Please Welcome K-9 Guapo #356

Please welcome K-9 “Guapo,” our newest Pack Member (#356), at our Project K-9 Hero Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility. He arrived with his Handler and Trainer and got settled in with our staff and his new environment.

K-9 Guapo honorably served as a Dual-Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection Dog with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit in Florida. While he had dozens of successful deployments and captures in his young career, Guapo became overstimulated when engaging suspects and developed some serious “unprovoked aggression” issues towards his Handler.

These episodes became so problematic that it was determined that Guapo was no longer fit for duty as a Police K-9, and he needed to be retired due to his behavioral problems. We at Project K-9 Hero worked directly with the K-9 Unit Supervisor and Chain of Command since late August, once we learned that “Guapo is facing euthanasia if no rehabilitative placement can be found.”

After several discussions about Guapo’s ongoing aggression issues, it was apparent that he needed our organization’s resources immediately. We at PK9H stayed in constant contact with the Supervisor of the K-9 Unit to ensure that once we had space at our 100% capacity kennels, we would give Guapo the opportunity to come here and work with our experienced K-9 Rehabilitation Specialists.

While no one involved wanted to see him be put down, all other avenues were attempted to find a solution for Guapo, however coming to Project K-9 Hero became his final and only option.