How to get a retired police dog

How to Adopt Retired Police Dogs

Laura Mueller

Laura Mueller is a well-regarded animal rescue expert and writer with nearly a decade of experience in animal advocacy. Laura is the former editor of Tails Pet Magazine and volunteers in animal rescue, including Chicago’s Anti-Cruelty Society and Starfish Animal Rescue.

Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process

Updated on 04/06/21

When police dogs retire, they can be adopted by their handlers or other service members. If that's not an option, they can be adopted out into the general public. Adopting a retired police dog is a good way to give back to an animal that worked to keep your neighborhood or city safe. Though there is no one specific organization dedicated to finding policing dogs homes, there are organizations that work to help former working dogs, including putting them in good homes.

What Is a Police Dog

Many police departments around the country employ special K-9 units that assist officers in everything from finding missing people to searching for evidence at crime scenes. These heavily trained dogs are true partners to their human companions, working tirelessly alongside them to keep their handlers—and the rest of us—safe.

Fast Fact

Up until the year 2000, most retired police dogs were euthanized, a shocking practice that was thankfully stopped when Robby’s Law was signed by then-President Bill Clinton. Under the new law, which still stands today, dogs retiring from service in law enforcement or the military can be adopted by their handlers or other service members or the general public.

What to Know About Retired Police Dogs

Most of the time, police dogs retire because of age. These dogs are highly intelligent and work hard throughout their lives, first in training and then in active service. By age 7 or 8 (or sometimes up to 10 or 11), they’re ready to hang up their K-9 badges and spend their remaining years relaxing.

While police dogs are incredibly well-trained, the stress of the job can have unintended consequences, including anxiety and depression. Dogs who retire from the police force may exhibit negative behaviors such as aggression, separation anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. As such, they may require additional training in retirement or even re-socialization.

This isn’t to say that adopting a retired police dog isn’t worth it. In many cases, adopting a retired police K-9 is an incredible opportunity to provide a chance for a working dog to be just, well, a dog. If you’re interested in pursuing this type of rescue, read on for the steps that you’ll need to take.

How to Apply for a Retired Police Dog

Police dogs form intensely strong bonds with their handlers in the line of duty. As such, their handlers are always the first choice for adopters when the dogs retire. In most cases, these dogs do go on to live carefree lives as family pets with their police partners.

Usually, opportunities for civilians to adopt retired police dogs only occur if a dog’s handler passes away or cannot otherwise care for him or her. Sometimes, dogs who “failed” out of police dog training and never actually performed active service become adoptable. In both cases, other law enforcement officers will be first in line to adopt, followed by the general public.

There is no organization strictly dedicated to adopting retired police dogs. Instead, organizations like the National Police Dog Foundation and the Retired Police Canine Foundation assist handlers with things like medical care and training for their retired pups.

Mission K9, however, is an organization that assists former working dogs in many ways, including arranging civilian adoptions. To find out more about their adoption procedure, as well as the process for adopting a retired police dog, visit their “Adopt” page.

Your best bet for adopting a retired police dog is to do the legwork yourself, calling local police stations and K-9 officer training facilities and inquiring directly. If a police department or training organization does have a dog for adoption or expects that they will soon—either because the dog is retiring from the force or deemed unfit for service—they’ll be able to fill you in on the exact adoption process and any adopter requirements. Do note that waiting lists can take time, and it may be years before a dog is available for you.

Why You Should Consider Adopting a Former Police Dog

The process to adopt a retired or “failed” police dog isn’t an easy one, nor is there a guarantee that a dog will be available or you’ll be successful in your application. If all the moving parts do come together, adopting a dog whose service has ended is a truly impactful way to give a happy ending to dogs who have worked hard to protect and serve the people around them.

The life of a police dog isn’t always easy. Like their handlers, police K-9s frequently face high-stress situations and life-threatening dangers. Adopting a retired police dog is an opportunity to provide a canine a chance to just be a pet in their final years, with all of the love and spoiling that goes along with it.

Rescuing a pet is a fantastic way to make a difference. If a retired police dog isn’t available, look through the TSA Dog Adoption Program, or consider just heading to your local shelter. There are millions of dogs and cats in need of homes, and many would be delighted to find forever with you.

