Dodge County retires K-9 originally trained as hunting dog

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday they will be retiring K-9 Paige, who has served the county since 2011.

Paige has had numerous successes since starting with the department in the summer of 2011, officials said. Her largest drug find was Dec. 26, 2011, when she found 40 pounds of marijuana hidden in a recreational vehicle.

Paige spent the first year of her life training to be a hunting dog before changing careers and serving as a deputy sheriff, according to a release.

“We found that due to her prior training, her focus was affected which has impacted her productivity,” the release said. “K9 Paige has worked with two different handlers, and two different professional K9 Detection trainers, but her first love continues to be hunting.”

Officials said Paige’s desire to hunt for drugs is not always consistent enough to provide the level of service the community needs.

K-9 Ziva will continue to serve the county, and deputies are finalizing arrangements for Paige’s replacement, according to the release.