SASKATOON – It’s said that dogs are man’s best friend and for police canine teams the bond is even stronger. Const. Terry Brake and his six-year-old German shepherd Dax have been working as a team for four years.
“The bond is very strong. Once you become used to reading the dog you’re able to pick up on his nuances. I can actually read him better than my own wife sometimes,” says Brake.
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At the beginning of January, Dax retired from the service. He left behind an impressive resume, which includes being certified in drug detection.
“He’s done about a hundred what I would call tracks with apprehension at the end where we’ve actually got a suspect,” said Brake.
“Fortunately, out of those hundred or so individuals I’ve only have to send him twice to apprehend somebody by holding onto the suspect until I was able to take them in custody.”
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One of Brake’s fondest memories of Dax on the job was when he successfully led police to a robber who had assaulted a victim and fled the scene.
“It is a dangerous situation for them. It has become even more so with the amount of firearms and number of guns that have shown up on the streets in the last couple of years.”
Dax seems to be handling retirement well. Instinctively, Brake says, Dax knows when to turn the police-pet switch on and off.
“Strangely enough, they know the difference that they’re not going to work. He just becomes like a pet.”
Rather than chasing suspects around the city, Dax will now be chasing a ball around the yard with Brake and his family.
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