K9 Ruger – Nez Perce, Idaho

Handler – Officer Dustin Pulley

Retired Nez Perce Tribal K9 has died

Retired Nez Perce Tribal K9 Ruger has earned his final rest. The Nez Perce Tribe announced on its Facebook that Ruger, who retired in 2021, has died. Ruger began his service in 2014 and located tens of thousands of dollars in narcotics and paraphernalia that led to 265 arrests, according to a video of his retirement that was posted on Facebook. Also in the video, a dispatcher thanked the K9, as Ruger had his final sign off as 2490.“Thank you, K9 Ruger, for being a loyal partner in service to the Nez Perce Tribe. K9 Ruger, you worked tirelessly to keep the Nez Perce Reservation community safe and provided unwavering loyalty and love to your handlers,” the video says. Ruger was a Belgian Malinois and was trained overseas and in Indiana. Nez Perce Tribal Police Officer Dustin Pulley was his handler when Ruger began in 2014. Pulley and Ruger attended training together to learn to bond and work together. Pulley also learned to give Ruger commands in Dutch. Then Ruger was commissioned as an officer, which included a stamped paw print on his documents.In 2017, Ruger, at 4-years-old, was Idaho’s top police canine in narcotics detection. Ruger placed first, beating the second-place finisher by a full minute, at the Narcotic Trial Competition at the Idaho Police K-9 Association Seminar in Boise. In three minutes, Ruger and his handler Pulley went through rooms, a hallway and vehicles to detect the drugs in all three stages against more than 50 other K9 teams.In the 2017 article, Pulley spoke of Ruger’s accomplishments, especially against other K9 handlers, some of whom have been in the role for 20 years. He said it was “like being on cloud nine” to have his dog, Ruger, be the best. Pulley talked about the hard work he and Ruger do on the job and with constant training, which wouldn’t stop until his retirement. “Once he is retired, we will try to have some ceremony for his years of service and thank him for what he did,” Pulley said in 2017. “I’m sure he has saved lives.”

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Submitted By Jim Cortina

James A. Cortina has been involved with police dogs since 1972 and currently on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Jim has been appointed as Treasurer since its inception in 1991. Jim is one of the charter members of the C.P.W.D.A. organization. Since 1975 he has been a certified professional dog trainer and received his Master Trainer Certification in 1985. During his career he has provided armed K-9 strike crowd control for security agencies in Connecticut and out of state security companies. In conjunction with other members of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Board of Directors, he helped to draft Connecticut Statute 53-247(e) "Intentional Injury or Killing of Police K-9" which was passed by the Senate in 1993 and also assisted in implementing the prestigious Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award in 1992. In 1993 he helped coordinate the North American Police Work Dog Association Nationals in New London, Connecticut. He was appointed Training Director for the New London County Work Dog Association from 1985-1987. He performed decoy work for Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. in police K-9 demonstrations, trained several local police department canines, and coordinated training workshops for out-of-state police departments. He participated in the United States Police K-9 Association Trials in Croton on Hudson, New York in 1985 as a decoy. He is an avid photographer and received photography awards in 1989, 1990, and 1991 and currently takes photographs for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc.
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