In Loving Memory of
K-9 BARON
 January 1991 - July 5, 1997

Handler: Deputy Doug Bolser, Jr. (Now Lt. Bolser)
Cleburne County Sheriff's Department
914 South 9th Street
Heber Springs, AR 73543

Officer loses partner, friend, when county drug dog dies. By Gail Allen - Sun Times
Saturday was a day of mixed emotions for Cleburne County Deputy Doug Bolser. It was the first birthday of his son, Colton, and it was the day he lost his faithful friend and partner of eight years.  Baron, Cleburne County’s German shepherd police dog, died following complications from prostate surgery. He had been ill for several years with a condition similar to muscular dystrophy before the prostate trouble. “The surgery weakened him to a point that he just couldn’t recover, I took him in to have him put to sleep because he was in so much pain.” He talked to Baron on the way to the veterinary clinic and said that he felt the dog understood what was happening. When they arrived at the clinic, a shot to end his pain wasn’t necessary after all. Within one minute, he laid his head over and died. He died on his own terms. Baron lived at the Bolser’s home in Concord with Dough, his wife Shannon and their two kids, Colton and Shyanne. He went to work with Bolser almost every day for eight years. He could read me like a book and I could read him. He had two roles to play. He was a good friend, a part of the family, yet at the same time, he was an officer. He was somewhat of a local celebrity in this area appearing at school programs in Cleburne and surrounding counties. He could be as playful as a pup around school children, yet turn deadly serious if his handler was threatened. The sheriff’s  office acquired Baron when he was two years old. These dogs are bred in Germany only for police use and are exported to the United States under very strict conditions. “Isco” was the name given to him by his German trainer and was the name Bolser used when giving him commands. All the commands were also given in German. He was trained to put his handler’s safety above his own and h proved this many times. In one incident, Bolser and another officer answered a domestic dispute call that turned violent. Baron got between the officers and the suspect and wouldn’t budge even when the suspect began choking the dog. If we hadn’t had the dog, one or both of us would have been hurt. In another incident, a suspect was hidden under bushes. Instead of me going in, the dog went. The man who was wielding a broken beer bottle as a weapon was dragged out of the bushes by Baron. He then stood between the suspect and the officers risking his own life to save the officers. Special thanks from officer Bolser and the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Dept. are expressed to Dr. Lee Morris and is staff who worked hard to save Baron’s life. Thanks are also given to the two people who made it possible for Baron to come to Cleburne County. The couple who prefer to remain anonymous, donated approximately $6,000 toward the purchase of the dog. The county has no immediate plans to purchase another dog. I cannot even think of replacing him. The county owns a second police dog, Bandit, who lives with another officer. Baron will be cremated and his ashes will remain with the Bolser family. He got a lot of drug dealers off the streets and saved me and other officers from injuries. I just want to say good-bye to a faithful friend and partner. Drug dog Baron hoarse, but up and running after swallowing ball Previous story about Baron April 16, 1994 by Sherry Snow, Democrat-Gazette Searcy Bureau Baron, the Cleburne County drug dog, recuperated this week after getting a training ball caught in his throat Tuesday night. The 4 year old, 105 pound German shepherd was working with his trainer, Deputy Doug Bolser, when the incident occurred about 7:30 p.m.  Bolser rewarded Baron after their training session by throwing him a 2 inch ball with a hole through the middle. This ball is called a “Kong.” The ball bounced and entered the dog’s mouth, far enough down its throat that he sucked it down. The hole apparently did not provide an air passage.  Deputy Bolser had to dig down his throat since the ball was sideways and keep his fist in his mouth to provide a passageway. Bolser who keeps the dog at his home at Wolf Bayou, 20 miles from Heber Springs, called the sheriff and headed for a veterinarians' office. He drove about ten miles with his hand down Baron’s throat until he me the sheriff. Then got in the sheriff’s back seat and maneuvered Baron beside him, maintaining the air passage. It was a very tense situation, it scared me to death. The lawmen took Baron to Dr. Lee Morris, a local veterinarian, who removed the toy in about five minutes. The sheriff carried the dog into the clinic because Bolser could not risk removing his hand. Bolser said the dog bit him several times during the trip. He clamped down, he’s up and running today, although he is a little hoarse. We are going to a bigger ball now, the best they make. He’s doing ok, but not barking real well yet. He’s getting lots of TLC and a few days off.