MANSFIELD — Sara Mosier-Napier could always tell when her police partner was about to bite.
“I’ve been watching dog tails and ears for a very long time,” she said.
Mosier-Napier spent more than 10 years of her service in the Mansfield Police Department as a K-9 trainer. She had two K-9 partners during her tenure, Tyson and Sam. Sam, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, is retired and now lives with Mosier-Napier and her family.
“As a police officer, having a dog is just so therapeutic,” Mosier-Napier said. “Even now that I’m retired, I don’t know what I’m going to do when Sam’s not here.”
Mosier-Napier had to retire earlier than she wanted due to injuries, but she still wanted to train police dogs. In September 2022, she officially opened Sam & Co. Kennels to board and train police and civilian dogs.
Mosier-Napier and her husband, Mike Napier, built the kennel in 2021 with the goal of giving all dogs the love, care and comfort they have at home.
Mosier-Napier also makes leather leashes and sells them alongside her friend’s dog collars as a hobby.
“I was just looking for something to do, and this gives me the chance to still be involved in the K-9 unit,” she said. “It’s super fun, I have the coolest job.”
Mosier-Napier said she only accepts certain breeds and ages of dogs for her two- and three-week training programs, but is willing to offer advice to anyone who wants help training their dogs.
“I’m very selective on who I train, preferably working dogs with some type of job at home,” she said. “I don’t train a dog to shake, roll over or play dead, it’s not my style.”
Sam & Co trainees can be trained with English, Dutch, Czech or German commands based on what their owner wants. Mosier-Napier also trains all dogs with hand commands. Police dogs are trained for tracking articles, narcotics and apprehension.
Mosier-Napier said her 13-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter like to help train and play with the dogs who stay at the kennel. The family has six dogs of their own, including a German shepherd puppy named Ruby.
“I didn’t need another one, but I couldn’t help myself, she’s so cute,” Mosier-Napier said. “I always say your dog’s a Ford Focus or it’s a Ferrari, and she’s a Ferrari.”
Sam & Co can board up to 24 dogs at a time, but Mosier-Napier said she likes to keep the kennel under 18 dogs so they can all get plenty of attention.
Mosier-Napier runs Sam & Co Kennels out of a barn in her backyard. She charges $20 a day for boarding and the cost of her training programs are determined on a case-by-case basis. She said she always gives discounts to active police, firefighters and military members.
As long as the kennel has room, Mosier-Napier said she is always happy to help dogs from the Humane Society of Richland County.
“I started this so I could still do something and feel like I’m part of the community, so I’m always happy to help whoever needs it,” she said.
Sam & Co is online and on Facebook.
