Cute, Cuddly, Fighting Machine

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Story Published: Jun 17, 2008 at 6:40 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 9:49 PM PDT

By Stephanie Smith

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ASOTIN - The Asotin County Sheriff's drug dog is the cutest crime fighter in the valley.

" Winston is trained to find most narcotics; Marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, opium, heroin," said Deputy Robert Breland.

Winston's been a member of the Asotin County Sheriff's Office force since last September, when he was rescued from a Los Angeles shelter. Today Officer Breland hid marijuana in Asotin City Park. Winston easily sniffed out the drugs. This wonder dog is prepared for the call of duty 24 hours a day

"If (officers) believe there are narcotics in a vehicle or a house, they'll call for us," he said. "I'll bring Winston in. Winston is prepped with a tennis ball or some kind of play toy, and then he looks for the tennis ball. He associates the smell of narcotics with this tennis ball. That's his reward when he finds drugs."

And Winston has been very successful.

"We have already found, in county, just over 700 grams of marijuana, and numerous finds of meth and cocaine," Breland said.

On top of that, Winston's first find was over 700 pounds of marijuana in California. But don't worry, it's not all work and no play for this flat coated retriever.

"We go to the river about once a day during this time of the year," Breland said. "He loves to swim. I don't think he'd ever seen a river before he come to Asotin County."

No one is quite sure how he ended up in a shelter, but Winston has been a blessing to Asotin County

"They say the best drug dogs make the worst pets, and Winston is not a very good pet," Breland said. "He is very high strung. He doesn't like being indoors, he doesn't like walking on a leash. All the things good pets would be able to do, Winston can't, which makes him a perfect drug dog. He has high drive, high energy, he never loses focus and he never gets tired."

And for Officer Breland, he is the best partner imaginable.

"He listens to all my problems and concerns and he never gives me any of his problems or concerns back," he said. "He's the ultimate partner. He never calls in sick, never doesn't want to go to work. He is just a great partner to have."

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