# police vs military dogs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 13, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608 "2012-03-13T01:05:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608/1 "2012-03-13T01:05:35Z")

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Are there any fundamental differences in training or behaviors expected from police vs military dogs?

I’m specifically interested only in dogs trained to chase and take down humans. So in training scenarios, where the dogs take down handlers who are wearing bite pad suits – anything that military dogs have to do that police dogs don’t?

Any info would be appreciated. Trying to do a tv show segment about them and they look the same to us post production folks, and we’re trying to differentiate the two. =)

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**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608/2 "2012-03-13T04:54:44Z")

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Yes. Military dogs have to be trained to [run under tanks](http://www.soviet-empire.com/1/military/anti-tank/dog_mine/anti-tank_dog_mine_001_629x383.php) to detonate the explosives strapped to them.

Oh, taking down _people_. Hmm, sorry, can’t help you there.

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**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608/3 "2012-03-13T04:58:30Z")

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Yowa! Disturbing tank into… but thanks for the link.

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**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608/4 "2012-03-13T05:00:41Z")

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> [@Dissonance](#):
>
> Yes. Military dogs have to be trained to [run under tanks](http://www.soviet-empire.com/1/military/anti-tank/dog_mine/anti-tank_dog_mine_001_629x383.php) to detonate the explosives strapped to them.

No, they don’t HAVE to be trained like that. In point of fact, there are almost no military applications for such a skill anywhere in the world. There are anti-tank rockets that will get the job done for a lot less effort.

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**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-vs-military-dogs/615608/5 "2012-03-13T06:04:37Z")

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Check out the link, chaco. Was a pic from Soviet 1945 era, apparently.