Both in uniform, Officer Alex Vazquez and his new partner, K9 Officer Freddy prepare to hit the road.
“He knows that he has to trust me and I know that I have to trust him,” Officer Vazquez said.
They haven’t known each other too long, but the pair is already inseparable.
“It’s pretty amazing to actually see,” Officer Vazquez told us. “The bond is something that starts immediately.”
The two are with one another all day long. A new partner, but also a new family member.
“He pretty much follows me around wherever I go,” Officer Vazquez explained. “If I go downstairs, he’s downstairs. Upstairs, he’s up with me.”
But Freddy, well, let’s just say he isn’t your average house pet that you can cuddle up to at night. That means home life might be a little different.
“When we’re not working, he’s almost a normal dog, but not really,” Officer Vazquez laughed. “He doesn’t play like other dogs do, but he still likes to play. He’s just a great dog. He has a great personality and attitude. We have a lot of fun together.”
Although he’s a pet, he’s also a 24-7 work dog, which means he’s a big undertaking to not only Officer Vazquez, but his family too.
“You’re a little apprehensive of how it’s going to be,” Olivia Vazquez, Officer Vazquez’s wife, said. “But Alex looked at me and he said, ‘you can pet him.”‘ Freddy has a totally great personality.”
Alex and his wife Olivia are newlyweds.
They just got married in September, right before he went to a six week K9 training center, three hours from home. That caused them to reschedule a pretty important trip.
“We had to move our honeymoon for training so she was gracious enough to do that for me,” Officer Vazquez said. “Looking forward to that trip in the next couple of weeks for sure,” Olivia continued.
After big sacrifices and a lot of support, Olivia is excited for the commitment. And while Freddy isn’t really what she thought her first family dog would be, she too is excited for the bond they’ll develop.
“They’ve had 6 weeks to really solidify their bond, but you know Freddy is really starting to warm up to me and hopefully I’ll be his second,” she told us. “I’m excited to really get to know him and form my own bond with him as well.”
A life-changing event for Officer Vazquez and he’s ready for the journey as he keeps the community safe with one of his best friend’s by his side.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I can’t wait. All the things that we’re going to be able to do together.”
An unbreakable bond between handler and K9.