Top dogs:

Meet The Dog Squad’s top canines.

FALON

Agency: Police Handler: Paul Breed: German shepherd Age: Two years Hometown: Wellington Achievements: Fourth place at the National Police Dog Champs 2017, more than 140 successful catches.

Other info: Weighing 50kg, Falon is New Zealand’s biggest operational police dog.

ISAAC

Agency: Police Handler: Dave Breed: German shepherd Age: Seven years Home town: Whakatane Achievements: Won New Zealand Police Patrol championship 2015, won Australasian championship 2016. Other speciality: Search And Rescue Kennel buddy: Up-and-coming police dog Falcon. Father: Top police dog Yoda (RIP). Siblings: Top police dogs Link (RIP) and Ike.

JESSE

Agency: Corrections Handler: KT Breed: Kelpie cross Age: Four years Home town: Auckland Achievements: Won narcotic detector dog category at National Police Dog Champs 2017.

GEMMA

Agency: LandSAR Search And Rescue (Volunteer) Handler: Graeme

Breed: German shepherd Age: Six years Home town: Hamilton Achievements: Contributed to more than 30 rescues. Graeme says: “She (Gemma) doesn’t over-think or second-guess what the missing or lost person may have done. She reacts to what her nose tells her and that change in behaviour when she gets a whiff of human scent is what we are looking for.” RHYSJONES Agency: Department of Conservation

Handler: Brian Breed: Springer spaniel

Age: Six years Home town: Auckland Speciality: The only dog in the world that is trained to detect Argentine Ants.