3 new K9 dogs..GSD/Malinois mix

[sagelfn]

Here's the Article with pictures Peoria's New K-9s - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

By GARY CHILDS (gchilds@pjstar.com)
Journal Star
PEORIA —
Three of Peoria's finest knew beyond a reasonable doubt their blind dates would be dogs.
In fact, that's what brought Brad Hutchinson, Shannon Walden and Brendan Westart in early April to Spring Hope, N.C., home of Mark Mills' Southern Police Canine, Inc.
Hutchinson, beginning his second tour of duty on the Peoria Police Department K-9 unit, and first-time handlers Walden and Westart arrived in separate vehicles on Easter Sunday.
Their six weeks' worth of courses at the SPCI training facility, about 35 miles east of Raleigh, started the next day.
"We were all real, real excited when we first got there," said Walden, who was there to pick up a bomb-sniffing mix between a German shepherd and Belgian Malinois he named Anfo.
"We wanted to meet our dogs immediately," Walden said. "And Mark wouldn't let us meet 'em till the following day."
For one more day, Walden, Hutchinson and Westart waited and waited for three of Mark Mills' finest.
"So you're kind of anxious, sitting around, waiting to find out what you're going to get," said Hutchinson, who had been down this tobacco road before when he picked up his first dog, Lion, years earlier.
Dutch-born Lion's retirement this past winter at age 10 made Hutchinson a candidate for another drug-detecting dog from Southern Police Canine.
On the day after Easter, six-year handler Hutchinson got his first look at the Slovakian-born dog he renamed Neo.
"I was definitely spoiled with Lion," Hutchinson said. "He was almost 4 years old when I got him so he had a lot more maturity.
"But I think (Neo's) got all the potential Lion had. He just has to grow up a little bit.
"The big thing with dogs is, you can't build drive," Hutchinson continued. "Either they're born with it or they're not. And he's got a lot of drive."
Westart's blind date was with drug-detecting Gero, who Mills also brought back from a buying trip to Slovakia.
"The first day you go out, they give you your dog, and tell you, 'Go take a walk,' " Westart said. "And, I mean, all you did all day long is just walk around with that dog.
"We didn't do any other training. Just bonding and walking your dog."
When the day was done, Gero, Neo and Belgian-born Anfo didn't return to the kennel where they had been housed since arriving from Europe.
For the next six weeks, the German shepherd/Belgian Malinois mixes spent their downtime in the compartments installed in the back of the three police vehicles the K-9 handlers drove from their Tri-County Area homes.
"They do that because that's the quickest way to break the bond between the dog and, obviously, the guys that run the school and the kennel," Westart said.
But with no more Southern Police Canine intervention after hours, somebody had to feed the dog.
Somebody had to walk the dog.
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
"I mean, anything the dog needs, you do," Westart said of an around-the-clock commitment. "It's still that way when you get home."
Mills has been selling canines to the Peoria Police Department since current K-9 Sgt. Ken Orwig was a handler.
The last of Orwig's two dogs, the late, great Bosco, came from Southern Police Canine.
Orwig rejoined the K-9 unit in 2008 after leaving in 2001 - when Bosco was retired - for stops in the information office and detective bureau.
For Orwig, one of the perks of being back in the K-9 unit is the opportunity to renew his professional relationship with Mills.
When he was a handler, Orwig accompanied Southern Police Canine's top dog Mills to Europe on a buying trip that was awe-inspiring.
"I wanted to increase my education because I fell in love with it so much," said Orwig, who observed how Mills screened kennels of puppies in search of can't-miss police canine prospects.
"He can look at a dog walking up, at the beginning, and tell, 'OK, this isn't going to be good,' " Orwig said.
Orwig, who seems to have the dog whisperer thing going for him in his own right, recalls a particular stop in the Czech Republic.
"We went one place and he tested a gob of dogs - I mean, 30, 40 dogs," Orwig said. "And he bought one. That was it. If it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass."
Mills, 52, began training dogs as a second job nearly 30 years ago, when he was a full-time police officer in Greensboro, N.C. In 1990, he became a full-time trainer and a part-time officer.
"I'd just rather do this than be a cop," Mills said in a telephone interview.
Like those who came to Peoria via Spring Hope, N.C., before them, such as Bosco and Lion, Mills first saw Anfo, Gero and Neo when they were pups.
"Basically, I go over and test and see personalities," Mills said. "A dog has to have a strong character. He has to like to hunt and retrieve. And, of course, he has to be brave. Certain types are just better than others."
While the Peoria City Council in early February was approving the purchase of three canines for $41,800 from the Federal Asset Forfeiture Account, the three canines were in the middle of an 18-week training program that's overseen by Mills and right-hand man Ritchie Price.
The City Council's approval made way for Hutchinson to remain in the K-9 unit and Walden and Westart to join it.
In the meantime, Keith Burwell, handler of 7-year-old Taison, and Matt Mocilan, handler of 3-year-old Arko, were holding down the K-9 fort until the reinforcements arrived for duty in mid-May. "It's much to (Sgt. Orwig's) credit that the K-9 unit is being replenished," Chief Steve Settingsgaard said. "He came in and fought real hard, even in these hard budget times, and really made the point on why we need to keep the unit running.
"Dogs are really a great tool on the street for us," Settingsgaard said. "Dogs are great for tracking suspects, locating evidence, searching buildings for suspects, checking vehicles and buildings for drugs.
"They do a number of things that an officer just can't do at the level a dog can. The nose is amazing."
The canines live at the homes of their handlers, in kennels that were built by the city.
But Anfo does not bunk with Bailey, the Waldens' coonhound.
Neo stays outside while retiree Lion is now the Hutchinsons' house dog.
And Gero does not coexist with Elvis, the Westarts' passive English bulldog.
"(Police canines) live to work," Westart said. "Their work is play to them. And that's their reward and that's what they want to do.
"You get out (Gero's) leash, he associates it with two things. Either going to track something or going to the bathroom."
The Peoria Police Department's K-9 handlers, along with handlers from other area law enforcement agencies, get together for three hours on Tuesday nights for reinforcement training.
Those sessions are a continuation of what began to take hold at Southern Police Canine, where it all began for the three handlers with a blind date.
Orwig could have told them what was in store. He looks back longingly at the days he brought Bosco, and, therefore, his job, home with him.
"I definitely would put a dog in a car again," Orwig said. "But I can't."
What the 55-year-old can do is supervise two of Peoria's finest who became K-9 handlers and one who re-upped with the understanding they'll remain in the unit for the working life of their dog.
Hutchinson, 40, has a 15-month-old, Walden, 38, has a 16-month-old and Westart, 34, has a 17-month-old.
"They've already done some good things," Orwig said. "And these guys are just seeing the beginning of some happy times."

