A Formosan mountain dog is in training to become the first of its breed to join Taiwan's police force.
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00:00Focused, determined, and also playful, meet nine-month-old Jaguar.
00:10He's police officer Chen Ying-hong's partner in training.
00:14He's said to be the first Formosa Mountain Dog to join Taiwan's police force.
00:21The Formosa Mountain Dog is endemic to Taiwan.
00:24The breed isn't generally considered police dog material, but for years, the local police
00:30force has been searching for one that has what it takes.
00:34We've been looking for dogs that are suitable for the local police force for a long time.
00:46Our experience of failure is that we are too sensitive and don't pay enough attention to
00:53things that are wrong.
00:58Usually, police dogs come from certain breeds.
01:01The performance of a dog is very important to its heredity.
01:06Wolfdogs and Labrador dogs are trained as working dogs.
01:13So we will focus on these breeds.
01:16The main reason is that the failure rate will be much lower.
01:21We will hide food in this environment to strengthen its sense of smell.
01:26Up to 70% of all police dog trainees fail to make the grade.
01:31And it's not all down to breed.
01:33Candidates need to have certain qualities.
01:36It needs to be calm and obedient.
01:42When we are looking for a target, for example a wild animal,
01:49we need to actively search for it.
01:52But we need to put our energy into it.
01:56We can't play with it like a toy.
02:00We need to be calm and excited.
02:05Jaguar has been training with the New Taipei Police's canine unit since he was two months old.
02:11Though he's not from the more traditional police dog breeds,
02:14Chen says he has exceeded expectations, not falling behind other candidates.
02:22Chen says for most the mountain dogs actually have some advantages.
02:26They're better suited for Taiwan's environment and climate.
02:29Jaguar can train for hours in the summer heat and still recover quickly.
02:34Jaguar is currently in training to detect bombs.
02:37So far he can sniff out three types of explosives while keeping his cool.
02:42Jaguar will eventually learn to detect seven types of bombs.
02:47Once he's got all those down, he could go on active duty by the end of 2025.
02:52If his training is successful and Jaguar makes the cut,
02:55it'll be a milestone for his breed in the police force.
03:00Chen says he has high expectations for Jaguar,
03:03as they are not only partners, but also family and close friends.
03:08Over the months of intense professional training,
03:11Chen has also come to understand Jaguar's playfulness and unique personality.
03:39Despite recognizing Jaguar's peculiarities,
03:42Chen is pushing hard to make sure he becomes a police dog.
03:45And when the day comes for him to put on the uniform,
03:48he hopes his partner can be as fast, confident and brave as his namesake, Jaguar.
03:54Scott Hong and Sani Chi for Taiwan Plus.