SEQUIM — Chase, the Sequim Police Department’s police dog, is good about sharing his toys with other dogs.
Maybe not his favorite ball, but other dogs — and their owners — are welcome to use the obstacle course built for him at Sequim Dog Park, said Chase’s handler, officer Mike Hill.
The agility course within Carrie Blake Park, at 202 N. Blake Ave., was built by members of the police department over the past year, Hill said.
“Chief Dickinson has been out here with a shovel, digging post holes.”
Hill warned that dog owners need to be sure their dogs are ready for the course before tackling it.
He explained that police dogs have extensive training, and are fit and ready for the course.
“A dog can learn about one obstacle a week,” he said.
The size of the dog also needs to be considered.
A small dog, such as a Corgi, cannot tackle the larger obstacles, such as the barrels.
After years of training, both alone and with members of the Port Angeles K-9 unit, 6-year-old Chase tackles even the largest of the obstacles on the course with relative ease.
Early Sunday, under a clear blue sky, Chase climbed a ladder, crossed a high platform, jumped through a “window,” bounded over stacked barrels and negotiated a tunnel, which Hill said is the Czech-bred German shepherd’s favorite.
While Chase was looking the other way, Hill tossed a ball into the grassy field, and Chase easily tracked it down.
The big dog worked toward the scent.
Chase is specifically trained to not look for the ball visually — to use his nose to find the object, Hill said.
“We bring him out at night when he can’t see it and toss the ball,” he said.
After a minute or two, Chase found the ball and joyfully ran back to Hill for another game.
Chase has been with the department since 2008 and has 150 different official jobs to his credit, including drug searches, tracking fugitives and other tasks, Hill said.
As Hill left the course with Chase, a man with a chocolate Labrador took over.
There really is only room for one dog at a time, Hill said.
“We have a limited amount of room to work with,” he said.
Still, the course is growing, with some newly completed obstacles, with continued maintenance and more obstacles in the works.
“It’s an ongoing cause. The dogs are pretty rough on it,” he said.
The course was built through cash and materials donations from residents and businesses in Sequim.
Plans are being made for a course better suited to smaller dogs, on the other side of the dog park, Hill said.
Hill said the new course will be more like competition courses seen at dog shows.
It is currently in the planning stages, and should be done by next summer, he said.
Donations for the police dog obstacle course can be made at the Sequim Police Department, 609 W. Washington St., Suite 16.
The Sequim police dog program is funded 100 percent from donations, Hill said.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
