Thread: Police Dog

I guess you could class this fella as a pet: PD576 Dante. PD Dante was a RAAF Police Dog, Dante was 3 years old when I began training him on number 31 RAAF Police Dog Handlers Course in 1975, we remained together for the next seven years. Along the way he/we won Dux of number 31 Basic Course, Top Dog of the RAAF 1981, and three out of the three inter unit RAAF Police Dog competitions he was entered in. In his last competition he made a clean sweep winning trophies for Best Basic Obedience Dog, Best Attack Dog and Best Dog Overall.

Dante, or Sugar Plum, as I called him, could be an extremely aggressive dog, in fact six months after graduating basic course he attacked me (my fault), fortunately I managed to fight him off and convince him I was the boss. He never so much as growled at me from that day forth. Strange really, he suffered no ill effects from that incident, not so for me though, I was bandaged from fingertip to shoulder on both arms for over two weeks after the incident. Whilst we were ‘discussing things’ Sugar Plum punched a canine through the face of my brand new Tissot watch, out the back through the stainless steel cover and into my wrist,– didn’t keep good time after that. He became extremely protective of me after that incident.

In his latter years Dante suffered three episodes of gastric torsion. I’d made a habit of checking on Dante first thing before starting shift and last thing before going home (I preferred to call it tucking him in for the night/day); so, I was lucky enough to catch him in time on all three occasions and rush him to the Vet. On the third episode I elected to put him down because I was concerned the next time his bowel twisted I wouldn’t be there to save him. A difficult and absolutely heart breaking decision. Sugar Plum died in my arms at 1615 hrs 2 December 1982, grumbling, growling and trying to eat the Vet – as it should be. 33 years, and two further Police Dogs (Shinta and Chum) later I still miss him terribly and remember our time together like it was yesterday. When you work with an animal this closely for many years, the bond becomes very close, much, much more so than an owner/pet relationship.

I was lucky enough to have a friend who was a RAAF Photographer and he took many, many pictures of Sugar Plum, here’s a few from my brag book:
1. a happy chappy,
2. an even happier chappy,
3. a clean sweep,
4. carrying an egg around the obstacle course,
5. snatching a stick from my mouth, and
6. swallow dive from the high board.