4/7/2024 0 Comments Ultimate backup k9 controls![]() You can further research on your own using the titles provided herein as well as others not mentioned. Coincidentally, I believe some of the “research” advocating find-and-bite has also (unintentionally) provided support in favor of guard-and-bark.īecause this is an article, not a study, I will not provide the lengthy history of bark and hold (circle and bark, find and bark) and its relations to Schutzund training, police training and deployments in Europe and the United States, competitions, and other related associations. ![]() Many of these same writings are often shared with me during consultations and inquiries. I’ve read studies, reports, articles and opinions that are shared in support of F&B and against G&B that require a thorough examination with an open mind to more clearly understand the issue at hand and the findings. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Many supervisors and administrators don’t understand the guard-and-bark concept as it may or may not apply to their respective K9 program and history shows they are usually negative toward and skeptical of things not clearly defined or understood – or they are influenced by those they believe are most knowledgeable.ĭo you understand this bark and hold concept or practice? Could you describe it now as if testifying in a deposition or trial? Do you have a description within your policy or training manual of how your agency applies bark and hold? Is it defined as a deployment tactic, philosophy, and/or training method? I do not believe these opinions are offered as intentional misrepresentations – rather, the opinions are provided as passionate support in favor of their preferred method, and to do so, they often tend to be one-sided.Īlso, the pros and cons of either method are not often fully explained or considered – nor both sides of the debate provided with equal representation. A few attorneys have also weighed in on the matter. If you work, train or supervise a guard-and-bark police dog, I’m going to recommend you continue your training but consider a change of the traditional definition for real world deployments that could even be simply explained, for example, as “We train the guard and bark method we deploy to find and bite.”Īnother reason some agencies are considering F&B or have already switched is the circulation of misinformation and misrepresentations by F&B advocates and/or those who would prefer to work less in training. Some handlers have jokingly described their method as “My dog is guard and bark until he finds and bites.” Actually, I like this description – but only if accompanied with proper training documentation and a written policy or guideline to support that implementation. (Throughout this article, I will intermittently use other common terms to describe guard-and-bark and find-and-bite.) However, if you are thinking about switching from guard-and-bark to find-and-bite or vice versa, or you have recently made the transition, I encourage you to read on and consider the issues.įirst and foremost, despite the type of training or deployment method that is being utilized, and to clearly address liability concerns, no handler should ever deploy their dog in a situation where a bite is not justified or anticipated. I’m not advocating nor suggesting anyone change their current method. The purpose of this article is to explain the reality of guard-and-bark as it applies to today’s law enforcement utilization, provide some background in support of the method, and recommend a more clearly defendable policy you can take to court should litigation occur. ![]() I’ve also reached out to others to assist this effort. I’ve been contacted for my opinion on several occasions so it has provided me with some insight and prompted further research. There are a few reasons to consider a switch – and most revolve around liability concerns, dogs making decisions on their own, safety of officers and dogs, and less work to train a find-and-bite dog. In recent years, more discussion and inquiries have resurfaced regarding the pros and cons of “guard-and-bark” (bark and hold) compared to “find-and-bite” as some guard-and-bark (G&B) agencies consider switching or have already started a transition to find-and-bite (F&B).
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