ROCKY and Fizz sit patiently, alert and serious, their shoulder muscles are tense in anticipation as the man at the other end of field slides on a bite sleeve over his work shirt. They await the command to tackle the bad guy, then in a burst of speed Fizz is off, she zips across the field like a rocket. She leaps into the air and sinks her teeth into the sleeve, the pressure forces the man on the end of it to wince. Dog trainer and former Metro Police officer John Hauser watches the action unfold and then with a single firm command, Fizz relinquishes her hold and calmly walks back to him.
“It’s all about temperament” Hauser explains to Northglen News who accompanied the team on a dog training exercise drill last week. “They can switch from being serious to being alert and do what they were trained to do. Though Fizz is trained primarily in bomb detection, she’s able to fulfil duties as a patrol dog as well,” he said.
Both Rocky and Fizz who are natural soldiers are part of Marshall Security’s 16 strong dog unit. Hauser, the man in charge of training, comes with plenty of experience after serving as a shift commander at the Metro Police dog unit for many years before joining the local security company.
“Because dogs almost always live with their handlers (as is the case with Fizz), a bond needs to be established. That relationship thrives on trust and mutual respect.”
Rocky, a four year old Rottweiler, was placed into the care of John after his owners said they couldn’t handle him anymore.
“They lived on a farm and he was tackling and killing their cows. They didn’t want to put him down so they contacted me. After about 18 months, Rocky’s behaviour changed drastically. He recently completed his obedience and apprehension training which means he can track and find suspects hiding out in buildings and bushy areas,” he said.
Hauser added dogs are carefully selected prior to training to ensure that they have the correct temperament and they are compatible with the handlers,” John said.
