I have been a peace office for more than 19 years.  I have been fortunate enough to have worked in several special assignments including Marine Enforcement, Motor Unit, Aero Bureau and the Canine Detail.  While these are all great jobs, my favorite has been as a canine handler.  I have been a full time handler for 10 years, and before I was an officer I was a decoy for my father, who was also a police canine handler in another city.  I have been working around police dogs since I was a teenager, and still can’t get enough of it.

My partner, Dantes, pronounced Don-tez, is a German Sheppard who was born on April 4th, 2000 in the Czech Republic.  He is the most senior dog on the team at this time.  Dantes is an exceptional tracking dog and has hundreds of arrests to his credit over the past 5 years.  Dantes and I actively participate in the Western States Police Canine Association Police Dog competitions.  Dantes has earned numerous trophies and awards in the WSPCA over the past three years, and is the 2006 WSPCA Top Dog.  Dantes is on the way to retaining this title in 2007.  Dantes, along with SSD K9 Clint (K9-11) are also the current 2006 WSPCA Top Department team.  Dantes has also appeared in a statewide T.V. commercial advocating responsible pet ownership.

Although competitions do not always mean a canine is a great street dog, Dantes is an exception.  Dantes is not only is a loving pet while at home, he is the most accomplished police dog I have had the pleasure of handling.  I am not looking forward to the day Dantes retires.  Many people ask how long a police dog can work before they retire.  There is no standard answer, because each canine is evaluated individually.  The average German Sheppard will work to the age of 8 to 81/2 years old, so hopefully Dantes and I will have at least one more year together.

We thank you for taking the time to visit SSD K9.com and appreciate your support of our retired partners