More than a decade ago, Japan started accepting police dogs that weren’t the typical breed people would expect. They started getting smaller breeds such as Schnauzers, Toy Poodles, etc.
The usual breeds used for K9 police units are Beagles, German Shepherds, Bloodhounds, Belgian Malinois, Rottweilers, and Labradors. Larger and stronger dogs are very capable of many tasks.
It was a Miniature Schnauzer that was the first of many small dogs on the police force. He was small, agile, and very capable with his nose. They all go through rigorous training.
Smaller breeds can only be assigned as sniffer dogs. Unlike their larger counterparts, they are not intimidating and lack the brute strength to subdue criminals. Their size is an advantage when it comes to tracking down narcotics.
Hannah, a Toy Poodle, was a notable addition to the police force in the city of Okayama. She passed a series of tests along with many other small dogs.
The trainers of these dogs did notice that smaller breeds do not have as much attention span as the larger police canines. Sometimes they are more easily distracted as well.
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