Natalia and Kelly are a great duet. However, their work with is not quite as poetic as it may seem on the first side. They catch criminals. The girl-cynologist and her four-legged companion are stars, though very modest. They win prizes in competitions, but they are not an only goal: it just proves professionalism. And we learned the details of such an unusual, but important profession, as a cynologist
«I came from the Transcarpathian region – I live in the city of Mukachevo. Nine hours go to Zhytomyr. This is now a familiar city for me, here over a year ago I became a police-cynologist and studied at the State Zhytomyr Center for Police Training»

«I have loved dogs since childhood. We live with a family in a private house, so it was always a free opportunity to keep animals. How cynologists work, I only saw on TV. Tried to repeat something with my pet. Honestly, it didn’t turn out very much – only some elementary commands, and those were not always executed»

«Once in Mukachevo there were competitions for a variety of cynologists. I visited them and realized it was mine! By that time, I had already graduated from Mukachevo State University with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Business. Our family has a small business – a small hotel. My parents dreamed that I would be interested and help them. However, my love for the profession of cynologist overcame everything: I decided to work by vocation. At first a freelance worker at the Kennel Center of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Transcarpathian region, and later, in 2018, I was certified, sworn in and became a police officer»

«My relatives, to put it mildly, did not accept my choice of profession as a cynologist, and even in the police. However, when they saw how happy I was to train a dog, how I loved it, they began to perceive with understanding. Fortunately, I am not the only child in the family – I have an older sister. For her just impresses the hotel business»

«A year in uniform was very busy: many exercises, lessons. We have a small staff. People get fired if they feel it is not their profession. There are no ordinary personalities in cynology. Working with dogs is not so easy: you need to be able to take care of them, treat them, comb them, treat them like a small child. Training requires a thorough knowledge of the psychology, physiology, anatomy of the animal, as well as the stamina of the dog and the vast amount of practice and experience. If a person does not lie to this soul, then there will be no use at all»

«Kelly is my assistant. She is three years old. This is my first co-worker with whom I started working professionally. With her I came to Zhytomyr to study at the police training center, and with her I have been working at the canine center of the National Police of Transcarpathia for a year and a half»

«There have been cases during the service when Kelly discovered a safe deposit box. Then brought into the ravine, into the thickets themselves. She searched for a long time, but found one. And somehow the shooting was in the park – Kelly was picking up shell casings»

«A dog is a psychotherapy, I feel it. We have been in competitions in the cynology competition in the Czech Republic. Around all strangers, you don’t know anyone. I came up to her, stroked, talked and calmed down, it became easier. You feel that there is a native soul near you. Service dogs by themselves are very smart. This is a real friendship»

«I can train her for goodies. She’s a «pischevychka» but she likes to play and she won’t give up «aport» (note: «aport» is a command for a service dog)»

«In addition to serving in the police, going to crime scenes, investigating experiments for dog breeders, it is important to take part in championships where their professional skill level of developing dogs’ skills is assessed. We have been at three championships – Uzhhorod, Czech Republic and the IV Open Championship of the All-Ukrainian Kennel Breeder, which took place in the beginning of autumn in Zhytomyr. Participation in championships adds experience and opportunity to communicate with experts. The requirements for a canine specialist are also extremely high. Barriers must be taken by both the dog and the dog handler. I remember preparing for the first championship. Trained to take the two-meter barrier. There was a condition to do this in «combat boots». For the first time I wore them, it was very uncomfortable. Some barriers had to be abandoned. And Kelly, of course, jumped. She is brilliant»

«In Mukachevo,there are the same problems with stray dogs as in Zhytomyr. There are organizations that follow this – chipping, vaccination, raising money for animals and,there are even cases of bullying animals and surprisingly, with purebred dogs. People found an enjtrunkbody of kolli, smashed husky, for treatment of which the city gathered money. It seems to me that a person who works with an animal will not do it. She understands her psychology will not be able to offend an animal. We try to preventively work in this direction: we come to performances in kindergartens, show the skills of service dogs. Children learn how important this animal can be to combat crime through their sense of smell and physical data»

«For the last several years, there has been a tendency of girls being more in the profession of cynologist. The girl in the police is normal. Our team has two girls, except that the schedule is specific. The main thing is for the family to support you morally»
«In the dog world, there is the same gender equality as in the police force: both female and male animals work equally. However, I can say that it is better for me to work with Kelly than if it was a dog-boy. Female dogs are more loyal, obedient. Kelly is calm, good-natured, smart, fast-paced, not capricious. People say what kind of cynologist, so is the dog»(Smiles)

«There is a shortage of staff in cynology, as in the whole police force. For change to move in the positive direction, one prerequisite is to appreciate good people in the service, to motivate them first and foremost»