NCJ Number
199438
Journal
Innovation Exchange Issue: 10 Dated: Winter 2003 Pages: 46-48
Date Published
2003
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article argues for the carefully matched pairing of male and female dogs to patrol the weak points of prison perimeters at Israeli prisons.
Abstract
The formal guideline that now governs the use of guard dogs to patrol the perimeters of Israeli prisons requires that weak points of a prison perimeter be patrolled by two dogs. In concluding that the most effective pairing of dogs will consist of a male and female, this article relies on relevant research to date and demonstrated aspects of dog behavior. Among the specific reasons given for this recommendation of a male-female pairing are that the male of a pair will defend the female out of natural possessiveness; the female will draw courage from having a male nearby; and combining a self-confident male with a more timid female draws upon the male's strength and aggression and the female's tendency to bark loudly when challenged. The author, an operations officer with the Service Dogs Unit of the Israel Prison Service, advises that after years of experience in training and testing dogs and observing their performance under operational conditions, the unit has developed methods for matching the right male with the right female. This article lists the criteria for forming a male-female pair that will perform at the required level. Further, the article outlines the necessary conditions for a reliable and valid experiment that will verify the claim that pairing creates an increased and intensified activity level that can be used to achieve maximum guarding/securing performance.