German Shepherd


*The Winners*		*German Shepherd Dog*
		More than any other breed, Purina has inducted twenty-four heroic German Shepherds into its Animal Hall of Fame. Here are their stories:
Freddie 2008		Coldwater, Ontario Freddie was on his daily walk with his owner, Mike Hambling one cold January day in 2007. Near the family cottage, Mike began to cross a frozen channel. Freddie was clearly unhappy and tried to dissuade Mike by pulling on his lead. However, Mike insisted and together they began to cross the channel. In full view of his wife, Debbie over 80 feet away, the ice broke and Mike plunged into the frigid waters of the channel. Under his wife's horrified gaze, Mike attempted to pull himself clear but was being weighed down by his wet clothing. Hypothermia was setting in, and Mike could feel himself losing his battle when he realized he was still attached to Freddie by his leash. Debbie began screaming "Pull! Pull!" and Freddie, who loved playing tug-of-war, planted his feet on the ice and pulled until Mike was free of the water. Mike made a full recovery from his ordeal.
Ki 2007 Service Dog of the Year		Bracebridge, Ontario One day in January, Ki , an eight-year-old German Shepherd, and his partner, Constable Shawn Campbell were called in to track a 54-year-old man who had become lost in the Haliburton Highlands. The Highlands are a heavily wooded area and once the man realized he was lost, he called police on his cell phone. A snowstorm was forecasted to begin that evening. While waiting for rescue, the man who was becoming colder and colder as the temperatures dropped in the late afternoon, experienced "bush fever". He began running around looking for a way out of the woods. He called his wife to say he was trying to find his own way out. Shortly after, the cell phone died and contact was lost. The snow was now falling and initially Constable Campbell and Ki tracked the man's footprints but soon realized they could not follow the trail which doubled back on itself multiple times. They would have to rely on Ki's nose. For over six hours, covering more than 10 kilometres, Ki tracked the man through swamp, marsh, dense bush, and even a waterfall. Finally, Ki and the police located the man who had fallen into an icy swamp. He was rescued, treated for hypothermia and made a full recovery, thanks to the keen nose and endurance of an eight-year-old German Shepherd.
Odin 2006		Calgary, Alberta Odin began to track a suspect on the run after firing shots at police behind a crack house. His partner, Constable Dodd, held him on a 30-foot (nine-metre) line. Odin went through an opening in a fence, then suddenly started pulling hard on the leash. Constable Dodd knew Odin had located the suspect so he called the other officers to the site. The tactical team played flashlight beams over the yard but it was difficult to pick out the suspect. Odin strained at the leash, eager to finish the job. Constable Dodd knew his companion couldn't be left exposed as a potential target so he released the line. At that moment, the man jumped up and raised the handgun. Before he could fire, however, Odin was on him, striking the man hard, and knocking the gun from his hand. In an instant, he had the suspect on the ground. Police swarmed the scene and handcuffed him. The man was charged with attempted murder but, while awaiting trial, died of a drug overdose in March last year. Both Constable Dodd and Odin received commendations for their roles in the takedown.

Tim 2005 Service Dog of the Year		New Minas, Nova Scotia Tim and his partner of more than five years, Corporal Rick Bushney of the RCMP were called to track down a violent suspect armed with a rifle who had robbed a drug store and then fled into a heavily wooded area. First on the scene, Tim picked up the suspect's scent and began tracking him through the heavy underbrush. By nightfall, Tim had him cornered in a stand of trees. Other officers arrived and surrounded the area. The suspect, who had a record involving drugs and violence, was highly emotional. He was taking painkillers stolen from the drug store, and he was threatening to shoot the police officers and then himself. After two hours in an armed stand-off, the man panicked and went for his gun, forcing the officers to scramble for cover. When the gunman took a step away from his rifle, Cpl. Bushey whispered a single word to Tim who sprang into action. In an instant, the dog hit the man's chest and knocked him down ... giving the police enough time to get to the suspect and cuff him. Only Tim was fast enough in the deep snow to reach the suspect before anyone was hurt or killed. His courage and unquestioning loyalty helped protect his fellow officers, and may have prevented the suspect from turning the gun on himself.

