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Jay's Blog
The Thin Blue Paw
December 2018

Hi readers,

I was born on the 19th August 2018 near Manchester. I have seven brothers and sisters. I was given the kennel name ‘Obi’ by the breeder.

When I and my siblings were seven weeks old we had an assessment by the head trainer of Devon and Cornwall Police dog section.

Only I and my brother Oscar passed the assessment to be Trainee Police Dogs.

When Devon and Cornwall Police advertised for puppy walkers they were inundated with replies. Alison and Stew heard nothing for weeks and weeks, then one day Stew had a phone call from a dog handler, many questions were asked on both sides. This was followed by home visits. When Alison and Stew were chosen they felt really honoured.

At nine weeks old the head trainer returned to Manchester to bring back my brother and I to Devon to meet our puppy walker families, we will live with them until January 2020 when I start my General Purpose Police dog training – it is a very hard course. Not all dogs make it, as many as two or three dogs out of six fail, this can be for many reasons.

When we arrived in Devon we were allocated to our puppy walkers. I was to live with Alison and Stew and my brother with a serving police officer and his family. This is a picture of me with Stew at my new home. I will be training mainly with Stew. They have a different accent here in Devon and added to this Stew is Scots! – but, I will get by!

After some discussion with Devon and Cornwall Police and the breeder, Alison and Stew changed my name to Jay.

Alison and Stew’s son Jamie (Jay) was a soldier.
Unfortunately he was killed in early 2014 when he was 21 years old. Everyone thought it a fitting tribute to Jamie, and I am proud to have his name. This is a picture of me at Jamie’s plot.



During my first nights I was upset to be parted from my siblings, Stew slept in the kitchen with me for three nights, after that I was okay.
I have settled well into my new home with Alison and Stew. Here’s a picture of me bonding with Stew and another having a rest on the decking after a hard morning chasing round, eating, sleeping and chewing my bone!



I am now 11 weeks old and have had all of my vaccinations, I am now ready for the great big world out there.
I have to attend fortnightly training sessions with the other pups on the puppy training programme.

I attended my first training session at Devon and Cornwall Police headquarters on Sunday 4th November. I met my brother again and the other pups on the puppy programme, the three other pups are two weeks older than us.
I worked very hard on all the obstacles, Stew was very proud of me! We were taught how to practice the sit, down, recall, stay and leave, this is our homework until our next training session. Stew says ‘leave’ will be a useful command!
I am good at sitting, recall and down.

Here is a picture of me with my brother.



I have to go now to do my homework, Stew says I have to practice if I want to become a good police dog.
Also, more importantly I have to find a new hiding place for my bone in the garden!

So until next time bye for now!
Jay