How to Qualify for TSA Dog Adoption

A Program Designed to Provide Homes for Non-TSA-Usable Dogs

Laura Mueller

Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process

Updated on 06/24/22

Fact checked by

Sarah Scott

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Sarah Scott is a fact checker with more than 16 years of experience in researching, writing, and editing digital and print media. She has verified and edited articles on a variety of subjects for The Spruce Pets, including pet behavior, health, and care as well as the latest trends in products for animals in the home.

Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process

Alex Wong / Getty Images

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is always training new service dogs to take on the important tasks of sniffing for explosives at U.S. airports. But like all service dog training programs, not all dogs make the cut. Some may lack interest in their assigned task; others tend to become stressed by the high-intensity lifestyle. Occasionally, a dog is just too friendly to focus on work.

Whatever the reason, disqualified dogs are put up for adoption through the TSA Canine Adoption Program. Occasionally, this program also adopts out dogs that have been retired from government service.

TSA Applications on Hold

As of 2022, the TSA is not accepting new applications for adoption due to an already extensive waiting list and a limited number of available dogs. They recommend checking their website periodically for news and updates.

What to Know About TSA Dogs

Dogs who have failed TSA training can still make fantastic pets. Some of the reasons dogs fail the training—they’re too people-friendly, for example—are the very things that make them excellent animal companions.

Here are a few things to consider before attempting to adopt a dog from the TSA:

Most of the adoptable dogs are young (about two to four years old). Older retirees are less commonly available through the program.
To be selected for TSA Canine Training Center in the first place, puppies must present two important qualities: high energy and drive. That means they need owners who are committed to providing regular, vigorous exercise.
Trainees rarely receive instruction other than explosives detection. They get no "basic" training; most of the dogs aren’t even housebroken. That means you’ll have to be ready to put in a little bit of work to acclimate a dog to your household.
Any dog adopted through the program may require obedience training. Most of the dogs have not been around small children or any animals besides fellow large-breed dogs.
All of the TSA’s dogs are vaccinated, and they are spayed or neutered before being advertised for adoption.
Only seven breeds of canines are admitted to the program: German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, German Short-Haired pointers, Wirehaired pointers, Vizslas, Belgian Malinois, and Golden Retrievers.

Do You Qualify to Adopt a TSA Dog?

Not all families are a good fit for failed service dogs, so the TSA has set requirements for prospective owners. According to the TSA:

You must have a fenced-in yard at the time of applying.
There should be no intentions of moving within six months of adopting a dog.
Homes must abide by all local pet ordinances.
You must agree to provide the dog with appropriate medical care, exercise, training, and companionship.
All existing pets in the home must have current vaccinations and preventive care.
The age of children in the home will be taken into consideration when selecting a dog.

If you live in a condo in the city or have young kids, it's unlikely that you will be approved to adopt through the program.

Fast Facts

At any given time, the TSA has about 160 dogs and puppies being trained for explosives detection. About 83% of them graduate.
Prospective owners must travel to the dog's location to pick it up. All adoptions are handled out of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.
There are no same-day adoptions through the TSA. This means you’ll need to allow multiple days for meeting the available dogs and finding the right fit for your family.
Dogs cannot be returned to the training center once they’re adopted, so the TSA will work with you to ensure you find a dog who seems like it will do well in your home.
It is free to adopt a dog through the TSA Canine Adoption Program. However, keep in mind that you will be required to travel to Texas to adopt your dog, and you will likely need to spend money on training in addition to your standard dog-care costs.
You will be required to sign an Indemnity Agreement upon the adoption of a TSA dog. This agreement states that you accept all future risks and consequences of the dog and that you agree to pay for all future care. Per the agreement, you must keep the animal as a pet and cannot sell it.

Before you apply, make sure that you’re prepared for the level of care that will be required and that your family is ready for a large, highly-active animal. That includes a dedication to training, and the ability to work in plenty of play and exercise.

Article Sources

The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Canine Adoption Program. Transportation Security Administration.
TSA Canine Training Center. Transportation Security Administration.

Where to get a pet with combat experience

Police officers will be able to keep their four-legged companions after they leave "for a well-deserved rest." If they do not have such an opportunity, then the dogs and horses will be given to a shelter or to any person who wants to provide a happy old age to the tailed "veteran".

The rules for the transfer of service animals to new owners are defined in the draft order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the public discussion of the document will last until July 16. "Parliamentary newspaper" figured out how our smaller brothers are "retiring" from law enforcement agencies.

