K9 Fergie Disappears Near Loch Ness...

There’s a reason the German Shepherd Dog and Belgian Malinois (a smaller version of the breed) are the K9 of choice for police forces worldwide.

Aside from being a quick study (ideal for training), eager to please (perfect for responding), and having an unusually strong work ethic (just what you want in a partner), they’re also fiercely loyal. Further, according to the American Kennel Club, this breed is also more likely to react to a potential threat – perfect for this type of work. Win, win, win, right?

Well, all of the above is why the team at Police Scotland were so confounded when three-year-old K9 Fergie booted it during a Sunday morning walk near Loch Ness. And she didn’t return. Now I would immediately have jumped to the conclusion that the loch’s legendary “Nessie” had absconded with wee wayward Fergie. But her handler knew better.

You see, he had taken the highly trained police dog out for her daily off-leash constitutional when a deer crossed their path. Dog that she is, Fergie immediately initiated a pursuit that didn’t include her handler.

Now, we can be generous and say that she may have mistaken the large, four-legged beast for an over-sized felon that needed to be chased down. And chase she did because hours after failing to respond to her handler’s commands, a team of specialists had to be brought in to begin a full-blown search of the surrounding area.

According to Chief Inspector Gordon Fotheringham, "Normally with these dogs, their recall is absolutely fantastic because they are trained to such a high level, but as can happen sometimes dogs can return to their natural instincts."

Her disappearance was reported to the locals with a firm warning that they should not run from the lost K9. While described as kind and friendly, methinks that should Fergie decide to start taking down the locals, this could present an entirely new headache for the area Police Department.

Neighbors sprung into action with many dog sightings being reported over the next 24 hours. By mid-afternoon Monday, the excitement was over - naughty Fergie had been located and returned to her handler. Will this mean an end to her law enforcement career? Time will tell.

In the meantime, we may never know what caused the dog to break rank and make a run for it. Maybe this time, nature versus nurture won out. As for this particular K9, she ain’t talking.