My husband and I have observed how a German Shepherd puppy was "trained" for the canine unit in Crescent City. The dog was kept outside all by himself day and night isolated away from touch, love and companionship. He cried day and night pitifully. I cried with him. A day before those people moved out of the area the whole canine unit group gathered with their puppies and we heard men hollering and dogs screaming in agony. What did they do to the dogs to make them scream like that? I researched police dog training and found out that the old school has officers kick their dogs and isolate them during the most critical baby time in their lives where they need the mother or caretaker the most. I also found out that the new school of police dog training as it is conducted in Europe as well as in Canada and also by conscientious officers within the USA, does not allow any form of violence and neither do they allow isolation of dogs. I talked to officers from San Francisco and they verified that the old school police dog training traumatizes the animals, it makes them fearful instead of courageous, it makes them less functioning as police dogs, and it makes them aggressive towards other dogs and children. This old method of training is unsafe for all. I am asking everybody to write a polite letter to the Crescent City Police Department to ask them to instate the new school police dog training methods which are kind to the animals. Quotes from several people and resources: "Puppies provided with poor socialization or deprived of environmental exposure often develop lifelong deficits and dysfunctional behaviors. A puppy isolated early in life from other puppies and humans will not only fail to establish satisfying social contact with conspecifics or enjoy companionship with people later in life (such puppies are extremely fearful of any social contact), they will also exhibit widespread behavioral and cognitive disabilities, as well." (>Handbook of applied dog behavior and training(602 708-4531), Email: Sam@SamTheDogTrainer.com) "I walked my dogs for years past a house that had a beautiful Husky. Problem was, the poor dog was in a 4 x 8 pen 24/7, with no company or interaction with other dogs or humans. I called the Humane Society on them, and the next time I went by, there was a blue tarp over the top of the pen to at least give the dog some shade. Time went on, and I felt so bad for that dog. Had I felt that I could have taken him, or talked them into giving him to a rescue, I would have. They didn't seem like they would be open to that in the least. I moved away a little over 2 years ago. Yesterday, I saw one of my old neighbors, and she told me that the dog had gotten out and attacked a 6 year old girl. Someone in a nearby home heard/saw it, and ran out to help. She got the little girl inside, but was unable to get the door completely closed before the dog got in and attacked her too." (R. King, person on talk forum about what happens to dogs when isolated in kennels). "I don't recommend isolation for any dog regardless of the intended use. Police dogs need to be social and confident so isolating them as a puppy is very counter productive". (Gregg Tawney, dog trainer at norcaldogs.com). Nicola Grobe Crescent City, Ca