On October 12, 2023, the Winnipeg Police Service K9 Unit proudly welcomed the birth of nine new puppies (five females and four males). Parents “Arrow” (mother) and “Jury” (father) are both working Police Service Dogs (PSDs).
Arrow, a first-time mother, is recuperating and doing well after an emergency C-section.
Dr. Erika Anseeuw and the team at Pembina Veterinary Hospital safely brought these slightly premature puppies into this world.
The first few days were challenging, as Arrow was still learning how to nurse the pups. The K9 Unit took turns helping the puppies feed, and eventually, Constable Moreau and his wife took in the litter at their home. They turned a bedroom into a whelping room to provide around-the-clock care.
One of the pups was struggling to sustain a healthy weight, and Dr. Anseeuw suggested the assistance of an already nursing female named “Naomi.” Thanks to her owner, Svetlana Shakov, Naomi became an instant foster mother and immediately began feeding and nurturing the pup. After two weeks, she was strong enough to return to her litter-mates.
As the puppies are now eight weeks old, the media has a unique opportunity to come to the K9 training facility to meet these future candidates for the Quarry program and potential PSDs.
Formal training is 16 weeks and can begin as young as eight months. Before any formal training is implemented, the pups will be raised by a police quarry member, and their bond will begin. The quarry member will bring them to work everyday and while crated they will travel in a cruiser car experiencing all the sights and sounds of police work at a very young age. Very few police agencies use this immersive approach to training and socialization, giving our PSDs a chance to hit the ground running!