Three New Zealand Police dogs and their handlers are heading to Melbourne this weekend in a bid to retain individual and team titles at the Australasian Police Dog Trials.

Competing in the patrol dog category is Whakatāne senior constable Dave Robison and Isaac, while Rotorua senior constable Phillip Taylor and Murphy are in the narcotics detector category.

National police dogs coordinator Inspector Todd Southall says New Zealand Police has won six of the seven trials since they first began in 1988.

'Our patrol and detector dog teams are very experienced so we're hoping this bodes well for next week,” he says.

Also competing in the patrol dog category at the trials is Auckland senior constable Owen Davies and three-year-old German Shepherd Quid.

During the six-day competition, teams will be tested in agility, speed, tracking, building and property searches, obedience and other tasks based on operational incidents.

Rotorua senior constable Phillip Taylor and Murphy will be competing in the narcotics detector category at the trials. Photo: NZ Police

Like other international canine travellers, eight-year-old German Shepherd Isaac and seven-year-old black Labrador Murphy will be vet checked and have their documentation inspected before flying out from Wellington.

The trials, held every three to four years, coincides this year with the 40th anniversary of the Victoria Police dog section.

The competition will conclude with a public display at Lakeside Oval in Melbourne on Saturday, 29 October.

Auckland senior constable Owen Davies and three-year-old German Shepherd Quid will be competing in the patrol dog category. Photo: NZ Police