this time is exciting because it is close to home and he and Pando trained together in Saskatoon.
“Having a canine partner requires a strong bond and requires a lot of teamwork together,” said Brown.
“And just as much as the dog works for me, I have to work for the dog and I have to be able to read him and understand that he’s telling me something and sometimes that’s difficult to do and you don’t speak the same language.”
Police dogs work in different roles, and those roles will be on display at the Merlis Belcher Arena at the University of Saskatchewan campus during the trials.
Pando is a patrol dog, trained to track human scent, locate articles carrying human scent, search buildings and compounds, and assist with catching criminals.
Prince Albert’s second canine team — Constable Garth Mostowich and Police Service Dog Ares — will also attend the trials to support the Saskatchewan-hosted event.
Brown said the event gives handlers a chance to see where their dogs are at in training, learn from other agencies and compare notes with teams from across the country.
“It’s a friendly competition to see where your dog’s at training-wise,” he said.
“It’s really cool to see all the dog teams come around and chat with people, bounce ideas off each other and see different dogs do their thing.”
Teams will be tested in tracking, building searches, compound searches, criminal apprehension and article searches. Brown said judges look at handler tactics, how the dog searches, consistency, energy, control and the ability of the dog and handler to work together.
The public will also have a chance to watch the dogs in action on Sept. 13, with demonstrations scheduled for 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Brown said the public day will include obedience and agility work, along with demonstrations from detection dogs.
“That’ll be a lot of fun,” he said.
For Brown, this year’s trials come with less stress and more familiarity. He said his first competition was nerve-racking because he did not know what to expect, but once he started working through the profiles, it felt like another training day.
This time, he said, the goal is to give Pando more repetitions, represent Prince Albert and enjoy the experience.
“I’m kind of going just to get my dog some repetitions and just try to have fun with it,” Brown said.
“Certainly I’m going to try my hardest, but I’m going to have a little more fun with it this time and try not to stress too much about it.”
Prince Albert Police Chief Patrick Nogier said the event is an opportunity to highlight the training and professionalism behind police canine work.
“Our K9 teams undergo extensive training and are ready for the demands of their work in our community,” Nogier said in a news release.
“The CPCA trials provide an opportunity to showcase that training while highlighting the teamwork, commitment and professionalism required to develop a strong canine team.”
Brown also thanked the Saskatoon Police Service canine unit for taking on the work of hosting the national event.
“We’re super excited to go down there and represent Prince Albert and have some fun with the team down there,” he said.
— with files from CJME News
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