It’s that time of year again, when we take a moment out from our busy lives to honour the mighty canine—300,000 of whom, along with their two-legged friends, are expected to descend upon the St. Lawrence neighbourhood this weekend for Woofstock, the continent’s largest festival for dogs. To celebrate, we’ve wrangled 16 of the city’s hardest-working pups—career canines for whom being “man’s best friend” is a just a sideline. From educators to entertainers, pro athletes to detectives, we asked breeds big and small (and the owners who walk them) for their professional stories—and looking good, chowing down, and unwinding in the city.
The Enforcers
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Skye
Age: 1 ½
Breed: Springer Spaniel
Profession: Narcotics and firearms detection officer
Bio: Skye’s first months were spent as a hunting dog, but her boundless energy proved too much for the family she was living with. “Her drive is unbreakable,” says handler Constable Sean Thrush. “The family couldn’t manage her when she wasn’t working. They basically said, ‘This dog needs a job.’” The police were contacted, and last month, Skye completed her basic-training course in impressive fashion. She’s a quick study—learning to sniff out a different narcotic nearly every training day—and she gets along famously with Thrush’s other patrol dog, an A-type German Shepherd named Sirk. “He’s the biggest dog in the unit and acts that way,” Thrush says. “But Skye is completely fearless. Sirk was so confused by her confidence that he realized it was best to just go with it.”
Talon
Age: 6
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Profession: Explosives and firearms detection officer
Bio: A high-energy dog with a nose for 25 different explosives, Talon has, in his five years with the police force, been involved in several hundred searches, recovered handguns from vehicle hidey-holes, and kept watch at a downtown hotel during the G20. He’s also rubbed noses with a number of celebrities, doing bomb sweeps for the Dalai Lama, Bill Clinton, Stephen Harper, Madonna, U2, and Tom Cruise. On the job, Talon is the consummate professional, but he also knows how to crank up the charm. “I use Talon on all my [school visits]—he just loves loving,” says his handler, Const. Craig Tourangeau. “He’s got no problem being surrounded by four-year-old kids. Eventually, he’ll just flip on his back to get his belly rubbed. It’s rather embarrassing, actually.”
Next page: Dogs you may have seen on TV
