1st Sgt. Michael Blake and K-9 partner Luke make a great team. Blake has been with the Prince William Police Department for almost twenty years. Luke is a German shepherd rookie – he will only be two in March. But Blake has already said when it’s time, he wants to retire with Luke.
The Journey and Training Begin
The Prince William County Police Department doesn’t buy dogs like Luke at the local pet store. They bring these intelligent animals from the Netherlands, Slovakia, Czech Republic and parts of Eastern and Western Europe. The male dogs bought from this region are worth the $7,000 price tag because there is less chance of them having inherited conditions like hip dysplasia. Since German Shepherds are active dogs, a condition like hip dysplasia could limit their mobility early in life.
The dogs have an average lifespan of ten to twelve years. This means that K-9 German Shepherds are career dogs because they typically work until they are nine to ten years old unless they get hurt.
Dogs that work in the K-9 unit undergo training to go out “on the job.” Luke completed fourteen weeks of full-time training to graduate to support the patrol officers. Luke continues to attend reinforcement training two days per month."
Home Life
K-9 officers get to bunk with their handlers. The dogs do best if they are integrated with the family, Blake said, so Luke lives at home with Blake and his family. Blake and Luke bond over playing in the backyard, and tummy rubs. But when it's time to work, Luke can be at attention and sprint off in a matter of seconds.
"The bond you create with these guys is incredible," Blake said. "We're inseparable at home.”
Luke loves to play with his toys. His favorite toy is a "Kong," a kind of rubber ball. "He'll do anything and everything for that ball," said Blake, "but he has to do what I ask him to do first."
In this way, Luke learns discipline in both work and play.
This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.
Recent Stories
[Scott Rodgerson/Unsplash] Byrd Prince William County police are searching for a suspect involved in a fatal crash that claimed the life of a 63-year-old Nokesville man in August. Arrest warrants…
The Ned Distiller House is located in the Brentsville Magisterial District. [Courtesy of Prince William County]In its Dec. 10 meeting, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved the purchase…
Speeding in downtown Fredericksburg is a significant factor for traffic engineers presenting the “Fredericksburg Downtown Traffic Engineering Study” to a packed house in the new visitor center on Caroline Street.
[Julia M Cameron via Pexels]Prince William County Schools (PWCS) and Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) are partnering with Varsity Tutors, an online 24/7 tutoring service. Within the last month, both…
Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra, this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
Featuring:
Travel to French soil and celebrate with us for an unforgettable evening of delicious food, wine and music.
What better way to celebrate the end of the 2024 wine harvest in style than at the Embassy of France at DC’s only official celebration?
This is the Wine Event Of The Year!
