The sixth national dog skill competition, currently underway in Beijing, highlights a diverse array of canine talent and showcases the impressive skills of participating dogs.
Organized by China's Ministry of Public Security, the competition runs from Tuesday to Sunday, marking the return of this nationwide event after a six-year hiatus.
A total of 38 teams, comprising 255 personnel and 219 police dogs, are participating in the event.
"I bring a male Chinese Kunming dog with me this time. He's now at his prime age, almost two years old," said a handler.
"The dog with me is a bloodhound, which was first introduced to Chinese police in 2010 in Changsha City of central China's Hunan Province," said another trainer.
The event features seven major dog breeds currently used in China: the Chinese Kunming dog, German shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Labrador, English Springer Spaniel, Rottweiler and bloodhound. Additionally, the Ministry is developing three native breeds for police work, including hounds native to Linzhi City of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Taicang City of east China's Jiangsu province and southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
"The hound native to Linzhi is well-suited for high-altitude environments. Dogs from lower elevations, like humans, can experience altitude sickness when they arrive at high-altitude areas, whereas local dogs are already adapted to the climate and conditions. The Taicang breed, from a hot and humid region, is currently being trained for search operations. The Guangxi breed typically works in packs of four to eight, with well-trained dogs guiding novices to enhance their search capabilities," said Yu Yi, head of the competition section of the event and also a researcher at a police dog training base in Nanchang City of east China's Jiangxi Province.
National police dog skill competition showcases well-trained top breeds in China
