A standard to be proud of with a surprising top dog

Posted on 3 March 2026, at 09:40 in Events

Dog handler in tunic stood next to his dog who is a black giant Schnauzer

This past weekend, Avon and Somerset Police welcomed handlers and police dogs from across the South West and Wales for the annual Regional Police Dog Trials 2026.

The event held at Police Headquarters, tested teams across three phases: tracking, criminal work, and obedience. Officers from Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset and South Wales were put through their paces with judges praising the very high standards on display, especially impressive for many first-time competitors.

Results

Devon and Cornwall’s Noah Tilley and PD Gus impressed the judges to take first place in the tracking phase.

The second phase, testing venue searching skills, was won by our very own Harry Simms and PD Fonzo.

The final phase, testing obedience and overall performance, was dominated by Devon and Cornwall’s John Warren and his Giant Schnauzer, PD Albert, who also took the overall trophy, earning admiration from judges and fellow competitors alike.

PD Albert made history as the first Giant Schnauzer to compete in and win the Regional Police Dog Trials

Albert, along with four other qualifying dogs will now represent the region at the National Championships in May, hosted by West Yorkshire Police.