Nelson home to country's top Police dog team

Nelson dog handler Constable Julian Lewis and his dog Saegar have cleaned up at the national Police Dog Championships held at Trentham this week.

Constable Lewis and Saegar won the Frank Riley Cup for the National Patrol Dog Champion team, along with the Dazuhalten Cup and Keop Family Trophy.

In winning the champion's trophies the pair also won:
•       the Colin Guppy Trophy for Tracking
•       the Monaghan Trophy and Bev Laybourn-Monaghan Memorial Cup for highest marks in Heelwork
•       the William Rose Bowl for Criminal Work Disciplines

Constable Lewis and Saegar won the tracking trophy at last year's competition.

They were competing against the top 12 Police dogs selected from around the country.

National Coordinator of Police dogs Inspector Brendon Gibson said the Nelson pair put on an outstanding performance.

"It's very rare to have a team win so many events. The competition at the championships is tough. In some areas they got the maximum marks."

Saegar is from the national Police breeding programme and is used as a stud dog.

Inspector Gibson said the competition required exceptional work from both the dog and the handler. "It's definitely a team event."

He said Constable Lewis and Freeze were also top performers in the operational environment.

The competition tested their general obedience, tracking skills, bite work and ability to apprehend and hold an offender, search work and control.

"This pair has set a very high benchmark," Inspector Gibson said.