Greater Manchester Police has welcomed six new pups who are on the way to becoming police dogs.

Officers will train the new four-legged force members over the next year, after which they will take on an intensive 13-week test to become an operational police dog.

Aged just 14-weeks old at the moment, the pups have spent their time so far bonding with their handlers and learning a few simple skills.

They will also be shadowing some of their older dog colleagues as they go out on operations.

Police are optimistic about the pups due to their impressive pedigree - their father is Police Dog Jax, a German Shepherd who saw eight-years of service with GMP before retiring in 2025.

Jax showed excellent mannerisms and performance during his career, and he has been a sire for other dogs in forces around the country - including as far away as New Zealand.

The tactical dog unit is a significant arm of the Greater Manchester Police force, with canines and their handlers accounting for 536 arrests from September 2025 to September 2026.

Inspector Mike Weeden of the tactical dog unit, and PD Jax's handler, said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome six new puppies to the GMP Tactical Dog Unit family.

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"These young dogs represent the future of our unit and will begin an exciting journey towards becoming operational police dogs, helping us to prevent and detect crime across Greater Manchester.

"What makes this arrival even more special is that they come from our own retired Police Dog Jax, and it is fantastic to know that we are continuing to develop and preserve such strong and proven bloodlines within our unit.

"The TDU is an exciting and highly effective part of policing. With the right dogs and the right handlers working together, we have an incredible team of proactive officers dedicated to protecting our communities, locating offenders, safeguarding vulnerable people, and supporting frontline policing every day.

"We look forward to watching these puppies develop over the coming months and years and seeing them become the next generation of police dogs serving the people of Greater Manchester."