When they aren’t busy sniffing out narcotics or chasing down suspects, K9s from the RCMP Police Dog Services are training to be better counterparts for their human partners.
The New Westminster Police Department released video of a training day featuring officers from their Marine Unit and dogs from the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Services (IPDS).
The training took place on the Fraser River in late June, and its main purpose was to help the police dogs become more familiar with dealing with water and being on a boat.
In the short video, a police dog practices jumping in and out of a rubber speedboat, following commands from its handler. The K9 appeared to be hesitant when instructed to retrieve an item in the water, but jumped in and swam towards the object after its handler gave him an encouraging push.
The IPDS includes police dogs and handlers from Abbotsford, Port Moody, Delta and New Westminster. It is the largest Police Dog Service section in Canada, and its members respond to more than 300 calls for service each year, according to the RCMP.
