British police learn German to talk to dogs: Reports

LONDON: British police dog handlers are learning to give orders to their animals in German after bosses decided to import Alsatians because of a shortage of suitable animals here, media reports said Friday.   

A trial of the German dogs by Derbyshire Police in east central England has been deemed a success, prompting 16 other forces to recruit the canines at 2,000 pounds (2,600 euros, 3,900 dollars) each.   

But the imports cannot understand commands in English, the Daily Telegraph said. "If you say, 'let go' in English, they just look at you like you are crazy," one dog handler told the newspaper.   

Handlers have had to learn a series of orders in German, including "sitz" (sit), "platz" (down), "aus" (let go), "holen" (fetch) and "bissen" (bite).   

A Derbyshire Police spokeswoman told the Press Association news agency said they were attempting to get the dogs to respond to English.   

"We are repeating the German commands in English so they are becoming bilingual," she added.   

Police have opted for German Alsatians as they are deemed to be more efficient and obedient than those bred in Britain because of a strict breeding regime.