Ardmore police dog retires after 4 years of service

ARDMORE, Oklahoma (KXII) - After 28 dog years of exceptional and faithful service, a beloved member of the Ardmore Police Department is retiring.

Boss, a K9 German Shepherd, has seen a lot.

“He’s real slow, methodical and pretty laid back,” K9 handler Jared Johnson said. “In four years we’ve done a lot of things.”

Johnson said dogs can assist with a lot of what police do.

“It’s pretty awesome," Johnson said. "I don’t think there are too many other jobs where you get to work and play with a dog all day long.”

Boss has worked sniffing out drugs, arresting criminals, searching buildings, and even finding missing children.

“With Boss, he’s pretty social,” Johnson said. “I enjoy when the kids wanna come up and meet him and see him.”

Johnson said he took Boss whenever he would go to speak at schools.

“I always tell them if you’re ever lost, Boss and I will come and find you,” Johnson said. “You don’t have to be afraid if you see a dog. Just know he’s there to help and we’re trying to get you back home.”

Johnson went through a selection process, a school and still keeps up with weekly training to be a K9 unit.

“The dog world is always changing,” Johnson said.

Johnson and Boss go home together every night.

“They’re part of the family,” Johnson said.

Johnson doesn’t think he was the only one at the police station who wanted to take Boss home, but he knew where Boss belonged.

“It wasn’t ever a choice,” Johnson said. “It was happening one way or another.”

Now, Boss will go home to his family for good.

“He will stay with me and we will continue to be buddies,” Johnson said. “Take all the naps he wants and kinda just hang out at the house and get to enjoy being a dog.”

A new Belgian Malinois is finishing up his training and will be taking up Boss’s position next to Johnson in October.

Copyright 2020 KXII. All rights reserved.