Colorado Police Dog Martigan: A Dutch Shepherd's Crime-Fighting Skills

Meet Martigan: The Crime-Fighting Dutch Shepherd

• 🐾 Martigan, a Dutch shepherd, is a dual-purpose police dog serving the Aurora police department.
• 🎯 His specialties include apprehending suspects and locating guns, ammunition, and currency.

Martigan's Apprehension and Detection Skills

• 🏃‍♂️ When suspects flee, Martigan is trained to track and apprehend them, even if they hide.
• 👃 The dog's advanced olfactory system allows him to differentiate and detect individual scents, such as the components of gunpowder in ammunition.
• 💰 His training involves imprinting specific odors, like those from guns and ammunition, by rewarding him with a toy upon successful detection.

Partnership and Training

• 🤝 Martigan is a dedicated partner, with his handler stating he is with them nearly 24/7, accompanying them to work and living with the family.
• 🗣️ Commands given to Martigan are in German, a practice often maintained from the dog's initial training in Germany.

The Power of a Police Dog

• 💪 Martigan demonstrates incredible strength during a tug-of-war demonstration, highlighting his physical capabilities.
• 🌟 The dog's reward for finding evidence, like shell casings, is playing with a toy, which he clearly enjoys, indicated by his wagging tail.
• 🐶 While demonstrations of affection are tempting, handlers often advise against excessive physical interaction with the dogs during duty to maintain focus.