"One and the same": National Guard on tandem of handler and dog who share name

Erik, a 4-year-old service dog, along with his handler, also named Erik, found a weapon in a car at a Kharkiv checkpoint. Recently, the shepherd dog was awarded for this discovery. 

The story of the service tandem of the two Erics was recounted by the National Guard.

The National Guard said that Erik (the dog) stopped trusting people after four airstrikes carried out by Russians on Kharkiv at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. He was taken to the country's west and returned to Kharkiv Oblast at the beginning of 2023. 

The dog handler remembers his first meeting with the dog in detail.

"Erik has just been brought back from the evacuation. I go into his outside kennel, and he looks at me and starts smiling, can you imagine that? Out of all the dogs, he somehow treated me in a special way. As soon as I walked into the kennel, he immediately put his massive front paws on my shoulders and smiled with a big smile! It was as if two old friends who hadn't seen each other for 20 years had met!", he recollects.

That's how both Eriks ended up in the same working couple.

"We have a special bond. You know, such a strong one. It is a male friendship. We feel each other very accurately. I am always sure that Erik will have my back. He is always ready to protect me, to work tirelessly!" adds dog handler Erik.

Together, they completed an educational course at a specialised dog training centre, passed exams and received certificates. 

A few months ago, at a checkpoint near Kharkiv, the servicemen, along with a dog handler and a service dog, were checking documents and inspecting vehicles.

The driver of one of the cars heading to Kharkiv did not arouse suspicion. But Erik the shepherd dog reacted to the smell and showed his partner where the driver had hidden a machine gun, an assault rifle, magazines and grenades.

For this, the Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine awarded Erik the medal For Devoted Service.

Next, the dog handler and his service dog plan to master the maximum number of all possible areas of service. 

"I am sure that even during this war, you will hear about his achievements more than once! I will always be there for him, teaching, training and supporting him as a friend and loyal partner, as myself, because we are practically one and the same!" concludes Erik.

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