A two-day international workshop on optimising the "performance of working dogs" was inaugurated here today.
Sanjay Arora, Additional Director General of Police - Operations, Tamil Nadu Commando Force (TNCF) and Training School said working dogs are part of military, para-military and the police forces.
"The capacity of these dogs cannot be replicated by man or machine. These are being deployed in counter-insurgencies, natural disasters, to detect explosives, sniff drugs, arms," he said adding there was a need for much more dogs, he said, inaugurating the workshop.
Hence, optimising the performance of the available dogs is very important, he stressed.
The workshop is jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Tamil Nadu Commando Force and a Hyderabad based firm
Dr TJ Harikrishnan, Registrar and Vice-Chancellor in charge, TANUVAS, underlined the importance of proper nutrition including micro-nutrients on the health and performance of the working dogs.
"It is a highly scientific and evolving subject. This workshop is set with a goal to assist the working dogs team throughout the country so that a consensus can be arrived in setting standards for working dogs."
Dr.Dominique Grandjean, Professor at the National Veterinary School of Alfort (France) narrated the importance of puppy selection and specific attention in breeding as the objectives for a "show dog" and a "working dog" were totally different.
The organisers said the workshop was the "first of its kind" in India. The event is a part of commemoration of silver jubilee year celebrations of TANUVAS.
