For these are no ordinary police pooches - they're cleverer than the average man in the street because they understand TWO languages.

The bilingual hunds listen to commands in both German and English, but they speak with only a loud bark and snapping bite.

Imported German shepherd dogs have been recruited by police in Derbyshire because of a shortage of hounds over here.

But it means their basic police training has all been in German...so they are being taught English!

It sounds like a plot out of 'Allo 'Allo and has been made even more surreal by the renaming of one dog from Dick to Flick!

The force is one of 17 nationally to have brought in dogs from Germany because of a shortage in this country, although South Yorkshire Police have not yet had to recruit its dogs from abroad.

What do you think? Have you got a pet that only understands a foreign language? Post your comments below.

A Derbyshire Police spokeswoman said: "I know we have got three and we speak German to them but they are now learning English.

"We are repeating the German commands in English so they are becoming bilingual."

Two of the Derbyshire dogs, Eeko and Nero, kept their German names, but one called Dick became Flick, after Herr Flick in the sitcom 'Allo 'Allo.

And police have warned that criminals can expect the same kind of justice meted out to them irrespective of what nationality the dogs are.

One police dog-handler, who has worked with the German-trained dogs, said: "It was quite fun learning a new language.

"It's amazing how quick they are to respond as soon as you utter a German command, but when you say 'let go' in English they just look at you like you are crazy.

"But as soon as you say 'Aus' they drop whatever they are holding like a shot."

The learning is a two-way process with the dogs also being taught English in the hope they will ultimately become bilingual and respond to both languages.

Experts believe it won't take long before they are fully responding to English commands.

To a hound trained in Germany, the word 'pfui' - pronounced 'fooey' - means 'stop that!' and 'sitz' means 'sit down'.

But criminals should be particularly beware of one word, which could spell one of the most painful German lessons ever - 'bissen', meaning 'bite'.

Here are some German dog commands - 'Hundekommandos' - to help those out there who fancy teaching their English hound a little German.


Commands a German german shepherd understands
sitz: sit
platz: down
aus: let go
holen: fetch
bissen: bite
pfui; stop that

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