LIBERATORE SHEPHERDS
Real Dogs for the Real World
Czech/Slovak/DDR Lineage
czechdog@liberatoreshepherds.com

More pictures and videos of Passo working can be seen here: http://www.apprints.com/Passo.html (external link)

Passo is a retired Police K9 having served the Downers Grove, Illinois police department for 6 yrs as a dual purpose PSD. Downers Grove is 15 miles out of Chicago, Il. Passo gets along well with other dogs, both males and females as well as puppies, is laid back yet watchful and lights up in his work - see the above link for working videos of him at the age of 10, after a year of no training during his retirement! Passo certified through the North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) as a patrol, narcotics detection, and tracking dog. His certifications for these duties include agility, obedience, handler protection/suspect apprehension, evidence indication, building searches, and four different narcotics odors. We are very happy to be able to introduce Passo to our breeding program through a planned breeding for the summer of '08 to one of our own bitches - Ema Orechova Cesta.  UPDATE: Ema has whelped on Sept. 29

Passo's granddam, Axa z Huckelovy vily has produced,  as dam, grand dam and great-grand dam, such notable dogs as Adela Venusina sopka, Coky Venusina Sopka (dam);  Ori z Danaru, Marko z Danaru, Mat z Danaru, Quattan Venusina sopka (granddam); and Olymp Policia (great-grand dam). Passo's litter brother is Perry Venusina Sopka IPO3, SchH3, ZVV1, ZM 5CV1/P 2.tr. d. a(0/0)

Passo was handled and is owned by Kurt Heinrich, Illinois Police Work Dog Association, Northern Illinois Regional Director. I can't say it any better than what Kurt has - on Passo:

"His dedication and watchfulness over me makes one believe I have an odd looking shadow following me around. While he is very protective his self confidence in being able to do his job if necessary, allows him to remain at a distance and not get under foot or be in the way at any time. His basic working drive is excellent. If there’s a job to do he will be right there to get it done. He will work until you tell him to stop. Then he reluctantly does so. I’ve always been told that dogs do not reason as we understand it. I’ve never had a reason to argue that thinking until I got him. He almost knows what needs to be done before you tell him too and he uses the right amount of energy to get the job done without over doing it."

"Temperament? The best Shepherd I’ve ever owned or worked with. We worked in a town approximately 15 miles west of Chicago. The village council was 100% in favor of getting a police dog but wanted a dog that fit into the community as well. By that they meant they wanted one that could do a good job but also meet the people. After we got known we usually had a request for a K9 demo or appearance of some sort about once a month. He met with school groups, senior citizens, civic groups, and handicap children to name a few. Again, this dog that can not reason, had the ability to present himself differently to each group. His temperament was adjusted to the type of people we were meeting. We visited all the elementary schools once a year as part of the DARE anti-drug program. Our first school visit was the most memorable. It started an hour before class time. One of our patrol units responded to a burglar alarm at a large business and found a door pried open so we were called to do a building search. Upon arrival I released the dog into the building and he proceeded to do an excellent search, finding the burglar, and keeping him at bay until we got to him. The guy had climbed on top of a 10 foot stack of pallets when he heard the dog coming and figured he wouldn’t be seen. He wasn’t but I’m sure his scent was pouring out like crazy. Well, to put it lightly Passo was all pumped up and ready to play with the guy but we had a school talk to give in 5 minutes. I loaded him in his car, drove to the school, with him still ready for action and pacing back and forth. We got into the door of the school and I thought someone had flipped a hidden switch on him. His tail was wagging wildly, his ears were at attention and his temperament was totally different. After a short talk on what not to do with a police dog around I took him off leash and let him visit while I talked. This school pattern was repeated for the next 5 years without incident."

 

About puppies sired by Passo:

"This temperament appears to have been passed on to the litter he just sired. Out of ten puppies I would say that there was only one female I personally wasn’t impressed by. The others better have owners that plan on working them or they’ll work the owners. They were all very out going and full of puppy attitude. I brought home a male sable and he thinks the three adult Shepherds already here are ok as long as they do things his way. He’s now 12 weeks old going the 5 years. He uses a phrase from a recent James Bond movie all the time – the world is not enough."

"...out of the litter he just sired – 4 of the 10 went to police officer’s that had worked with him and one to a K9 handler. I think that speaks highly as to what other people see in him."