GUELPH, ON, Oct. 28, 2014 /CNW/ - Seventeen canine police officers and their human partners competed in Guelph to see just what it takes to be an Iron Dog.
Sponsored by Royal Canin and co-hosted by the K9 Unit of the Guelph Police Service and the United States Police Canine Association, the 2014 Guelph Iron Dog Challenge brought together teams from London, Waterloo Region, York Region, Peel Region, Halton Region, Brantford and Guelph on October 22.
"These service dogs are the perfect example of what happens when great training, great exercise and great nutrition all work hand in hand," says Monica Small, Field Marketing Manager at Royal Canin Canada. "We're proud to provide the fuel that keeps so many of these working dogs going."
Challenging both the dogs and their handlers, the 3.25 km long course set in Barber Scout Camp took an average of about 20 minutes to complete.
"Many of the obstacles simulated working situations the dogs may have to encounter such as having to jump over hurdles and through windows or having to crawl under barriers," says Constable Andrew Crowe of the Guelph Police Service, who, alongside Constable Neil Moulton, organized the event.
In addition to the canine agility obstacles, both the dogs and handlers also had to cross a waist high river that dissected the course. Handlers were tested with target shooting and general dog knowledge trivia. In the final stages, handlers had to carry their dogs before identifying an assailant — an officer in a bite suit — and then command the dog to run and apprehend.
The 2014 Guelph Iron Dog fastest times were:
"Events like Iron Dog are an excellent opportunity for K9 units to liaise and share ideas as well as to expose the service dogs to unique outside conditions that might not always be part of their day-to-day training," says Sergeant Grant Rieder from the Waterloo Regional Police Service, who is in charge of training K9 teams in seven Ontario police departments.
As part of their community outreach, after the police dogs had run the course, the organizers also opened it up to civilians and sponsors. Emily Moon, Customer Care Manager, and her Vizsla, Hank, represented Royal Canin.
In addition to sponsoring the Guelph Iron Dog Challenge, Royal Canin is also the proud sponsor of many Iron Dog Challenges held across the country. The company has a strong partnership with K9 units as its high quality and specialized food is the brand that fuels many working dogs, including dogs in the police service. In fact, two of the category winners at this year's Guelph Iron Dog exclusively eat Royal Canin formulations.
Royal Canin is a worldwide manufacturer and supplier of high quality, specialized dog and cat foods in the veterinary, pet specialty and breeder channels. Its headquarters are in France and production operations exist in 12 countries around the world, including the Canadian plant based in Guelph, Ontario.
Image with caption: "Const. Jennifer Dagg and Qaybre compete at the 2014 Guelph Iron Dog Challenge, sponsored by Royal Canin. The K9 team from Peel Regional Police achieved the fastest time in the Women's Open Category (CNW Group/Royal Canin)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141028_C2486_PHOTO_EN_7183.jpg
SOURCE: Royal Canin
Media Contact: Jo Ann Robinson, ON Communication, 519.963.1946, [email protected]
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