A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A GSS DOG HANDLER
When speaking to potential new recruits, we are often asked what a day in the life of a dog handler looks like.
At Global Support Services, we take pride in providing highly skilled teams for our valued clients. Our dogs are not only experts in protection or detection, but they also bring reassurance, joy and companionship to their handlers and the communities they serve.
A typical day/night for our teams begins with an early morning/evening exercise session. This is a crucial time for both the dog and handler to sharpen their alertness for the shift ahead, while continuing to ‘bond’ as a team with their handler.
After exercise (and food!), our teams are assigned to various locations for their operational assignments. Whether it’s a theatre, a movie premiere, a stadium event or a shopping centre, our dogs are always on the lookout for potential threats and ensure the safety of the people and property in their care.
The requirement of each assignment depends on the type of event, location and the discipline of dog deployed.
Protection dogs tend to spend a significant proportion of their time on shift patrolling agreed areas of our client sites, acting as a visual deterrent to those who are out to cause trouble.
Detection dogs on the other hand, spend the majority of their time, under the guidance of their handler, searching people and/or places for the specific substances they are specially trained to detect
Constant patrolling or searching can be tiring work, so in between the active parts of their shift, handlers and dogs take regular breaks to rest and refuel (while always remaining on standby should the need arise to deploy).
Detection dogs usually spend approximately half of their shift giving their nose a break so that when actively searching, they can do so in the most efficient and effective way.
These rest breaks are also an excellent opportunity for the handlers to bond with their canine partners and provide them with the necessary care and attention.
As the shift ends, our handlers take the time to document the dog’s performance, update their daily occurrence/incident reports, discuss any issues that need to be addressed with our head office operations management team – and once their canine partners have arrived back home and have been fed and toileted, begin to plan for the next day.
The formal training sessions all GSS handlers must complete on a monthly basis, simulate real-life scenarios and help the dogs maintain their readiness for any situation.
It’s a demanding job, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to see the difference our dogs and their handlers make in the lives of the people and communities they serve.
We are proud of the work our teams do – and we are always looking for dedicated individuals to join our team.
If you enjoy working with dogs and have a passion for public safety, contact us today at careers@global-support.org.
