Let’s just say, he has a nose for police work.
Ryzhiy, Russia’s most famous corgi cop, has retired from the force after seven and a half years of stellar service with the transport police in Nizhny Novgorod, CGTN.com reported.
Now nine years old, Ryzhiy (“Ginger” in English) has helped law enforcement officers to seize drugs and firearms thanks to his remarkable sniffing skills, according to local TV channel Zvezda.
His resignation was submitted to the local Interior Ministry over the weekend.
Life after retirement will continue to be active for the pooch. Ryzhiy will be training in preparation for an upcoming dog race, the report said.
The pup was initially a gift from local policewoman Olga Chumarova to her daughter.
But Ryzhiy’s days as a pet ended when the police were looking for a special task dog and Chumarova thought the canine could be up for the job. She volunteered him and the dog was sent for training.
Ryzhiy went on to become one of the most talented sniffer dogs in the police force and was often dispatched to train stations and bus stops. In 2015, Ryzhiy also became the Russian obedience champion because of his docility.
After local media reported his story over a year ago, the dog turned into an internet sensation with more than 15,000 followers on Instagram.
“Now, my friends, I am a real pensioner!” reads the Instagram post announcing his retirement. The Instagram account will now update Ryzhiy’s followers on “the everyday life of a retired police dog” as well as the work of his former canine colleagues, Russia Business Today reported.
“I plan to play sports as often as I did before. And maybe I’ll even try to learn new disciplines (for example, dancing),” the dog’s account wrote.
Ryzhiy’s partner in crime enforcement, a Belgian Shepherd named Ziger, will soon be joined by a new four-legged companion, the corgi’s Instagram account said.
Corgis are well-suited to working as police sniffing dogs but are too expensive for most police budgets, a Russian corgi breeder said. As a result, it remains unlikely that Russia will see any other corgi officers joining the ranks of its police.
