Crime-Fighting Toy Poodle Joins the Japanese Police Force
Published on April 13, 2012
Now reporting for duty in Japan: a four-pound Toy Poodle named Mochi.
According to ABC News, the four-year-old pup, who's also trained as a therapy dog for nursing homes, passed his police dog exam last month and will now work as a sniffer canine in Kyoto Prefecture, tasked with detecting drugs and explosives.
It's a big step for miniature dogs in Japan, where police forces are increasingly enlisting the help of smaller breeds. Mochi is the third Toy Poodle to join a Japanese police organization — and a Miniature Schnauzer, a Chihuahua and a Beagle have also qualified for duty in other prefectures.
One reason for the uptick in pint-sized police work: Little dogs proved their mettle in the aftermath of last year's earthquake and tsunami in Japan by fitting into small spaces that larger dogs couldn't access.
Check out this video of the amazing Mochi in action during his training.