Do police dogs get punched as part of their training?

No reputable trainer punches (or kicks, chokes, etc,) police or military service dogs. Trainers for both K9 and protective sports dogs do, however, use a variety of sticks, among other tools. read more

(For a brief overview of the training, see here: The Use of the Stick in Police Dog Training Sport Trainers vs. Service Dog Trainers.) The vast majority of the strikes do not cause pain to the dog, but rather are used to agitate prey drive or test a dog’s response to a threat or pressure. read more

No way. There's absolutely no reason for it. Police officers are tasered (sometimes) as part of their training during certification - and that depends on the agency. read more

Steve explained that police departments can procure K9s in one of two ways. They can buy a “green dog,” which is a 7 to 14 month old dog with basic obedience training. The green dog is sent to a 4-12 week training program accompanied by the officer assigned to it. read more