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In 1999, 13 month old Axinus Von Den Bosen Eichen, aka “Axle” was imported from Germany to the USA as a recruit police service dog for the Everett Police Depart- ment. Axle is a purebred German Shepherd Dog and is almost solid black. Axle was partnered with Officer Suzanne Eviston, and the two then attended the Vancouver Police Department (Canada) K9 School, where they logged several hundred hours of training before certifyingand becoming an operational team.

As part of the four-strong Everett Police K9 Unit, the team tracks down criminals and locates evidence that would otherwise have gone undetected. Axle is trained to search buildings, track criminals, find evidence and apprehend violent offenders. Axle’s service makes police work safer and more efficient for his human co-workers. Axle’s favorite skill is finding evidence. One of his greatest evidence capers was searching a large wooded area after an armed robbery. The suspect had shot at police officers as he fled from the crime scene and buried his disguise, the gun, and the loot. Axle located the firearm and disguise, and then retrieved mouthfuls of cash which was buried in an attempt to conceal the evidence.

Police work work is equally dangerous for K9 cops. Axle has been hurt many times while on duty, including being stabbed in the face with a sharp instrument, kicked, punched, has fallen, and also had his leg broken in an on-duty car accident.

Health and fitness for working dogs is very important in order for them to be effective and efficient in their ability to sniff out crime. For his nearly one decade of service, Axle has been kept in good operational condition by having regular exercise and veterinary check ups with his pals at Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital!