The days of tossing the “new guy” in a bite suit and sending repeated downfield hits are antiquated in nature, and if that is the operating norm for your department, it should cease - immediately. Finding willing participants to take an onslaught of reoccurring bites can be difficult to say the least but you do your unit, and ultimately your K9’s a disservice if just anyone is allowed to participate as a decoy. The differentiation occurs between an individual that merely takes a controlled bite compared to a helper that has a deeper fundamental understanding as to what the K9 is processing mentally. Training decoys must be able to utilize their skill-set in real time to adjust accordingly. More so than influence from a handler or intervention from a trainer, during aggression work, the decoy is the one primarily responsible for creating teaching moments in the dog.
The argument thus ensues as to how is someone going to get better if they aren't allowed to catch, or, they are limited in the scope of the exercise? I would argue that the most critical litmus test that one can measure is their passion for the work. Without a prospective helper actively seeking out knowledge, experience and opportunity, you ultimately have an individual that catches begrudgingly simply because it is their turn. The ending result with that type of attitude is someone that is not nearly as invested or interested in making your K9 the optimum animal they are capable of being. Not only does performance suffer, injuries can and do occur when incompetent decoys work K9’s, to the dogs themselves or to the helpers that have been instructed to catch.
Athleticism is a second major component when finding a good training decoy. Someone who is not only physically fit, but one who is able to mechanically catch dogs without adding extra risk of injury to the Officer or K9.
Helpers also need to be actors. They need to possess a certain level of finesse or connectivity that is utilized to reinforce desired biting behavior in the animal.
Decoys that are working dogs should, at least from a fundamental perspective, have a general understanding of what drive the K9 is operating in. Training decoys need to delve even further into the psyche of the animal, particularly the ones they are working. Different types of drives have been explored in publications and articles, however, simply reading and identifying the difference between prey and defense on the surface is a must. We have the ability as a decoy to manipulate innate or genetic drives that are ingrained within the mental make-up of these animals. We owe it to them to be informed and possess the necessary understanding when trying to influence said drive state.
It should be incumbent upon the decoy to be proficient in proper targeting and knowing how to trigger dogs to grip various areas on a suit. Some people are not a fan of a frontal grip on a suit as it puts the K9 in a disadvantage positionally, as they are more prone to being physically controlled by the helper. I would argue that teaching and training a K9 on a frontal grip is more about being able to effectively manipulate the mental state of the animal rather than the practicality of the positioning itself.
There can also be in many agencies errors with regard to procurement of K9 bite equipment. Many departments are held to a strict budget and finding additional money to purchase specific bite suits, scratch pants, sleeves, muzzle, and hidden sleeves can be out of the question. Ill-fitting suits have been the norm in many K9 units as they are the proverbial “one size fits all.” This is not only an issue for the helpers as flexibility, mobility and agility are all affected. Training in these types of suits ill prepare K9’s for biting as the only material they are able to obtain is the suit itself. They are unable to feel the helper through the suit, which, is an important aspect of aggression training.
With the exception of the procurement of the animals themselves, I would argue that the biggest void in the police K9 world is the lack of quality and competent decoys. I would challenge you to pause before putting just anyone into downfield exercises or specialized bite work as the mental and physical damage done to the K9 may be irreversible.