Community Connections at Findley Lake hosted the event with Beichner, who serves with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.

Beichner spoke to those present about the importance of the K-9 unit in law enforcement. He then introduced everyone to Jax, a female Belgian Malinois and Drake, a German Shepherd.

Beichner said that dogs for the K-9 unit are purchased when they are about 14 months old and have had basic training. The dogs retire at the age of 9, he added.

During this time, a dog will stay with one officer, with whom the dog forms a special bond. The dog becomes a member of the family, however, during its time of service, the dog must live outside. There are three reasons for this, Beichner said.

Chautauqua County Sheriff Deputy Jason Beichner introduces Jax, a.k.a. “Mary,” a Belgian Malinois at a presentation in the Findley Lake Community Center. Below, Beichner talks about Drake, an 85-pound German Shepherd. who is trained to locate both weapons and drugs.

The first reason is that the dog’s coat needs to reflect outside conditions. “There are times we are out in the cold for long periods,” he said. “I can throw on a coat, but the dog only has his fur.”

The second reason is that the environment for the dog must reflect a wolf pack, Beichner said. “I need them to know that, when we go into a house, they cannot eat anything or pick anything up,” he said. “We want them to listen to one person. I need them to know that I am in charge.”

And the third reason is that the dog needs a space of its own because each dog spends so much time with its owner, Beichner said.

When it comes to preference of breeds for the K-9 unit, Dobermans and Rottweilers are not used because they have hip problems after a period of time, Beichner said. The German Shepherd and the Belgian Malinois are preferred, he said.

The dogs that are used by the K-9 unit come from Europe, Beichner said. “We are buying lineage,” he said. “They have been breeding dogs longer than we’ve been a country.”

A dog with basic training costs between $7,500 and $8,000, Beichner said. A fully trained dog would cost $16,000, but most law enforcement agencies prefer to train the dogs themselves. “We buy them green, so we can train with them and have bonding time,” he said.

Beichner said the dogs are in constant use. “Any time there is a large gathering of people, we are there,” he said. He noted that directly after his presentation he had to go to Orchard Park for a Bills game. “No one is allowed on the field without passing by a dog first,” he said.

Beichner introduced Jax first, noting that his family calls her “Mary.”

“I have no idea why they do it, but that’s her name at my house,” he said. Jax’s specialty is finding guns, ammo, and locating where projectiles have gone, he added.

Beichner noted that the dogs are trained to bite and hold, rather than to maul. “We train them to bite and hold,” he said. “We only want one area of puncture holes. My job is not to injure people.”

Beichner then brought in Drake, who is an 85-pound German Shepherd. Drake is a dual-purpose dog who can locate weapons or drugs, he said.

Although Drake seems very laid back and playful, he can be ready for action in a flash, Beichner said. “They can read our hormonal changes. I’ll get a hot call and Drake will be up and ready before I say anything,” he said. “If I say a word, his whole body will change and he will be on point.”

During approximately 7 or 8 years of service, a K-9 unit dog will do many amazing things,” Beichner said. “But when the dog retires, it’s allowed to move into the family home, and just be a pet.”