From service to good hands

Service animals in the draft order are horses and dogs. Both those and others, after culling, will be offered to be taken away first of all by cavalrymen or dog handlers who worked with them. To do this, they will need to submit a report. If they do not do this within five days, or for some reason they are refused, the animals will begin to look for other owners.

At first they will try to sell hoofed "pensioners". Horses are looking for buyers in the same way as for “morally obsolete”, unused and decommissioned cars, computers, refrigerators, simulators, chairs and other movable property. If no one wants to buy an elderly horse in six months, then it will be given to those who wish free of charge. Service watchdogs immediately begin to attach in good hands, they cannot be sold.

Announcements on the search for new owners for retired horses and dogs will be placed in local media and on the websites of regional bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and information will be transferred to animal shelters. Until the transfer of the four-legged "employee" to the new owners, he remains on the same allowance in the authorities.

ATVs, security guards, sappers

Service animals are usually used by law enforcement and the military. Mounted detachments patrol the area where cars or motorcycles cannot pass. Horses are indispensable in the mountains: thanks to them, rescuers can reach tourists lost in the mountains or pull a wounded person out of the forest.

Efficient work of cavalrymen at public events: sitting on a horse, the riders are above the crowd, which means they have a better view and more opportunities for operational actions. “In addition, the horse has a frightening effect on offenders, with its use there are more advantages in dispersing hooligans and eliminating riots,” the former commander of the Vityaz OSN of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, reserve colonel Nikolai Solovyov , explained earlier to Parliamentary Newspaper.

All law enforcement agencies have cynological services - the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB, the National Guard, the Federal Penitentiary Service and others. Mukhtars serve on the border, help patrol the streets, detain criminals, catch up with escaped prisoners, guard territories and free hostages. The search for criminals, missing people, evidence, drugs and weapons is not complete without them. The excellent scent of these animals is used by criminologists for the examination of physical evidence. And in the Arctic regions, the military often uses dog sleds to move around.

No other technique has yet matched the dog's nose in detecting camouflaged bombs. During the Great Patriotic War, dogs saved thousands of lives by helping clear houses and streets. To this day, tailed sappers are the most faithful helpers in hot spots.

How they retire

Service animals have almost the same reasons for “retiring” as people do: age and health. The age limit for dogs is eight to ten years, for horses ten or more. They are out of action ahead of time due to injury, illness or injury, if their consequences interfere with the performance of official functions.

See also:

• Cynologists spoke about the preparation of dogs for service in the riot police • Organizers of dog fights are required to be punished • The Cabinet of Ministers supported the introduction of fines for abandoned pets

Among the diseases that put an end to the career of a four-legged employee are oncology, chronic diseases, lameness due to muscle atrophy. They can also send a four-legged “cadet”, who is not amenable to training, to “retirement”.

Culling occurs even before the animal enters the service. As a rule, this applies to dogs, because the internal affairs authorities can breed them on their own. If the puppies show defects and diseases that exclude their work in the organs, then they will find owners in civilian life. The reason can be both serious illnesses and shortcomings that are not critical for ordinary life, such as a weak instinct, lack of a canine, too low or high excitability.

Service is over, life is just beginning. About Special Purpose Dog Pension

"How could I betray him?"

Alexander Kudinov joined the canine service of the Federal Penitentiary Service seven years ago, immediately after his demobilization from the army. Antey became his first dog colleague. He got into the departmental kennel as a puppy. What is life in a family, with loving owners, Antey was able to appreciate for the first time only six months ago, when the time for retirement came. After being discharged from service, he was taken to his home by a "senior colleague".

Alexander Kudinov and Antey

— How could I do otherwise, leave him? Alexander says. - We went through everything together - through training camps, training grounds and training grounds, traveled by trains, competed. And over the years they have become true friends. You will not make friends with every person as much as with a good, smart, faithful dog. Antey and I learned to understand each other literally at a glance. No commands are needed for a long time for him to guess what I want. I often address him like this - "druzhban", and he immediately responds. We can sit with him and talk about life. For me, he is even more than a friend - a partner, the most reliable, proven one. I may be humanizing him too much, but believe me, there is every reason for this. So how could I betray him?

Alexander lives in a private house with a large garden plot. For Antey, he built a spacious aviary and an insulated booth - beautiful, comfortable, with windows.

— Once again, I don’t strain him with training. He served his purpose, let him rest now. In our country, all service dogs are accustomed to dry food; feeding them with ordinary food is considered harmful. But I can’t resist pampering him,” Alexander admits.

