Did You Know Most K9 Police Dogs In Minnesota Come From Europe?

I stumbled on an interesting nugget today. Did you know most K9 units use imported dogs from Europe?

I also didn't know the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had K9 units in its conservation officer division. That's what led me down the rabbit hole, because they mentioned their K9s are a mix of shelter dogs and European imports. Why would we have to go to Europe to get police dogs?

The DNR utilizes two types of K9 units - single-purpose and dual-purpose. Single-purpose K9s are used to detect items and missing persons. Dual-purpose K9s can do this and also be used as patrol dogs. This requires specific breeds and training.

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Police Dogs Imported From Europe

Germany was actually where police dog units originally came from. Europe has long bloodlines of the type of dog breeds suitable for police work. Those breeds include German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, and mixes of those breeds.

12-Week Training For Dogs

Dogs start training after they are about a year and a half old. Not every dog is cut out for K9 work, and it's impossible to tell when they are a puppy. All K9 units in Minnesota need to be certified by the United States Police Canine Association.

Each Dog Costs A Fortune

Importing a dog from Europe, including airfare, is roughly $8,000 according to the National Police Dog Foundation. Then, training for each dog ranges from $12,000 to $15,000!

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More dog breeders are being established in the United States.

There are dog breeders working to continue expanding the bloodline of K9 breeds in the US. Since K9 use in the police force only started in the 1970s, America is decades behind Europe, but K9 groups hope to change that.