Shepherd Raring to Work, Officer Says : Police Dog Rebounds From Injuries

A Simi Valley man is determined to return to work as a Santa Monica police officer with his canine partner, Enno, despite injuries they suffered in a car accident last spring.

Officer Larry Horn and the 6-year-old German shepherd were seriously hurt last June when Horn’s police car crashed during a chase on Pacific Coast Highway. The car struck a concrete light pole, throwing the dog about 100 feet.

The Police Department decided to retire Enno, who underwent three operations for internal injuries and was diagnosed as having spinal cord injuries.

But Horn refused to accept the decision. “I told them, ‘It’s not fair, give us a chance,’ ” he said. Word came that the department would put off a decision on Enno.

Even though Horn was still on crutches, he started working the dog, slowly bringing him back to his former strength and weight of 90 pounds. He made a training aid from a piece of burlap and encouraged Enno and the family’s German shepherd puppy to tug on it. Enno was ordered to walk up and down the stairs to strengthen and gain control of his hindquarters.

At first, Enno was so weak the puppy could knock him over.

But the German shepherd has made what veterinarian Mary Dulisch calls a “miraculous recovery.”

Enno, Dulisch said, is ready to go back to work.

“Physically, the dog is incredible,” Dulisch said. “This is the kind of dog that needs to work. It’s . . . in his personality. Some dogs wouldn’t have recovered. He is a fighter.”

Police Chief James Keane said he fears that the dog will panic the first time he gets into a police car and hears a siren. Dulisch disagrees.

“At the last visit the dog was 98% normal,” she said. “I can’t imagine him being unable to go to the force at this time. I wouldn’t say that if I thought the dog was in any trouble.”

Keane said he hopes Dulisch is right because there is no provision in the department’s budget for another dog. The dogs come from West Germany and cost about $3,500 each. They receive three weeks of training with handlers at a special school and two more months of on-the-job training.

Enno and Horn form one of the Police Department’s three canine units.

Enno has healed faster than his partner, who was pulled from his burning patrol car by officers. Horn still wears a brace on his right leg, which had two compound fractures. Doctors tell him he will not be able to return to work until at least February.