Alexander and his wife do not yet have children, but when they do, a huge German Shepherd in the house will not be a problem - Antey has a wealth of experience in communicating with the owner's nephews, who live nearby and often come to visit.

Earlier, while serving in the UFSIN, Antey preferred to play the treats that Alexander gave him for excellently completed tasks. Now the dog's priorities are different.

— In six months of retirement, Antey has become completely different. He loves to play, cuddle, standing on his hind legs, putting his front paws on my shoulders, and freezes with pleasure, - Alexander smiles. - Still, there is a huge difference between a service dog and a domestic dog living in a family. Antey is now getting the attention that he has been missing all these years, and I am very glad that we can surround him with care.

And Alexander has a new partner at work - a German shepherd Melvin.

"Knowing how to love is a must"

Oksana Chernikova decided to become a cynologist when she was 14 and never regretted it. "I am a very happy person. Not many people in life get a chance to do exactly what they dreamed of. And I was lucky with my profession."

German Shepherd Chara became Oksana's first service dog. "She was the best partner for me. Just like in Hollywood films, when you both are responsible for each other, support in everything and go together until the very end."

Oksana Chernikova with Chara

When Chara served her time, Oksana, without hesitation, took her home, although she lives in an ordinary city apartment. "And there was no thought whether to leave her or not: after all, she grew up in our family when she was a puppy. The son and daughter were very small then, but even gnawed toys did not prevent them from becoming best friends. And when Chara served her time, we were all happy that she returned to us for good."

The typical lifespan for German Shepherds is 10-14 years.

- When Chara left us, it was a great grief for our entire family. It's like we've lost a loved one. And I still can’t fully come to terms with this loss,” Oksana admits. - I still see such strange dreams, as if I were awake next to her. You know how cynologists say when their dog dies: "Run on the rainbow!" So one day I dreamed that my dog was running next to the others, I open the car door, I say: "Get in, let's go!" She jumps on the seat and dissolves... And then she runs with other dogs. And I think: “Well, that means she’s good there ...” How insulting, how unfair that our pets have such a short age. Would they live as long as we do...

In the service, Chara was replaced by Oji, also a German Shepherd. After the service, Oksana took her home too, although she already has a cat and a dog of a "noble breed", as her owner calls her, - she picked her up wounded on the street. The whole company now moves together with the owners to the dacha in the summer, and returns to the city in the fall.

- German Shepherds are very delicate, never imposed, do not require constant attention. And even in retirement, when their main occupation is to relax, they are very happy if there is a job for them. When they are busy, shepherd dogs are happy. Although, of course, with age, their temperament is no longer the same as in youth. With age, they become even more beautiful, more representative, but they have less strength. I was sick somehow, stayed at home and decided to watch what Oji was doing while we were away. It turned out that she sleeps all day, - Oksana smiles. "I'm always looking for a way to somehow pamper her. " She is used to dry food, but at least I mix herrings into her food. Caring is the least we can thank dogs for. The love they give us is priceless.

S Odzhi

Oksana now has a new partner in her service - the Eastern Shepherd Grey. "You know, there are such dogs - with completely human eyes. To meet such a dog is happiness. And Gray is one of them."

Gray got into the canine service of the Federal Penitentiary Service as a one-year-old, with a difficult past: the owners first kept him on a chain, and then decided to get rid of him altogether. But Oksana quickly managed to find a common language with him.

- The only thing you need to build a relationship with a dog is love. No punishment, not even raising your voice. Only love. Dogs are magical creatures sent to us for no reason. And they will answer love with love. When there is complete understanding and trust between a person and a dog, and nothing needs to be said. The dogs themselves will understand everything - at a glance, at a glance.

Now Oksana is in charge of a unit of four cynologists. When newcomers come to her team, the advice is always the same: "You must "merge" with the dog. And only then will you feel how ready she is to give all of herself. If you want the dog to complete all tasks 100% at training camps or competitions, you should love her just as much. Then she will hear you and do everything for you. If you cannot do this, the work of a dog handler is not for you."

"Dogs as a way of life"

Lyudmila Anikina could not even imagine that she would become a cynologist and work in the penitentiary system.

- We always had cats at home, and since childhood I wanted a dog. I begged for a very long time, and finally, at the age of 14, they gave me a collie. Since then, dogs have become a way of my life,” says Lyudmila. - I have been training since school, but I did not think that this would become my profession. A friend pulled me over. He says: "Do you want to go to work as a dog handler in a colony?" I thought: "Why not? When work is just dog training ... Probably cool. I say:" Yes, let's go. "And for 16 years I have been serving as a dog handler.

