He's a golden lab with all kinds of personality.
And he's the Estherville Police Department's newest officer to boot.
Estherville Rotarians Thursday met Max II, the third partner for K-9 officer Matt Reineke who joined the Estherville Police Department in 1999 and assumed K-9 duties right away with Cyber, another golden lab who retired in 2008.
Reineke's next partner was Max, a German shepherd who worked a few years before passing away. He was replaced by Max II.
Reineke said the latest Max came from Montgomery County, a rescued dog who was quite virtually on the verge of being disposed of. Reineke said a deputy there rescued him before he was put down and Max II went to the rescue center in Montgomery County. He was in a foster home for three to four months with a family until Reineke was contacted and he said he would be interested in having the dog as a new partner.
Thanks to generous donations in Emmet County, Max II was able to go to Liberty, Tenn., an hour south of Nashville, where the dog was trained. Enough money was raised to not only train the dog but to also replace outdated equipment and to have extra money for the dog's medical costs.
And Max has been doing his job. After being with the department for just seven weeks, he's seized a half-pound of drugs.
When he detects drugs, Max will sit beside an object. He's a quick learner, doing work at 18 months that most dogs don't learn until they're at least two.
And man, does he have energy.
"This dog you cannot tire out," said Reineke, adding that Max is great with kids.
Reineke said that while Cyber worked for 11 years - a long time for a police dog, most police dogs work eight years average.
Max's reward is a tennis ball Reineke gives him after he successfully completes a search. He trained with the dog four to five times a week and in dryer weather tries to work with the dog on tracking once or twice weekly.
Life isn't easy for a K-9 officer. Reineke's on call 24/7 and works nights because of the higher activity.
