Nova
Grown and Ready to Serve
A
Nova and Officer Wehman
8 4 Legs & a Tail
Karen Sturtevant
s I walk toward the police cruiser, I’m met with some serious barking and a display of sharp, white teeth. I’m glad the windows have guards. Typically, dogs barring their teeth don’t scare me. This one gives me pause. She’s doing her job, just as she’s been trained. As the world emerges out of covid hibernation, I’m taking advantage of a warm spring afternoon to catch up with the Essex Police Department’s top K9, Nova, and her handler, Corporal Bryon Wehman. The last time I was with Nova she was more silly than substance. She was playfully biting her human dad’s arms, chasing insects, and chewing on rocks. Her attention span was limited, but her brain was always on alert. Now, at almost a year old, Nova’s development is progressing nicely. She’s acting less like a clueless puppy and more liked a honed professional. As Officer Wehman opened the door to allow Nova out, I was amazed to see this stunning girl, no longer a little puppy, but all
grown up. As we chatted, she looked on with interest and lunged at her leash at blowing leaves. Nova’s heritage of Dutch Shepherd and high-energy Belgian Malinois creates major challenges for Officer Wehman. Her innate need is to be mentally and physically engaged. She’s a work-oriented breed. Nova doesn’t stay still for long. She’s a dog that needs action and exercise to be at her best. “Just you wait,” his coworkers warned him when he expressed interest in Nova. Officer Wehman compared the wellmeaning advice to having a child. “You think you know what you’re in for, think you’re prepared. She was a nightmare as a puppy. If it wasn’t glued down, it was in her mouth. If it was in her mouth it was gone.” A colleague sent him a meme reading Belgian Malinois are good at doing everything. Not good at doing nothing. Those words would prove to be true. With the confidence and approval of his department and the commitment of Officer Wehman, Nova was chosen. Allowing Nova to learn family and work dynamics were the most important goals for her first year. She was allowed to simply be a puppy. Formal schooling would begin soon enough. Knowing how to correctly train this mentally stimulated dog is key to her long-term success. “We don’t want to set her up for failure,” said Corporal Wehman. Socializing, one of the key components to early healthy development, proved difficult in a time of shut down due to the pandemic. Trips to locations where the public congregated were not an option. Corporal Wehman relied on colleagues and close family to fill the void. Even Corporal Wehman’s two-year-old daughter was recruited. She and Nova are the best of buddies, going on walks together while she holds the leash. When the restrictions were loosened, socialization resumed. Some days they found themselves at Lowe’s walking the aisles and eventually becoming the unofficial greeters at the entrance. Shoppers’ reactions to Nova were either walking past her giving a wide berth or hardcore softies, like me, who asked to pet her. She’s an intimidating sight to behold. Being a K9 in training is not easy. Besides Corporal Wehman her canine support network includes German Shepherd brothers, Nike and Rumble, human handlers, and professionals from the Vermont Summer 2021