Along with a new job, a new family member appeared in Lyudmila's house.

- I loved another breed and always said that I would never have a German Shepherd in my house. But when I came to the UFSIN, they gave me a shepherd dog. I thought that Athos would live in a colony, in an aviary. But very little time passed - and I brought him home. I talked to my husband, and Athos came to live with us. He and I went to work together every day - service instructions allow this.

When Athos was five years old, he developed heart problems. He could no longer work full-time, and he was discharged from the health service.

- Taking the already decommissioned Athos home, I must admit that I thought that he was not destined to live long. Still, the heart is serious, he was weak, he lived on pills. But, as they say, love heals. They removed physical activity, for the summer his parents took him to the dacha, and as a result, he lived for another seven years.

Now Lyudmila is working with the German Shepherd Fixa, whose future is already predetermined.

- I think yes, I will. Although our madam is very bitchy, she works very well. It can stand up for itself and for the owner. For some reason, I am her mistress, for whom you need to intercede. Protects me from any encroachments in my direction. He feels some kind of weakness in me, I guess. Although I can stand up for myself, she thinks that she needs to do it, - Lyudmila smiles. - It's easy for me with Fixa, because I feel her, I see her. And I perfectly understand what she will do at any second.

Lyudmila is also sure that it is possible to achieve complete understanding with the dog and excellent results without harsh measures.

- If you constantly pull the dog, if you don't love him, there will be no return. If a dog does something out of fear, there will be no good work. At some point, she will definitely let you down, set you up. And if you love a dog and trust it, this is out of the question. Then the dog completely trusts you. Everything is exactly the same as with a human partner. Fixa is very capricious, but she understands: I will never do anything bad to her. And she is a mountain for me, in any conditions she will do everything for me. And I will do everything for her too.

Fixa is already a frequent guest in Ludmila's house, although she already has another German Shepherd, about which the owner says - "this is a dog for the soul."

- It happens that I do not bring Fixa home for a long time, especially in winter, when the heating is turned on in the apartment and the air becomes very dry. For a dog that is used to living in an aviary, this is not comme il faut: her skin dries up and begins to itch. So, if Fixa is gone for a long time, the daughter starts asking: "Won't you bring Fixsonka to visit?" She is a veterinarian and sometimes scolds me when I give Fixa a piece of candy. But I don’t give a whole bar of chocolate, one piece is fine. I confess that I am a sinner: even with cheese, I will always treat you.

Lyudmila has also been convinced for a long time that there is a very big difference between a service dog and a domestic dog.

Daughter of Lyudmila Anikina with Athos

— Like it or not, but the dog that lives in the aviary lacks communication. No matter how much time you devote to a dog at work, it lacks human warmth. A domestic dog knows that you are always there, if you leave, you will always return. And service dogs get less attention. That's why it always happens that sooner or later I start bringing a working dog to my home. I feel sorry for her, and no matter how I promise, I can't stand it.

People who are going to take home a service dog, Lyudmila warns: "A working dog, even in retirement, cannot sit idle, you need to constantly deal with it, give at least the simplest tasks so that the load is not only physical, but also mental" .

"The first three days he just slept"

Marina Ramih worked as a cynologist for seven years. When she moved to another unit and became a guard dog leader, she had to part ways with Max, the Eastern Shepherd with whom she served. It was still too early for him to retire, Max turned eight years old only a year and a half after Marina's transfer. And as soon as the opportunity arose, she immediately took Max to her home, where he lived for another eight years.

- 16 years old is a respectable age for a shepherd dog. He probably felt good and calm, there was no such load as at work, and the dog's body did not wear out so much. And at home, everything that has to be done is only for pleasure. That's the whole very simple secret of longevity.

When Max passed away, Marina could have adopted a puppy, but she decided to do things differently.

- Although I am retired, I still work. Besides, I have children and grandchildren. There is no time to do a lot with the dog, to invest in it. When you take a puppy, you have to invest a lot, a lot. If you don’t practice, nothing worthwhile will grow out of a dog, Marina is sure. — But I have time to support what has already been invested. That's why I decided to take an adult, mature dog. And it’s better than a male - I have always worked with them, it’s easier for me with them.

Even though Marina is a cynologist, she was still worried about how her relationship with a dog she didn't bring up would turn out.

