Arrow, a Winnipeg police service dog, gave birth to nine puppies. (WPS / HANDOUT)
The Winnipeg police K9 unit has welcomed the birth of nine new puppies, who could serve with officers one day.
Five females and four males were born eight weeks ago to mother Arrow and father Jury. Both parents currently work as police service dogs.
The pups were born via emergency C-section at the Pembina Veterinary Hospital and were slightly premature.
“The first few days were challenging, as Arrow was still learning how to nurse the pups,” police said in a release.
“The K9 unit took turns helping the puppies feed, and eventually, Constable Moreau and his wife took in the litter at their home. They turned a bedroom into a whelping room to provide around-the-clock care.”
One of the pups was being nursed by a female dog named Naomi as it struggled to sustain a healthy weight. After two weeks, it was strong enough to return to the litter and join its siblings.
Formal training begins at 16 weeks and can start as young as eight months. However, before formal training for the Quarry program is implemented, the pups will be raised by a police quarry member, and their bond will begin. The pups are brought to work daily while crated in a cruiser car. Police say the experience opens the dogs up to all the sights and sounds of police work at a very young age.
