Hamilton K9 unit stops by children's hospital for annual visit

Three of Hamilton police's finestand furriesttook a day off from the field to visit patients atMcMasterChildren's Hospital Wednesday.

Hamilton's K9 unit stopped by the hospital to teach nearly two dozen patients, parents and staff about the group's German Shepherd stars,Maverick, Scout and Armour. The session wasled by their handlers Const. John Sabatini, Dave Kerkhof and Vince Kikaswho told the children about how the dogs got onto theforce, the dogs'day-to-day routine and how the dogstrack down bad guys.

The audience learned the German Shepherd is the preferred breed in Hamilton police, and can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 to buy from breeders. Only a select few dogs actually meet the physical and mental requirements to track and hold down suspects.

The dogs, meanwhile, were occupied by their toys during the presentation. Kerkhof said attention spans can be an issue, and that's why they only have male canines on staff.

"These are alphas males, and they're full of you-know what, so when there's a female in the mix, they tend to pay attention to her," said Kerkhof.

The dogs helped capture a suspect in a Stoney Creek robbery Saturday night. Scout helped arrest the bad guys and recover some stolen property.