A Ned’s Wish rehabilitation centre near Kensington, P.E.I., supports retired police and military dogs as they transition into home life.
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Rip, a retired RCMP dog from British Columbia, is adjusting to a quieter lifestyle at a rehabilitation centre near Kensington, P.E.I., part of Ned’s Wish.
The facility is one of three Ned’s Wish locations across Canada and the only one on the East Coast, providing rehabilitation training for police and military dogs entering retirement.
Melissa Smits, a rehome director with Ned’s Wish, said the shift to retirement can be difficult because the dogs do not have a concept of retirement and must learn new routines and slower “parameters.”
Smits added that people sometimes assume working dogs automatically make good pets, but their specialized training can create challenges at home.
She said some dogs may dig through closets and drawers because they are trained to perform tasks, and manners are not necessarily what they are focused on while working.
Smits described some of the dogs as “the professional athletes of the dog world,” noting many handle high-stress situations such as searching for and apprehending suspects, and may experience outcomes like PTSD after their careers end.
According to Smits, retirement training varies by dog, but the end goal is adoption.
She also said an East Coast rehome helps reduce stress for dogs by avoiding lengthy travel and flights to places such as Alberta or British Columbia for rehabilitation and rehoming.
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