(courtesy: Fox 9)
HIBBING, Minn. (FOX 9) – Chase, a police K9 from Hibbing, Minnesota, is one of 16 police K9s selected to appear on this season of A&E’s competition show “America’s Top Dog.”
Chase was selected from thousands of dogs after his handler, Hibbing policeman Joey Burns, applied after watching an episode of the show.
“I was sitting there watching, thinking how cool it would be to have the opportunity to do something like this,” Burns said.
After learning that they were selected, they had a few weeks to practice for the show. Burns said he needed to teach Chase a few new skills specific to the show, like pushing a button and jumping off a dock into water. The show puts the dogs through an intense obstacle course, something they practiced before filming the show in September.
“The obstacles were nothing that we could really build or replicate, but the main thing I did was come to parks like this and I would race it on the playground equipment,” said said Burns.
Burns says he hopes to represent Minnesota well on the show.
“My greatest hope is that I can not only make the Iron Range and the Hibbing community where I come from in Grand Rapids and the Iron Range proud, but I can make all of Minnesota proud,” Burns said.
Burns also worked with state lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow emergency first responders to provide medical aid to police K9s in the field if they are injured. Currently in Minnesota, a person can face misdemeanor charges for providing medical aid to an animal.
Chase was donated to the Hibbing Police Department by Blaine-based McDonough K9.
Burns doesn’t reveal any secrets about Chase’s performance in the competition. You can watch Chase and Burns on “America’s Top Dog” on A&E at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 13.
