SALAMANCA - He’s one of Salamanca’s most recognized members of the law enforcement. He has won numerous awards and has helped get about a half-million dollars worth of narcotics off the streets.

And he’s doing it all on four legs.

Last month, Robin, a 7-year-old golden retriever bred and handled by Deputy Mary MacQueen, was awarded the American Kennel Club Humane Fund Award for Canine Excellence (ACE) in Law Enforcement.

Those who are interested in seeing Robin accept his award will have that opportunity tonight when the Animal Planet broadcasts the Eukanuba Dog Show and Awards at 8 p.m.

No stranger to awards and attention, Robin is not only a crime-stopping, disciplined police K-9 but an award-winning show dog as well.

“I kept him initially to use as show because that is what I do,” said Ms. MacQueen, who owns Nitro Golden Kennel in Frewsburg with her husband, Butch. “My intention was that I picked a show puppy, but I also picked him because he just had a very unique temperament. He was really driving for the toys, and at such a young age that was unusual to see a young puppy that would do anything for a toy.

“I saw that potential in him and figured that he would be the one I could train for detection work,” she continued. “His mother was a rescue dog and so was his grandmother so he’s got it in his line but he actually probably has more potential than any of the ones I’ve trained prior to him.”

The bar for Robin was set pretty high by his mother, Willow. She is a certified search-and-rescue K-9 that specializes in human remains detection, snow burial, water search and air scent as well as an award-winning show dog who appeared on NBC’s “Today” and the front cover of “Dog World Magazine.” But for Ms. MacQueen, each dog is an opportunity to build on what she has learned from the past.

“I look at it this way: Every dog we get is better than the last one because we know more as trainers,” she said. “I figure by the time I’m 80 I’ll have the best dog in the world if I’m not too old to train him.”

Ms. MacQueen began training Robin was he was just a puppy. Because dogs have a natural instinct for dead animals, the first step was imprinting Robin on the scent of human remains.

“It’s not so he could so much be trained at that age, but it’s a memory thing where you start imprinting that odor on him and odor equals reward. They never tend to forget that,” explained Ms. MacQueen.

“So when it became time for him to be trained in earnest in age and maturity, it was like he had been doing it all his life.”

Then the double-duty life began for Robin: Being trained as a police dog while still keeping the well groomed coat and perfect stride that comes with being a show dog. From 2003 to 2006, Robin won various awards in different dog shows in American and Canada while being trained as a police K-9. It was a hectic schedule, but it created a r�©sum�© for Robin that many show dogs and their handlers strive for.

In 2006, Robin began his narcotics training, a skill which elevated him to the only certified narcotics K-9 in Cattaraugus County. He is now used to search for drugs in many different scenarios, from routine vehicle traffic stops to high schools and large drug searches in the region.

“There is stuff he has done that I, as a handler, would never have thought any of my dogs could do,” said Ms. MacQueen. “But that just goes to show you how little we know about the capabilities of detection dogs. The possibilities are endless and limited by us. I’ve been made a fool of more than once.”

One aspect of Robin that sets him apart from other police dogs is his breed. Like Dalmatians riding on the front of a fire truck, German shepherds have long been associated with police work. Robin’s well maintained golden coat, however, doesn’t quite fit the stereotype.

“A lot of people say they never see golden retrievers doing police work,” said Ms. MacQueen. “The reason you don’t is because most people don’t want the grooming to go along with it. They want a dog that’s wash-and-wear, that they can put in the car and away they go. With me, it’s been something I have done most of my life so it’s not a big deal for me to get up and groom the dog and get him looking good.”

Whether he is out fighting crime or handing out one of his trading cards to children at a local community event, Robin is always looking his best. Numerous awards can prove that, but lately he has been receiving recognition not for his stunning good looks but for his work in law enforcement.

In 2008, Robin finished runner-up - or as Ms. MacQueen referred to it, the “first loser” - after being nominated for the ACE in Law Enforcement. His stiff competition was a dog that protected his injured handler in Iraq.

“I looked at Robin and said, ‘There’s no way you’re winning that one, Fluffy,’” said Ms. MacQueen. “There was no way anything was going to beat that. We were certainly humbled by that dog’s feat.”

After the second place finish, the Kennel Club in Buffalo nominated Robin again in 2009. This time, he walked away a winner. Ms. MacQueen and Robin made the trip to Long Beach, California in mid-December to accept the award. The flew out a day early to beat the winter storm that was pounding Western New York at the time and enjoyed the 60-degree weather on the West Coast.

“It was so nice because the people from the American Kennel Club couldn’t have been more gracious,” said Ms. MacQueen. “They received us with open arms. They gave us full access passes as we could go anywhere in the show we wanted. It was pretty nice of them, and they invited us to all the dinners and we met all the other recipients. It was really fun.

“It was something that I will probably never top in my life. It was the trip of a lifetime.”

As for Robin, he’ll continue his routine of leading parades, sniffing out drugs and informing kids about the dangers of drugs. It’s a job that both he and his handler seem to thoroughly enjoy.

“I get to come to work and play with my dog all day,” said Ms. MacQueen as she petted Robin on the head. “How much better can it get?”

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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bradfordera.com.

Stu Gotts wrote on Feb 6, 2010 4:18 PM:

" What a dog! And there's a golden too. "

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Reader 4 wrote on Feb 6, 2010 7:59 PM:

" Huh!! Lives in Frewsburg and works for a city paod job in Salamanca,,not my cup of tea! Live where u work if the job is being paid by the gov't!! "

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ohs73 wrote on Feb 6, 2010 11:06 PM:

" Congrats to Robin and Ms. MacQueen for this major honor.

It goes to show how valuable K-9 units are for law enforcement. Give 'em the proper training and love and these dogs do remarkable things. "

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read it wrote on Feb 8, 2010 10:55 AM:

" Reader 4 - It says she "owns Nitro Golden Kennel in Frewsburg", it doesn't say she LIVES in Frewsburg. She could very well live in Salamanca and own a business elsewhere. "

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