White House K-9 Officers: The President’s First Line of Defense

The US Secret Service has been tasked with the vital duty of protecting the US President, his immediate family and the White House.
But, lately, we’ve been reading news about the White House perimeters being pursued and infiltrated by curious and militant fence jumpers in an attempt to have a closer distance with one of the most secured facilities in the world, the White House. In order to augment the line of defence in the White House, another important unit of the police security force were being utilized to handle a very vital duty in the aspect of safeguarding the premises of this highly secured place. Get to know more about these dedicated officers that aim to ultimately protect the life of the US President, his family, his official office and residence.

K-9 officer detail of the President.
The US Secret Service were tasked to look after the safety of the United States President and the first family. Included in the department’s roster of the White House tough security detail were not just valiant men from the department but K-9 officers trained to subdue intruders. Below are some of the qualities of these chosen security detail for the President of the United States, his immediate family and the White House.


Mission and duties.
These bomb sniffing White House police K-9 officers which numbers around 75 dogs have undergone 20 weeks of training each in a 500-acre Secret Service facility in Laurel, Maryland. Their prime mission was to provide skilled and specialized explosives detection support on the protective efforts carried out by the men and women of the White House assigned US Secret Service protectees.

Breeds and specifics.
Since its establishment in 1977, the US Secret Service K-9 unit’s choice of breed does not point out to a single or specific breed but these canines are chosen based on their capabilities and sustainability to handle the tough job. Among those regularly chosen were full grown young adult Belgian Malinois, Dutch and German Shepherds. Puppies and rescued dogs are not accepted in the unit. The US Secret Service K-9 unit are obtained through an undisclosed professional breeding program outside of the US. The K-9 secret service unit of the President was fully funded by the federal government.

Public safety precaution.
As these canines are highly trained and focused on their assigned duties, the public are given instructions and awareness not to approach or obstruct them at all times. These canines are dedicated on their roles and missions and never should be distracted or patted in any part of their body at any time even if one is a well-intended animal and dog lover. They simply are not accustomed to such and are just simply doing their vital duty and job.

(10-26-2014, 03:32 AM)Snowflakes Wrote:

The US Secret Service has been tasked with the vital duty of protecting the US President, his immediate family and the White House.
But, lately, we’ve been reading news about the White House perimeters being pursued and infiltrated by curious and militant fence jumpers in an attempt to have a closer distance with one of the most secured facilities in the world, the White House. In order to augment the line of defence in the White House, another important unit of the police security force were being utilized to handle a very vital duty in the aspect of safeguarding the premises of this highly secured place. Get to know more about these dedicated officers that aim to ultimately protect the life of the US President, his family, his official office and residence.

K-9 officer detail of the President.
The US Secret Service were tasked to look after the safety of the United States President and the first family. Included in the department’s roster of the White House tough security detail were not just valiant men from the department but K-9 officers trained to subdue intruders. Below are some of the qualities of these chosen security detail for the President of the United States, his immediate family and the White House.


Mission and duties.
These bomb sniffing White House police K-9 officers which numbers around 75 dogs have undergone 20 weeks of training each in a 500-acre Secret Service facility in Laurel, Maryland. Their prime mission was to provide skilled and specialized explosives detection support on the protective efforts carried out by the men and women of the White House assigned US Secret Service protectees.

Breeds and specifics.
Since its establishment in 1977, the US Secret Service K-9 unit’s choice of breed does not point out to a single or specific breed but these canines are chosen based on their capabilities and sustainability to handle the tough job. Among those regularly chosen were full grown young adult Belgian Malinois, Dutch and German Shepherds. Puppies and rescued dogs are not accepted in the unit. The US Secret Service K-9 unit are obtained through an undisclosed professional breeding program outside of the US. The K-9 secret service unit of the President was fully funded by the federal government.

Public safety precaution.
As these canines are highly trained and focused on their assigned duties, the public are given instructions and awareness not to approach or obstruct them at all times. These canines are dedicated on their roles and missions and never should be distracted or patted in any part of their body at any time even if one is a well-intended animal and dog lover. They simply are not accustomed to such and are just simply doing their vital duty and job.

I have to say the US authorities treat their service animals far better than the UK authorities treat theirs. In the US service dogs are registered as employees and become eligible for a pension on retirement which allows the men and women who look after them in retirement (often their former handlers) to be worry free about the cost of providing proper care. In the UK this does not happen and there are heart breaking cases of retired service dogs having to be put down because their owners cannot afford vet bills for complex conditions.
Many police forces have charities to provide funds for retired dogs but there is no official recognitions which I believe is totally wrong.

I think that the dogs who work at the White House might be considered an officer, and be given a retirement pension, but most of the canines across the United States do not get that kind of treatment. Usually, I think it is up to the officer who works with the dog to take care of them once they are retired from active service. Even small communities often have a canine that they use when necessary; but they usually do not provide for them like they would for a human officer.
It seems like the dogs at the White House have a busy job nowdays ! We have had an unprecedented amount of people who have managed to get over the fence and get into the White House, or at least try to get in.