K-9 Ozzy, with the Alcoa Police Department, has a zest for life and a love for his job. His work can be exhilarating and sometimes even dangerous, but his partner and handler, Officer Jonathan Meyers, said Ozzy is always all in.
On a Thursday afternoon, over at the APD training grounds, Meyers and three-year-old Ozzy worked on some tracking and obedience exercises. While Ozzy was distracted by a toy, Meyers tossed a tool covered in human scent into long grass, and when he gave the command, Ozzy was nose to the ground, sniffing out the tool. When he located it, he dropped to the ground, alerting to the find.
Meyers also showed off a new skill Ozzy was mastering, barking on command. When Meyers gave the cue, Ozzy would chomp his teeth, with the tenacity that earned Belgian Malinois the moniker of “Maligators”, and let out one big bark. Meyers rewarded Ozzy with a favorite tug toy and plenty of pets, which Ozzy happily accepted…