Cyr 2004 Service Dog of the Year		Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Cyr, a police service dog with the Saskatoon Police Service was shot and killed during an armed standoff. As the first police dog to be killed in Saskatoon in the line of duty, the case prompted a national compaign to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to include serious penalities for offences against police dogs. In honour of the brave animal, a city park was named for him, and an anonymous businessman donated more than $10,000 to buy bulletproof vests for the city's police dogs. Constable Steve Kaye accepted the posthumous award on behalf of his partner and friend.

Tracer 2003 Service Dog of the Year		North Vancouver, British Columbia Cpl. Joe Arduini of the North Vancouver RCMP still gets emotional when he thinks about the price that Tracer, a German Shepherd from the Police Dog Services Unit, would have paid to save his life and the lives of three other officers. On the night of September 26, 2000, Cpl. Joe Arduini was sent to a “man with a gun” call along with two other members of the detachment. Cst. Christina Hughes and her dog Tracer were also called in. When the officers arrived at the scene, the man with the gun was walking towards the officers about a block away. Cst. Hughes and Tracer were sent closer to the man’s location, as Cst. Hughes did not have a marked police car. Neither was she dressed in her working uniform. Cst. Hughes informed the other officers that the man was still walking towards the officers with a semi-automatic gun. The three officers immediately moved closer to the male suspect and surrounded him with their guns drawn and instructed him to drop the weapon. Cst. Hughes sent Tracer in to subdue the suspect who refused to drop his gun. Tracer bit the suspect on his left arm. Not feeling any impact from the bite, the disturbed male lifted Tracer off the ground as her jaw clamped his arm. He then dropped Tracer to the ground and placed the mussel of the gun to Tracer’s head and pulled the trigger. The gun misfired and Tracer was called back to Cst. Hughes. The suspect then pointed the gun at Cpl. Arduini and the other officers. The suspect was fatally shot by the three officers in self defense. Tracer’s heroic actions made it possible for all officers involved to evaluate the mindset of the suspect and enabled them to protect themselves and the community.

Keno 1997 Service Dog of the Year		Toronto, Ontario Keno, a five-year-old German Shepherd, owned by Constable John Gerrits, suffered severe injures in his successful attempt in capturing a breaking-and-entering suspect. Constable Gerrits and his police service dog Keno answered an emergency call about a breaking-and-entering in progress. When they arrived at the scene, the suspect had already begun to escape from the crime area. During the chase, Keno rounded a corner and was struck by an on-coming car. Despite Keno's severe bleeding from the accident, the canine continued to chase the suspect. Keno quickly caught up with the suspect and tackled him to the ground. He then gripped the criminal's arm, allowing the officers to arrest him. As a result of the accident, Keno required stitches in his leg and suffered head injuries.

Bruno 1995		Brooklyn, Newfoundland Bruno, a nine-month-old German Shepherd saved the life of eleven-year-old Donnie Skiffington when he was thrown from his bicycle into a ditch, where he lay unconscious and bleeding severely. Bruno licked Donnie's face until he regained consciousness, and began to pull him by the shirt collar towards home.

Nellie 1994		Vienna, Ontario Nellie, a six-year-old German Shepherd traveled three kilometres back to her home to get help for 78-year-old Ken Emerson, who lay injured after his tractor had overturned and crushed his pelvis. When Nellie returned home, Mrs. Emerson realized that the strip of her husband's shirt wrapped around Nellie's collar was an S.O.S. message, and immediately sent for help.

Sam 1994		Mississauga, Ontario Sam, an eight-year-old German Shepherd saved her owner, Phyllis McLeod, from drowning when she fell through a frozen river that had overflowed onto a golf course near her home. As Phyllis fought the swift current, she grabbed Sam's collar and hung on until she was pulled far enough out of the water to scramble to safety.

Ewo 1994 Service Dog of the Year		Niagara Falls, Ontario Ewo, a five-year-old German Shepherd, owned by Constable Tom MacLean, had a leading role in the lengthy search and capture of two perpetrators who led a series of violent break-and-enter incidents. The Niagara Police were alerted to three men breaking into a local home. Constable MacLean and his police service dog, Ewo, were called to the scene. After an hour, Ewo restrained the first suspect who was apprehended, leaving two more to be found in an area filled with icy water and rough terrain. Two hours passed, when the second suspect was found and apprehended. At that point the search was terminated because a number of officers were suffering from frostbite. Both Constable MacLean and Ewo together have been responsible for 83 criminal arrests and have twice received Superintendent’s Commendations for outstanding Police Canine Work.

