One can not pick up a magazine on dogs without seeing the word Tactical before almost everything it lists. The new craze is the term Tactical S.W.A.T K9. It all reads well until we see the same old shutz arm, stick and fat guys. It does not take a rocket scientist to see what is happening. The terminology has changed but the same stagnant minds are still in charge of the training.

It is however no longer funny. It is also no longer acceptable. Terrorist threats, confidence in team members, public safety and real ability are not products of the sport world.

Once upon a time in a sleepy society amateurs could impress the ignorant. Unfortunately those times have past. We have permitted the hole in which we stand to be dug around us. I know we did not mean to become complacent or to permit the social bullies to take over, but we were and they did. They flashed their ribbons and titles and they had impressive German names. They came in groups and they were loud and arrogant.

There are some of us who are neither impressed nor frightened. In fact we enjoy putting bullies into their perspective places. There is some real satisfaction watching them become disorientated when four letter words no longer seem to intimidate. In fact from what I have seen there is no need to fear the tactically fat or the tactically crippled that so want to integrate the tactical shutzhunde into the Working world. Spandex is not bullet proof. Now the time has come, without fuss or pomp, to simply state the facts. To demand that the words Tactical to stand for something more than games and to demand that they prove what they are claiming. Bite arms are meant for fat people, fat dogs and play day. There is nothing even slightly Tactical in that.

©Mike McConnery/Baden K9 Incorporated,September 27, 2006

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