The 7 most popular police dog breeds in service of 2022

Professional working dogs come in many types, shapes, and sizes. Plus, there are a number of tasks for dogs to do out there.  One of them is to be a police dog doing stuff like search and rescue, security, and sniffing for drugs as part of a K-9 team.  Not every dog is a fit for this, and this is why we are making our list of the 7 best breeds of police dogs out there right now.

What makes the best police dog breed

We must first know what goes into the job they have to do on duty before we look at the right breeds. There are some favorable attributes that must be taken into consideration in choosing the right dog, depending on the job they get.  If you have a robust dog that can overcome a perp and still be able to listen to commands and if they are a security breed, these dogs are smart and strong. It is a good thing to have a strong sense of odor and a trained mind for both drugs and search and rescue.  For this position, these scent tracking K9 dogs are ideal and can help out where a human is lacking in their senses.  These are not only two police jobs, but they make up a vast number, which is why we have taken them into account when finding the six best breeds of police dogs.

Best Breeds for Police Dogs

Now that you know what goes into the job they do, let’s get to our real list of the best breeds of police dogs.

1. German Shepherd

The German Shepherd is a breed considered to be synonymous with being on the duty line, no surprise here. This breed is made to hear and learn that any unwanted predators make them perfect for your K9 dog unit every day.  This is also an exceptionally loyal and easily trained breed, which suggests that their partner/ pet parent will fit well with them.  The versatility this dog has is impossible to beat and this is exactly why it is first on our list of best breeds of police dogs.

2. Beagle

We have a breed on the other side of the spectrum that you would not consider to be a great police dog, but the beagle has one of the company’s best noses.  The beagle is a smaller breed with an immense personality, making them perfect pets and equally great companions for police dogs.  These dogs can be used in airports, border areas, and as narcotic detecting patrol dogs, classified as a narcotic sniffing dog.

3. Belgian Malinois

Another well made dog to be on the frontlines of duty is the Belgian Malinois, the smaller cousin to the German shepherd.  This breed is considered to be outstanding from time to time in the military and in every area of police life, as well as helping therapy dogs.  They were originally headers, much like the German shepherd, but they have the same characteristics that make them good protectors.  These breeds have gotten their claim to fame because on certain big time missions this breed has accompanied seal team six.

4. Bloodhound

The bloodhound has a nose for tracking with a very distinct look.  If you wanted it, this dog might find a needle in a haystack.  To locate either a trapped victim or a suspect on the run, this breed will track a scent train for miles. Originally, the bloodhound was used for hunting and tracking, so it only makes sense that this dog was made for this aspect of police work. 

5. Rottweilers

With an extremely intelligent mind and a body that looks like a truck, for many years now the rottweilers were perfect dogs for police work.  This breed is known to be shy around strangers and extremely friendly to people they are used to, even though they are large in size.  As they will be sure to have your back this makes them a perfect addition to every police department and partner on the ground.

6. Labrador

Everybody knows the American Labrador retriever as a sweet dog, while they can be a fantastic breed of police dog.  The Labrador has been a hunting partner for a long time and this has made it easy to sniff what they need.  If properly trained, a drug detection dog may be the Labrador retriever.  In addition, if they are necessary, they can be loyal and protective, while making great dogs on the frontlines.

7. Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher is a very famous police dog breed that everyone may recognize from television shows and movies.  This aggressive looking breed, much like German Shepherds, has been used for several decades of police work.  Although widespread, they are not as widely used as the above-mentioned other police dog breeds.  They are not prepared to be as aggressive, but do enjoy it when they go out to work in the field.