The strong bond connecting Berkeley Co. K-9s and their police partners

For members of the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit, a police dog is more than a partner on the job. 

Lt. Joe Seegars, who supervises the K-9 Unit, said these dogs are a critical part of law enforcement and play a role officers cannot replace. Beyond their training, the dogs become companions to their handlers, spending most of their time together both on and off duty. 

"They go through a lot together," Seegars said. "Anything that's difficult where you're going to go through something with and be with another living thing for 12 hours a day for the majority of the time, there's no way not to have that bond." 

That partnership begins long before a dog ever goes on patrol. 

Deputies must apply to become K-9 handlers and have at least three years of law enforcement experience. Applicants complete physical testing, firearms qualifications, scenario-based exercises, and interviews before being selected. 

Once chosen, handlers are matched with dogs through a series of evaluations. 

"Generally, when we're going to select dogs, we'll have in mind what that person's personality is," Seegars said. "We'll try to select a dog that's going to be successful for him." 

Most of the department's patrol dogs are German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Dutch shepherds or mixes of those breeds. These dogs complete eight to 12 weeks of initial training before earning certification through the North American Police Work Dog Association. After that, the teams continue with field training to prepare for real-world situations. 

"I always tell people certification is kind of like getting a driver's license, and we're trying to make our dogs race car drivers," Seegars said. 

The training continues throughout the dog's career. Handlers regularly expose their dogs to different situations so they are prepared for the challenges they may face on the street. 

The sheriff's office patrol dogs are trained in narcotics detection, tracking, building searches, apprehension, article searches and obedience. The department also uses bloodhounds for tracking and trailing. Seegars said bloodhounds are especially useful because their friendly nature makes them less intimidating if they locate a missing person. 

Seegars recently began working with a new K-9 named Zoro after his previous partner, Rex, retired following 10 years of service. Rex still lives with Seegars after retirement and is adjusting to the new member of their team.  

Although police dogs are often associated with apprehending suspects, Seegars said many people misunderstand them. 

"I think a lot of people think that the dogs are just mean," he said. "They really love their job... they're playing a game." 

For Seegars, being a K-9 handler comes with challenges, but the relationship makes it rewarding. 

"Canine is one of the most frustrating things you'll ever do, and one of the most rewarding at the same time," he said. 

Seegars hopes people recognize not only the work these dogs do, but also the commitment from the handlers, trainers and department members who prepare them for the job.