The Kunming dog, a native breed developed in China, is gaining recognition for its effectiveness in police work, showcasing superior character traits suited for security efforts. This month, senior police dog trainer Long Ling successfully worked with Kunkun, a two-year-old demonstration canine at the Kunming police dog base in Yunnan province, completing several advanced training exercises.
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Kunkun is well-mannered and friendly, particularly around children, yet capable of showing aggression towards suspects when necessary. Long describes him as having an "Eastern" temperament—reserved and calm, yet intimidating when the situation calls for it. Their bond began in 2024 when Kunkun was a puppy, displaying fearless curiosity that led Long to select him for training.
Since then, Long has taken care of Kunkun's needs, even during holidays, and has helped him develop into a capable police dog excelling in various operational areas. The Kunming dog breed, established in the 1950s from local wolfdogs selected by Yunnan police, has evolved to become a reliable working breed, officially recognized in China in 1988.
The breed's distinct strains—the black back, straw yellow, and wolf black—each possess unique strengths, making them adaptable to various roles. In March, a young Kunming dog named Wangcai demonstrated strong scent recognition skills during training, further exemplifying the breed's advantages.
Research and innovation in breeding practices have led to significant advancements in the Kunming dog program. A genetic resource bank was established in 2011 and has implemented advanced reproductive technologies. The breed is recognized for its superior endurance and sense of smell, achieving a high accuracy rate in scent tracking compared to other breeds.
Kunming dogs have been deployed extensively by the Kunming Public Security Bureau, participating in over 1,320 explosives detection tasks with zero mistakes in critical operations. Every year, the Kunming police dog base breeds over 600 puppies, sending more than 300 trained dogs to public security agencies throughout China.
Additionally, Kunming dogs have been introduced to over ten countries, bolstering international police cooperation and demonstrating China's growing capabilities in police dog training. Zheng Jiarui in Kunming contributed to this report.