- A strange dog is a strange dog. In addition, dogs are like people, they all have different characters. And this also needs to be understood and taken into account. You involuntarily expect some kind of catch, especially when the male is very large. But everything worked out well. Butch is very adequate, good, does not create problems, learned a lot. I just have to maintain the skills so that they are not forgotten. We are engaged in hunting, without overloading each other, in the format of a game. We are both pensioners, - Marina smiles.

Marina took Butch at the end of April, and he has already settled into his new home.

— Not only did he get used to it, but he also taught us to order, — Marina laughs. - We live in a private house, and at first Butch at five or six in the morning began to bark, rage, wake everyone up. He is accustomed not to spoil where he lives, he needs to be walked in the morning and evening. I jumped at the crack of dawn and went for a walk with him. But then my daughter said: "So, that's enough. It is necessary that we do not adapt to him, but he adapts to us." And now we have taught him that we get up at eight o'clock - and only then we go for a walk. He is silent, endures. The daughter is right: you can’t follow the dog’s lead in everything.

Butch has already chosen who to consider as his new mistress.

- He recognizes all households - the elderly, adults, children. If a daughter goes for a walk with Butch, she listens to her perfectly. But if I'm around, everything changes immediately. The daughter begins to command, and he pretends that he does not know her at all. She calls Butch - he comes up and defiantly sits down next to me, not with her. Shows who is in charge in the house, - Marina smiles.

For six months in retirement, Butch has also become different.

- He has become much calmer, feels more at ease. When they brought him, he just slept for the first three days. We go out into the yard - and he lies, sleeps. I’ll come up, I’ll demand it - he will open his eyes, look at me and continue to sleep. Now everything is fine. He walks with pleasure, runs, jumps, enjoys life.

"They called us and said: 'Troy will be yours'"

The German Shepherd Troy has been living in Ekaterina Shumilova's family for three months. The decision to take a service dog home was not easy for her and her husband.

— We thought about it for a very long time — Ekaterina admits. - The first thought appeared about a year ago. We became interested in what happens to dogs that serve in the police and other law enforcement agencies when they retire. We began to delve into this topic, find out what and how, and in As a result, through acquaintances, we got to the canine service of the Federal Penitentiary Service. We called directly with the authorities. We talked, they said that we want to take such a dog for ourselves.

To begin with, cynologists invited me to come and get to know Troy.

- Before the first meeting, we were very worried whether we would suit each other, whether we would get along in character. All-??? dog age, fully formed. But all doubts quickly disappeared. We were led to the enclosure, Troy was taken out, we were allowed to pet her. Then we came a few more times. Walked, built friendly communication. Before that, we had a French bulldog - compared to a shepherd, of course, there is a very big difference. But anyway, we already knew how to approach dogs.

However, picking up a veteran dog turned out to be much more difficult than deciding to do it.

- We were not immediately told: that's it, take it, this is your dog. We still went through some selection. Dog handlers very carefully chose the best hands for Troy. They came to us - they assessed whether there was enough space in the apartment. The dog is not small, it must have space. I suppose they would hardly have given us Troy if we lived in a one-room apartment. Only after all the checks did they call us and say: "You suit us, Troy will be yours."

After signing all the necessary papers, Troy was finally handed over to the new owners.

- The man who brought Troy stayed with us, explained everything, showed and told. But when he left, we were still a little worried about how everything would turn out. They calmed down only when they looked Troy in the eyes. She understood that she was in a family, she would not have any more work, it was time to rest. Then we realized that we would get along with her and everything would be fine with us.

The dog handlers who worked with her continue to follow the fate of Troy.

- They still keep in touch with us constantly, they look to see if we offend her. If we have any questions about the content of Troy, we ask them and they always answer us. It has never happened that we asked, but we were not answered.

Like all dogs in the Federal Penitentiary Service, Troya has undergone a special training course and knows many service commands.

- But we don't use them. No “seek” or “protect” there, says Ekaterina. - We want the rest to be complete and Troy to leave the service. Therefore, at home or on a walk, we use only basic commands like "no" or "sit". Of all the loads, we only have a forest or a walk, and this suits her completely. She is a very calm dog.

This character is the best option when there is a small child in the house.

“Two months ago we had another replenishment,” Ekaterina smiles. - Of course, we were worried, but we understood what we were getting into. Troy reacted very calmly to the appearance of the baby, while she does not show any particular interest in him.