Strong enough to protect your home,
gentle enough to play with your children.
Our Heroes
We take great pride in producing dogs with strength, intelligence, and courage required for not only police and service work, but also for protecting their families.
Our German Shepherds have been trusted by Vermont law enforcement agencies
as well as families seeking loyal and dependable companions.
Viper
Tracked & found missing family on Christmas Eve.
Morristown (VT) Officer Jason Luneau and his K9 partner, Viper, were honored at Fenway Park during a 2015 Law Enforcement appreciation night for successfully tracking a missing mother and daughter on Christmas Eve 2014. Known for exceptional tracking skills, Viper was later awarded the 2017 Vermont Police Canine Committee's Apprehension of the Year.
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Key Achievement: In Dec. 2014, K9 Viper tracked a missing girl and her mother to safety.
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Fenway Recognition: Honored on-field at Fenway Park in 2015 for their heroic efforts.
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Accolades: Received the 2017 Vermont Police Canine Committee's Apprehension of the Year award for tracking two suspects over three miles through rugged terrain.
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Legacy: K9 Viper, a dedicated and loved K9, passed away in January 2023.
Odin
Saved Two Lives in a Georgia House Fire
On a quiet evening in Georgia, just before 10 p.m.,
a Stronghold German Shepherd puppy named Odin proved exactly why this breed is trusted around the world — and why instinct, intelligence, and heart matter more than anything written on paper.
Inside the home were two brothers, Jeramie and Jared Vetters, along with their Stronghold pups, Odin and Luna. Nothing seemed unusual. No alarms were sounding. No smoke was visible. No one had any reason to think danger was seconds away.
But Odin knew.
Without hesitation, the young shepherd woke Jeramie from sleep — not with panic, but with urgency. When Jeramie stepped into the kitchen, Odin began barking sharply, directing him toward the window. Outside, the sunroom was already engulfed in flames.
The smoke detectors had not yet gone off. Odin’s warning came first.
Because of his alert, Jeramie was able to wake Jared. The brothers quickly leashed the puppies and escaped the house before the fire spread. In the chaos, they never heard a single alarm. They may never know whether the detectors failed or were simply too late — but they know one thing with absolute certainty: Odin saved their lives.
Trixie
Beloved guardian and family protector
On a day of play at the pond, when a five‑year‑old child slipped from an inner tube and into deep water, Trixie acted without hesitation. She saw that no one else could reach the child in time. With courage and love, she leapt into the pond, swam directly to the struggling child, and allowed him to hold onto her back and tail as she carried him safely to shore.
She did not wait for a command.
She did not pause to consider the danger.
She simply knew — and she acted.
Trixie’s instinct, strength, and selfless devotion turned a moment of fear into a story of gratitude. Her actions reflect the highest qualities of the German Shepherd breed: courage, loyalty, discernment, and the fierce, protective love of a true guardian.
Cole
A guardian with gentle heart
Vermont State Police K9 Cole, was a loyal partner, a steady protector, and a dog whose presence brought both strength and comfort to everyone who knew him.
Cole was more than a working dog — he was a guardian with a gentle heart and a fierce devotion to his calling. From the moment he entered the K9 program, it was clear he carried something special. His focus was sharp, his instincts sure, and his obedience unwavering. Yet beneath all that discipline lived a dog who loved deeply, who watched his handler with soft eyes, and who carried himself with quiet dignity.
His bond with Trooper Crista Maurice was the foundation of everything he accomplished. Together, they formed a team built on trust, respect, and an unspoken understanding that only true partners share.
Throughout his years of service, Cole helped bring resolution to searches, safety to communities, and hope to families in moments of fear and uncertainty. His legacy is not measured only in the cases he helped solve or the tracks he followed. It is measured in the lives he touched.
Arrow
A rehome, without a clear future
Arrow was a dog whose life tells a story of redemption, courage, and unwavering devotion. He began his journey as a rehome — a dog without a clear future — until the Vermont State Police saw in him what others had missed: potential, heart, and a spirit that refused to be broken. Through patience, training, and trust, Arrow transformed into one of the most capable and courageous K9s in the state.
Arrow served beside Trooper Jason Schlesinger, the handler who became his anchor, his guide, and his purpose. Their partnership was built on quiet understanding — the kind that forms only when two lives learn to move as one. Arrow watched Jason with the intensity of a dog who had finally found where he belonged. Jason led him with the steadiness of a handler who knew the gift he’d been given.
Throughout his career, Arrow worked patrol, drug detection, and missing‑person searches. He approached every task with a seriousness that belied his beginnings.
His most recognized moment came when he chased an armed subject into the woods, an act of bravery that earned him formal commendation. But those who knew him will tell you: Arrow didn’t act for awards. He acted because protecting his handler and community was simply who he was.
Arrow’s courage was matched by his gentleness. Off duty, he was known for his calm presence, his steady eyes, and the quiet way he carried himself. He was a dog who had been given a second chance — and he spent the rest of his life giving back.
Lex
A confident and courageous protector
There are moments that reveal the true heart of a dog — not through noise or aggression, but through quiet, unwavering certainty.
One of those moments came from Lex, a sire whose strength has always been matched by his calm, discerning spirit.
When a potential buyer arrived at our home, Lex did something extraordinary.
He did not bark. He did not growl.
He simply stepped forward, placing his body between the stranger and his puppies with a confidence that spoke louder than any sound he could have made.
Lex recognized something in that moment that we had not yet seen. His posture was steady, his eyes alert, his message unmistakable:
We understood his body language clearly. He did not want one of his babies to go to this person.
We trusted his instincts.
Huey
Barre City K-9, trained to detect the odor of illegal narcotics
Huey, at the time a 9-week-old German Shepherd, joined the force, and immediately began training with Chief Dodge. K9.
Huey was trained exclusively by Chief Dodge, who also holds a K9 Trainer certification through the Vermont Police Academy.
In 2013, Sgt. Dodge and Huey challenged the Drug Detection Certification at the Vermont Police Academy and became certified as a Narcotics Detection Team.
Huey was trained to detect the odor of several different illegal narcotics, and trained in many different environments.
