crime

Toy poodles to join Tottori police

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I laughed when I read this. I think the mini pooches were selected for being kawaii and best to clean up after!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I can't stop LMFAO! Just picture one of these short, overweight cops stuffed into a bullet-proof vest walking a police poodle around. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Being smaller than Labs, these two little puddles will eat less, take up less space and therefore save the taxpayer a bit of money. I'm sure the missing hikers won't mind whether they look cute or not.

Poodles are fine, intelligent dogs. Some of their owners need taking aside for a good talking-to, though.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Do they bite? Maybe add the T-virus to them and we might have something the police can work with.

However, most of us know they aren't serious about this. This is just a good laugh.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

It takes a minimal amount of intelligence not to laugh at such news...

The dogs usually go through very serious training before being admitted in the police force.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Since the dogs are privately owned, I wonder if the dog/owners are financially compensated when the dogs' assistance is required or are the dogs/owners volunteering their help?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Agree with ebisen.

Also based on the role they are trained for some dog-species are better than others.

I would guess that privately owned here means that they take a puppy into training that been assigned to live with a family after their "service" is done.

Poodles are fine, intelligent dogs.

Got to disagree here, poodles are overbred pieces of fluff that are easily trained as they got lower intelligence than lets say a Chow-Chow, Dachshund, etc. Ditto for German-Shepards, etc.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Missing hikers?? Ha! Poodles are pretty crappy in cold weather. Will they put on a police uniform and booties??

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Will they put on a police uniform and booties??

Uggh - those uniforms would do nothing for the precious little things. Maybe a miniskirt police uniform and if that happens i want photo evidence.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Poodles can only be an improvement for the local constabulary.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

they got lower intelligence than lets say a Chow-Chow, Dachshund, etc.

I know a few cute Dachs, never yet met an intelligent one. Don't confuse I don't understand what's being said to me (unintelligent), I understand, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna listen (intelligent, but pig-headed) and wha? (head in the clouds). An intelligent dog understands what he's being asked to do and does it because he knows life is better when he does as he's told - more treats, more toys, more play-time, more just being with the Boss.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I thought the police were going to use them as mascots. These dogs would never beat an American Bloodhound for tracking humans.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

will toy poodles be ok in the mountains. Wont it be a bit cold for them, are they use to altitudes like that?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Poodles are water dogs and not suitable for this. They are more suited for retrieving water foul (at least the standard poodles are...not sure about the toys) I think that they were chosen just for the novelty and the fact that they are so popular in Japan. If they want a small dog for mountain trekking and finding lost hikers, I would have chosen a terrier breed like a Westie, Cairns, or Scottish terrier which are better terrainal hunters.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Cleo.

And this is where you are 100% wrong. Doing tricks for rewards don't equal intelligence. Do some research into that.

My family had quiet a few hunting dogs(dachs included) you can't train an intelligent dog as he is to clever to fall for the routine. He will do what he does because he enjoys it and won't perform for treats.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

It´s ME - Who´s saying anything about doing tricks for treats?

I think you´re definitely confusing intelligent and pig-headed. My Shiba is totally pig-headed. His refusal to do as he´s told (come when called, gimme the damn ball) means all the time he spends outside, he spends on the end of a lead. I know that´s not what he wants, and it´s not what I want, but there´s no way I´m going to run the risk of him getting lost/running into traffic/getting into a fight with another dog. He´s not unintelligent; he knows what´s being asked of him, and he does it when it suits him, but since I don´t know when it´s going to suit him I have to always assume that it doesn´t suit him. So his pig-headedness means we both lose out and he gets to enjoy only a fraction of the freedom he should have. What´s intelligent about that?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Poodles are intelligent, energetic and agile. They are also less likely to set off allergies compared to other dogs. For three seasons of the year, I expect they will be fine for finding hikers lost in low areas, particularly that nasty area of pits and loose rock around Mt. Fuji where larger dogs would probably break their legs. Yes, they will be useless in deep snow. In that case, use another dog. Variety is a good thing. Its the purists preaching uniformity who can't deal with the surprises that always come surprising us.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Okay guys ... I bet if you get lost while hiking in the mountains of Tottori-ken you'll be praying for a cute toy poodle to appear before you and start yapping away so that his rescue buddies can come get you ...

Wonder how much bourbon they can carry under thier chin ... ??

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Honestly it is like some of you know nothing about dogs. This was a poor choice and based on the popularity of them types of dogs.

Other dogs breaking bones? Do you have ANY idea how how light a poodle's bones are? They are great for swimming, yes. However, they wouldn't be able to tow anyone to safety. They are full of energy for about oh, a five minutes. They wouldn't last trekking, they wouldn't last in the cold... I highly doubt they'd be able to rescue anyone - and who cares abotu allergies?