Hustler 1992		Mirror, Alberta Hustler, a three-year-old German Shepherd is credited with saving the life of his owner, Debbie Inions. After a fall from her horse left Debbie seriously injured and unable to move, Hustler repeatedly fought against vicious attacks by two preying coyotes until they were discovered nine hours later.

Tracker 1992		Sudbury, Ontario Tracker, a 10-year-old German Shepherd, owned by Sergeant Larry Bigley, was the inspiration behind the Service Dog of the Year Award. Over the seven years that Tracker served in the Sudbury District, he was involved in approximately 500 searches for missing persons, criminals, drugs and security details.

Tara 1991		Duncan, British Columbia Tara, an 11-year-old German Shepherd owned by Mike Langer, was the only one to hear a young man calling for help after being thrown from his motorcycle while riding along a railroad track. Tara's frantic behaviour convinced her owner's father, Helmut Langer, to follow her to where the man lay critically injured on the railway tracks. When the train raced past the accident site shortly after, the man was safely on his way to a hospital.

Dick 1989		Montréal, Quebec Dick, a police tracking dog owned by the Sureté du Québec, was honoured for his bravery during a 14-hour manhunt through the woods near St. Eustache, Québec. The four-year-old German Shepherd was wounded by a shot intended for his handler and left permanently deaf in one ear and blind in one eye as a result of the incident.

Wolfey 1985		Ancaster, Ontario Wolfey, a German Shepherd, awoke his owners, Dr. and Mrs. John Holbrook, and alerted them to a fire that had started in their all-wood home.

Maude 1983		Pictou County, Nova Scotia Maude, a German Shepherd, owned by Deborah Johnston and Bernard Chisholm, saved a three-year-old girl from drowning in the frigid waters of Pictou Harbour. Gripping the child's overalls in her teeth, Maude pulled the child out of the deep water.

Lance 1981		Kitchener, Ontario Lance, a German Shepherd police dog with the Ontario Provincial Police, tracked a missing Kitchener woman in a swampy conservation area for three hours, and led her safely through the dark woods to safety.

Daisy 1980		Ottawa, Ontario Daisy, a German Shepherd, saved her owner's three-year-old son, David, who had wandered into a busy intersection. Daisy pulled the child to safety, as two motorists who were watching the dog and the child in the intersection collided.

Nuisance 1979		Vernon, British Columbia Nuisance, a German Shepherd is credited with helping save two youths from drowning in the icy waters of Kalamalka Lake. Nuisance woke his owner, Dwain Johanson, and led him to the shore of the lake where faint calls for help were barely audible. The boys were clinging to an overturned canoe in the choppy freezing waters. Dwain immediately took his boat out and pulled them aboard.

Mr. Baggins 1976		Revelstoke, British Columbia Mr. Baggins, a female German Shepherd with absolutely no tracking experience, tracked and located a six-year-old boy who had been buried under a snowbank and was missing for hours.

Cloud II 1974		North Bay, Ontario Cloud II, an Ontario Provincial Police German Shepherd, entered a fishing hut where two escaped juvenile offenders were hiding and emerged with a loaded rifle and a knife. Cloud II went on to track down and disarm a third escapee. Cloud II was later killed in action by an escaped convict.

Timmy 1973		Brantford, Ontario Timmy, a four-year-old German Shepherd owned by Anne Nemes, protected her from being robbed at gunpoint by two men. When the men confronted her, Timmy leaped at them and gripped one of the men's arms, and a shot was fired. The men fled and Mrs. Nemes and Timmy continued their walk home.

Rex 1971		Paris, Ontario Rex, a German Shepherd repeatedly hurled himself against the door leading to the Misic and Zegarac families' living quarters, arousing the two families during the night as fire engulfed their gas station and the living quarters above.

Kanaka 1970		Ontario Ontario Provincial Police Canine Team - Kanaka, a black German Shepherd was responsible for numerous rescues, arrests and the recovery of evidence, stolen property and money throughout years of distinguished service. In one incident, Kanaka tracked a lost hunter for 20 hours across freezing swamps and an ice-covered lake, before finding the man. After the ordeal, Kanaka required medical attention and was commended with saving the hunter's life.
		Back to German Shepherd