Dog handler hangs up the lead

MARTIN DE RUYTER/The Nelson Mail

PARTING OF WAYS: Nelson Police dog handler Dave Dunstan is retiring after 35 years in the police and his dog, Edge, will move to Dunedin.

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Dave Dunstan can clearly remember being a young man among older officers in his early days with the police.

"And now I'm one of the old guys," he laughs.

Mr Dunstan, 56, retired this week after 35 years in the police.

Twenty-one years of his service were as a dog handler, a role he describes as the best job in the police.

"It just gets the adrenaline going and gives you a buzz."

He's spent his time as a handler in Nelson and Blenheim and admits working with dogs doesn't always go to plan. "For every one you track, you might have four you don't have any success with."

The dogs live at home with him and he admits growing pretty attached to some.

"The last two, I had them at home when they retired. The hardest thing I had to do was get them put down in the end. It's every dog handler's nightmare."

Although he retired this week, he still has his current dog, Edge, at home with him until Edge shifts south to Dunedin.

He will be sad to see Edge go, but Mr Dunstan said he's looking forward to having the complete break from the job and not having to exercise the dogs even when he's on annual leave.

He says one of the most memorable jobs he had as a handler was tracking a male in Motueka who was wanted for being party to a Christchurch murder. A gun was being pointed around and after the armed offenders squad was called, he tracked a man across the river and into the bush.

"It was a simple track as far as the dog was concerned, but it stays in your mind."

He says working as a handler meant he was often working alone with the dog. "You put a lot of faith in your dog. You know there's someone out there in the darkness and you have faith that if someone has a go at you, that the dog will defend you. I've never been let down; I'm still alive and kicking and have got all my limbs."

One of the biggest changes he has noticed is the higher quality of the dogs and the way they are trained. Dogs now are a lot more friendly, he says.

While he's left the police force, he doesn't plan to retire completely and, after a break, he will look for a "new cushy job".

"It [dog handling] is a young man's job. I started looking for the gate rather than jumping over the fence."

He's also looking forward to not being on call or being called out at night. "I can't remember how long ago I had a Christmas and New Year off."

- © Fairfax NZ News