Isn't crossing the 2 breeds a crapshoot? I'm not impressed with a lot of things I'm reading in this article but is this a common mix in the working field? Seems like an overpriced mutt to me.

[Zoeys mom]

I'm not sure around here most canine cops either have shepherds...or don't laugh but labs. I like the Malinois though I'm not sure what they are trying to accomplish by mixing the breeds? I know the military bases here use a ton of Labrador retrievers because of their intelligence, ease of training, and friendly stable disposition- or at least thats what they all say when I ask why a lab over a shepherd. They say shepherds are more likely to suffer from poor temperaments and fear based issues when compared to your average lab. Not sure I agree in whole, just their reasoning.

[sagelfn]

I could see a workingline lab as a drug dog maybe but not one out doing bitework to take down the bad guys...if they can do it though WOW! I want to meet that lab.

[Mrs.K]

Oh **** now. This is not a common mix in the working world.

That is one of the reasons why Raiser isn't with the SV anymore because he actually suggested the mix of Shepherd and Malinois to better the breed if I am not mistaken.

Over here it's a big no-no to mix the two. There are still good working dogs out there and there shouldn't be a need to mix shepherds and mali.

Great...one more mutt the world doesn't need.

[sagelfn]

I'm going to see it in action tomorrow. I'll get some pictures hopefully.

[Zoeys mom]

Labs are used mostly for drug dogs and tracking- but I know more than a few aggressive ones that could definitely be good for the bite work

[sagelfn]

The local K9 unit was supposed to do a demonstration with the new dogs they got. The other officers had to respond to a call so no bite work just some commands and bomb sniffing.

This is 16 month old GSD/Malinois cross named Anfo. This is the handlers first dog (it shows he was giving commands and leash corrections at the same time)
I did ask about its weight since he's so thin. 71lbs they are working on putting weight on him, showed me 7 bags of TOTW in the car

[selzer]

There is a puppy miller around these parts -- she moves from time to time -- who is breeding dutch shepherd/GSD mixes -- says they will make great k9s. Maybe they will. Maybe not. But I wouldn't buy a pet rock from the lady.

[Fast]

Originally Posted by sagelfn

Here's the Article with pictures Peoria's New K-9s - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com



Isn't crossing the 2 breeds a crapshoot?

All breeding is a crap-shoot.

... is this a common mix in the working field? Seems like an overpriced mutt to me.

I think it's the most common mix in police dogs.

Police dogs are there to do a job, independent of breed or mix. They are worth the money if they can do the job. Would you rather have them get an incompetent GSD or a great "mutt"?

[Jessiewessie99]

It looks like a Sable GSD. But I hardly see Mals though