26 CHESHIRE AND NORTH WALES DOG HANDLING SECTION
LIVING THE DREAM STEPH ALLINSON TAKES HER TWO BEST FRIENDS, PD JAX & OTIS, TO WORK WITH HER EVERYDAY
Time to put your paws up now, retirement has arrived. Police Dog Otis is my drugs, cash firearms and ammunition detection dog that I have told you all about previously. He is now eight years old, and he is a Golden Labrador. Otis came from Castleside Labradors when he was an eight-week-old pup and has been a police dog ever since. In July last year, I noticed he became lame after a good run; I have had him back and forth to the vets, and after some investigation work, Otis has been diagnosed with arthritis in his shoulders. A common complaint for his age and his
breed. After consultation with the vet and my supervisor, we have made the decision to retire Otis from front-line duties and give him the rest he deserves after a full seven-year Police dog career. He will be having cortisone injections under sedation in his shoulders to help him feel more comfortable and once completed, he will be retiring to a life of luxury, probably on the sofa next to the fire, if I can get him to leave his kennel which he loves. I have been lucky enough to have Otis in my life for two years now, and he has been a fabulous canine workmate. He was rehandled to me two years ago when his previous handler retired.
DRUG DETECTION DOG FACTS • • • • •
It takes roughly 8 weeks to train a dog to detect. The dogs think they are looking for their tennis ball. Training leads the dog to associate that toy with the smell of drugs. Our dogs are ball rewarded for each find. Gloucestershire Police force had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, PD Stella, trained in detection work, a first for this breed.
