Senior Police Constable Mr Chan Man-tung is Max's handler and is well pleased with his progress to date. "We have become very good friends. He is obedient and affectionate and, because he has short hair, he is easier to groom. Also," he said, "ordinary citizens are less intimidated by his presence."

"The Malinois is a thoroughbred," said Senior Inspector Mr Mike Ng Kwok-wing. "But the Malinois gene pool has been widened over many decades through cross-breeding with Belgian, Dutch and German Shepherds, Great Danes, etc. Those used for police work, however, are often crossbreeds because they are cheaper and, some believe, better. It is usually only of medium size, and both colouring and configuration vary far more widely than would be permitted for an American Kennel Club pedigree. It has long been the preferred dog for policing in the Netherlands and is now being used throughout Western Europe."

"The Malinois has many advantages over the German Shepherd (Alsatian), which has long been the traditional dog for this kind of work," said Mr Ng. "The Malinois is relatively long-lived (13 years or more) and so has a longer working life. It is healthy, resistant to disease and injury and does not suffer from inbred physical health problems, which means lower veterinary costs and fewer dogs to cover sick leave. It is also extremely agile, spirited, intelligent, affable, loyal, obedient, and easily trained. It is also misleadingly less aggressive in appearance."

Continuation Training

OffBeat joined Mr Chan and Max on a spot of 'continuation training' which takes place about once every two weeks. On this occasion, there were two other Malinois and two German Shepherds on the same course. The purpose of the first session was to teach the dog the necessity of defending its handler against unexpected attack.

They were taken out to a quiet urban road way and one by one taken for a walk during which they met a 'decoy', an officer in plain clothes and a protective sleeve. Mr Chan carried out an identity card check on the individual, which meant stopping beside him and asking for his card. Max, without being told, sat down beside him but remained alert and attentive.

Suddenly the decoy yelled and struck out at the handler. Before he could land a blow, however, a growling Max had him in a solid grip. The more the decoy struggled and struck out at the handler and the dog, the firmer became Max's grip. When the decoy ceased struggling, the handler gave the order to release him - and he did so. In a real incident, of course, the man would have been arrested and handcuffed. So, when he was let walk away an indignant Max growled and barked most vociferously until brought to heel by the handler.

Max was returned to the patrol vehicle and another one was brought out. This was Nona, a Malinois imported from Belgium, who joined her initial training course four weeks late but came out top of the class. Mr Ng said that they had great hopes for Nona. "She is certainly the most intelligent and trainable dog I have ever met. We will definitely put her into our breeding programme," he said.

Nona was taken on the same walk as Max by her handler, Police Constable Mr Chan Man-chung. "It's a real pleasure working with this dog," said Mr Chan. "She is so confident and eager."

In fact, Nona caught the decoy's arm as it was rising for the first time and was most reluctant to let him go when told to do so. She looked at her owner in a most reproachful manner as she relinquished her grip and then, when he was allowed to proceed, set up an even greater fuss than Max did.

The other dogs were put through the test and then all five went through it one more time.

It was then time to move to the site for a 'search' operation. This was a scrubby Tolo Harbour hillside typical of the places that illegal immigrants come ashore. This time the decoy was wearing a full body suit because the dogs would be released to run free during their search.

Max had the first go. The decoy was motionless and silent in an extensive clump of shrubs and trees and waited. Max was brought to within a hundred metres released and ordered to search. He stood still for a moment before bounding off to the wrong clump. He looked back as if to say, "there's no-one here" and was ordered to keep searching within a minute or two he had located the decoy and 'seized' him. He kept his grip despite desperate struggles and blows from the decoy until the handler ran up and ordered her to let go. A successful arrest had been made.

"Of course," said Mr Ng, "the training will continue to get a little more intensive. We will next have a crowd around the decoy when he is challenged and the search area will be expanded. Of course training will be much easier when we move into our new facility. The terrain there is most suitable and immediately to hand."

PDU Commandant Chief Inspector Mr Charles Kong Cheuk-chau said:"I am looking forward to breeding these dogs here in Hong Kong. It will be much more cost-effective and we will know for sure what is in their bloodlines. With well-bred dogs, good training staff and professional handlers, we will create a 'centre of excellence' unparalleled in the region."

Meanwhile, another Malinois, was making something of a name for himself. 'Joe' was also in the first Malinois intake and since early June had been assigned to duties which included patrolling the Ping Shek Estate. Alerting his handler to some suspicious activity apparently taking place in the Estate's child care centre, he then assisted in the arrest of two burglary suspects. It was Joe's 'first arrest' and he was suitably rewarded for his efforts.

Max gets a firm grip on the decoy who had threatened his handler with violence