Kent Police are asking for puppy trainers.
As a volunteer, you would look after a puppies in your home and work with our breeding and puppy trainer to develop him or her as a police dog.
You do not have to be an experienced dog handler. You just need to like dogs and have a basic understanding of their behaviour.
Requirements
Applicants must be:
18 years or older
reasonably fit as the puppies are very energetic
have a secure garden
have your own transport as you will be required to attend puppy training at Stockbury every other Sunday.
Puppies can not be left alone for long periods so if you work all day, you may not be suitable for the role.
Volunteer application
Before you can get a puppy, you must take and pass an assessment, in February 2008. In a relaxed atmosphere, the force will look at your ability to understand what’s involved in training a young dog and see if you show a basic but natural ability to understand a dog’s behaviour and to respond accordingly.
If selected, you will be teamed up with an eight-week-old German shepherd puppy. You will also need to sign a puppy career contract, detailing the terms and conditions of the scheme.
You will be provided with a sleeping crate and all training aids that your puppy will need. All food and vets bills will be met by Kent Police.
Training
You will be given training and be fully supported by the force puppy development trainer. All puppies will be trained at their own learning pace, which is usually very quick. Volunteer trainers will need to work hard to keep up.
Duration of placement
Puppies stay with their volunteer trainers until they are about 10 months old. They then return to the kennels where they get advanced training.
Although sometimes hard work, this role is the force says rewarding. All volunteers are invited back when their dog has complete its advanced training and you can see how much the puppy has developed.
Interested?
For more on how to take up this exciting and rewarding opportunity, call the force’s breeding manager on 07980 770597.
