For nearly two terrifying hours, a Colorado mother waited desperately for any sign of her missing 7-year-old daughter, knowing that every passing minute made the uncertainty even harder to bear. Deputies searched for the child as concern continued to grow, but an important clue was sitting much closer than anyone might have expected. When Deputy John Gray arrived with his specially trained K9 partner Rex, the dog was introduced to the scent left behind on the girl’s sneakers. That familiar smell soon became the key that helped Rex understand exactly who he needed to find.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office was called to Centennial, Colorado, last week after the young girl became separated from her mother. Deputy John Gray arrived with Rex, his highly trained K-9 partner, and immediately put the dog’s tracking skills to work.
Gray gave Rex the girl’s shoes so he could learn the specific scent he needed to follow. Within moments, the dog understood exactly who he was searching for.
“You could see he sniffs those shoes, and then he knows the odor he’s looking for, and that’s what’s helpful,” Gray told FOX31. Instead of simply searching for any nearby person, Rex could focus on the unique scent of the missing child.
Rex Put His Special Training to the Test
The search marked an important first for Rex. Although he had undergone specialized training to locate missing people, this was the first time he had used those skills during a real search. Rex is particularly versatile because he has been trained for three very different roles. According to Gray, the K-9 serves as a therapy dog, is trained in explosive detection, and can track missing people…