While other German shepherds roamed backyards or barked at mail carriers, Axel was out hunting down illegal narcotics and going on search-and-rescue missions.
Now after five years as a loyal trained companion to a deputy in the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office (that’s 40 in “dog years”), Axel is heading into a well-earned retirement.
Law enforcement K-9s are often all work and little play. They sometimes remain anonymous. But Axel is special; he has personality.
“Everyone has the misconception that working K-9s aren’t social, but he was different,” said his appreciative handler, Deputy J. Claude. “He was always well-tempered around people, and I never doubted him around people.”
How well-tempered?
“He was responsible for a large amount of public school demonstrations with children of all ages. He would roll over and let them pet him,” Claude said in a note to Stocktonia.
When it came to earning his kibble, Axel did it the hard way. He was at the ready during drug busts that resulted in more than $100,000 in asset forfeitures, working boat patrols or headed out in the countryside to keep the peace. He worked more than 300 shifts.
Like any good cop on the beat, Axel developed his own instincts — a sixth sense of impending danger and knowing when something wasn’t quite right. He’s been a trusted partner, Claude said.
“It was just a relationship we built over the years with consistent training and me reading his body language and cues. He usually barked when he knew someone was hiding behind a door,” Claude said.
When off-duty, Axel could be a bit mischievous. When he wasn’t putting the nip on combative criminal suspects, he found other targets.
“He may or may not have been known to rip up a couch cushion or two during his career,” said Claude, being careful not to rat out his four-legged partner.
In retirement, there could be more couch cushions at risk. Claude plans to take care of Axel in his golden years. He’s earned it.
“Axel was everything you could ask for in a K-9 partner. He protected not only me on several occasions but his team and his community,” Claude said. “He went selflessly into dangerous scenarios, and I know I trusted him but so did our team — and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”