When it comes to K9 training, decoys have a few important jobs. Police dogs are trained to give it their all, no matter what they’re doing. This mean that when they go in for a bite, there is a whole dog’s-worth of weight and energy behind it. The decoy’s job is to take the force of the impact, so as not to hurt the dog. But more than just handling the physics of the bite, they also need to build the dog’s confidence. To encourage the dog, the decoy will often grunt or call out and allow themselves to be pushed back as the dog drives its weight into them. This encourages the dog to feel in charge of the situation.