With regards to intelligence, I can't believe someone brought up chow-chows and dachshunds in the same sentence. Chow chows are known to be thick as sh@t. Dachshunds are average. Everyone goes on about labs but let's be honest, they are dumb and do anything they are told to do. Being a "yes man" in the human world isn't a sign of intelligence so I have no idea why people think it is okay in the dog world.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

1.Border Collie

2.Poodle

3.German Shepherd

4Golden Retriever

5.Doberman Pinscher

according ot the Coren scale of dog working and obedience intelligence. Poodles are smart dogs and do what they are told. Dont be fooled by some clown owners are make their poodles look like clowns. Poodles are good choice and have good noses, I have seen many a drug sniffing poodle at the airport.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

tmarie- its their job to find the hiker, not tow the hiker.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I never, nor did anyone else from what I read, called them stupid. However, they are certainly not built for police dog worker. I thought that was pretty obvious but clearly I was wrong.

You do know that police dogs take people down and do assist in aiding people during rescue, right? Sorry but a toy poodle isn't able to a) take people down or b) aid in a rescue except for using its nose. As I already pointed out, they have limited stamina as well. This is a PR stunt - and a terrible one at that. Stick with large dogs for the safety of the people.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

tmarie.

Sprry, but you are wrong here. Those dogs aren't used for protection, etc. Each breed is suited to certain task according to their breeding and intelligence level.

Look at a Dachs those were bred & trained to go into a hole and fight and extract a weasel, etc without assistance(hence why most had their ears shredded).

Was surprised myself but a St. Bernhard should never be around kids, yet a Rotweiller is great as a family dog.

Chow Chow, etc as my family bred them, they are great dogs but closest to a wolf in mind, hence you can't teach them to attack on command, etc. Yet they will fight to protect to their own death for anyone of their "pack".

One of ours you could enter the property/garden but try to leave and our dog was sitting in front of the gate and grinning. Want to tangle with a dog that has a bite-strength 2.5 times of a german shepard(10 times human) is bred to draw a sled 5-times his weight(40kg). Go for it.

Yet they are very loyal dogs and great companions. People truly need to get to know the breeds and which is suited for whom.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Forgot to add.

One of our Chow Chow got into a fight with 4 Rotweiller and won. We trained at the same grounds.

A friends dachs took down a thief by launching himself into the back of the guys knees. How did he know that weak spot????

In short those dogs, etc can surprise you.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

yet a Rotweiller is great as a family dog.

Huh? Tell that to all the people whose kids have been savaged by them. I'll take a poodle any day.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Once again, japan outdoes itself as the joke nation of the pacific. Ridicurous.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

You do know that police dogs take people down

Not all of them. Like the article says, these dogs will be used for their sense of smell, not for their ability to take anyone down. Being small and light, they´ll be able to reach places larger dogs can´t.

Dogs that are good at taking people down aren´t necessarily good at using their noses, and vice versa.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Cleo: True, the article says these poodles will be called upon for searching for missing hikers, and I'm sure they'll do a great job too, but why is this story in the crime section then?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Those dogs aren't used for protection Where did I say any were?

You can defend chows all you like - they have a rep as being the dumbest dog out there. Perhaps you got lucky and had smart ones?

As for Huh? Tell that to all the people whose kids have been savaged by them. I'll take a poodle any day. Try looking at and blaming the owners for that. Smaller dogs are NOT good with kids and actually, if you look up anything on toy poodles they will tell you they aren't good with kids. The smaller the dog, the more tension they have and they tend to bite more - not to mention be yappy, annoying things. A four year old pulling the ears and crawling over a rottie isn't going to seriously harm it. A four year old doing the same to a poodle is going to hurt it and the poodle will fight back. Generally, the larger the dog, the better they are with kids. I would much rather a rottie for kids than a toy poodle and anyone who has done their research should agree with that. The attacks? Very rare, sensationalized and look at the owners. Blame them, not the breed.

Cleo, certainly not all do but wouldn't it make more sense to get a dog that could do a whole lot more rather than one who will just be in fashion for a few years? If they want smell, they should have gone with a hunting dog like a beagle - though damn stubborn and hard to train, amazing sense of smell. An overall balance would be good - these poodles were a poor decision. Come on, a toy poodle? LIke I said, it won't last in the cold looking for a hiker.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

why is this story in the crime section then?

Because whoever sorts the stories at JT thought 'police = crime'?

Generally, the larger the dog, the better they are with kids.

Yes.

wouldn't it make more sense to get a dog that could do a whole lot more

I think you'll find that working dogs are used for one or at most two tasks that they're good at; sniffer dogs, whether for drugs or hikers, are not used for taking baddies down, seeing-eye dogs aren't used as sled dogs, sheepdogs aren't used as tracker dogs...Even Kai-kun, the Hokkaido-ken who plays Otohsan in the commercials, has a stand-in (stunt-dog?) to do the action shots - his speciality is sitting still and moving his mouth to look like he's talking.

The article says the dogs have passed the necessary tests, so presumably this isn't just the whim of some sergeant who wants to take his pets to work with him. They'll do the job.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well Cleo, I would say wait and see but even if they don;t actually do anything, they'll be looked after well - which is more than some of the poor pups in this country.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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