DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kelby Pearah and his K9 partner, Karen, earned the overall Top Dog trophy at the Columbia County Law Enforcement K9 Competition in Magnolia, Arkansas, following strong performances in three competitive events.
According to the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Pearah and K9 Karen were the only team in the competition to place in all three events, earning two second-place finishes and one third-place finish.
The team placed second in Recall, third in the Hard Dog/Fast Dog competition and second in Phase 1, 2 and 3 Obedience.
Their combined performance earned them the competition’s overall Top Dog recognition.
Sheriff’s Office officials credited the team’s success to extensive training, dedication and teamwork, noting that the same skills demonstrated during competition are essential to their daily law enforcement responsibilities in DeSoto Parish.
The competition provided participating K9 teams with an opportunity to demonstrate obedience, control and working abilities in exercises designed to test both handlers and their canine partners.
The Sheriff’s Office also recognized Jeremy Burnett, an educator with DeSoto Parish Schools and a reserve deputy with the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, for his assistance during the event.
Burnett spent much of the competition wearing a protective bite suit, helping participating K9 teams demonstrate and test their skills during training exercises.
In its announcement, the Sheriff’s Office shared a lighthearted detail about Pearah’s expectations before leaving for the competition. Pearah reportedly said he would send photographs in the unlikely event the team won an award.
Instead, Pearah and Karen returned with multiple placements and the competition’s highest overall honor.
The Sheriff’s Office congratulated Pearah and K9 Karen on their accomplishments and thanked Burnett for his contributions to the event.
The Top Dog award highlights the training and partnership between Pearah and Karen while recognizing their representation of the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office at the regional law enforcement competition.