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Frequently Asked Questions
Do Police K9s live with their respective Officers?
Absolutely! Our Police K9s live with their assigned officer/handler and go home with them after every shift. They’re together full-time—24/7—including weekends, holidays, and everything in between.
What happens after the dog retires? Do the officers get to keep their K9 partners?
Yes, K9 officers typically retire right alongside their handlers, staying with the person they’ve worked so closely with throughout their career. After years of dedicated service, they transition into a more relaxed lifestyle at home. Their days of active duty are replaced with new self-appointed roles of their liking. Most enjoy endless games of fetch, patrolling the house, barking out windows, sneaking the occasional snack, and claiming their favorite spot on the couch. It’s a rewarding retirement filled with comfort, companionship, and plenty of love.
Do Police K9s live inside with the family like most pets?
Well, "sometimes" - Honestly, this really depends on each individual K9 and the officer’s home environment. Some of our K9s live inside the house and have a designated kennel space for times when their handler isn’t home—very similar to a typical family pet. Others are set up with larger, working-style run kennels, often located in finished basements or spare rooms, and these dogs usually don’t have full “free roam” access to the home.
There are also K9s that live in outdoor kennel spaces specifically built and maintained by their agencies. No matter the setup, all of our dogs have access to safe, temperature-controlled environments—whether that’s indoors or outdoors.
Where a K9 lives often comes down to their temperament and the officer’s family situation. For example, households with young children may require additional structure and supervision when living with a high-energy working dog. On top of that, not every K9 has the ability to simply relax like a typical pet. Many of them are constantly “on” and can be a bit of a hazard to themselves without supervision—we’re talking about dogs that will jump onto counters, climb cabinets, clear stairwells, or even leap onto fireplace mantels…just because they can!