MANSFIELD — Mornings just aren’t the same anymore for Molly — and she isn’t thrilled about it.
When Richland County Sheriff’s Dep. Robert Caltrider puts on his uniform each morning, his former K-9 partner still gets excited and is ready to work.
But the 8-year-old Molly officially retired earlier this month, ending seven years of service for the Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix.
The last six of those years were spent on patrol with Caltrider, who said Molly is slowly adjusting to retirement as one of the family’s four pet dogs.
“When I get in uniform every morning to come to work, she follows me … on my heels until I am ready to leave. She goes to the door and starts jumping and getting excited.
“I make her stay (at home) and she’s not real happy about it,” Caltrider said.
Molly spent her first year working in the county jail before being assigned to Caltrider, who gratefully accepted his first K-9 partner. The two of them learned and bonded together.
Originally trained to sniff-out drugs in the jail, Molly was then trained to track suspects and do article searches. It was perfect work for the eager and even-tempered dog.
“Just before she retired, we helped out the State Patrol,” Caltrider said. “They had made a car stop and had suspicions. We walked around the car and she alerted on it. Inside the car, we found a gun and drugs.
“So that was a pretty good moment for her. She has had quite a few of those,” he said. “She has been great.”
Like Molly, Caltrider is adjusting to the change.
“When she was (on patrol) with me, I would take care of her. I patrol now and think I need to get her water or take her outside … then I remember she isn’t there anymore,” Caltrider said.
Caltrider patrols solo now and isn’t sure about a future K-9 partner.
“I am not sure what the sheriff is going to do. He had talked about getting some other dogs, but that’s up in the air right now,” he said.
