Dodger, Killingsworth’s Bug-Sniffing K9 Fondly Remembered

CHARLOTTE, NC -  Killingsworth Home Services said goodbye to Dodger, one of its original bed bug-sniffing K9s, as he passed away on May 17. Born in Dec. 2005, Dodger was brought on board as a Killingsworth service dog by Mike Rogers in 2012, just before the pup's 7th birthday. For approximately five years, Dodger was a customer favorite due to his excitable demeanor and vibrant personality. On Jan. 16, 2017, Dodger was officially retired as a Killingsworth service dog and comfortably transitioned into a traditional house dog role. Upon retiring, he continued to live with his dog handler and partner in crime, Matt Chaney, along with his wife and two daughters. 

In the field, Dodger’s command was ‘find your B's’ – short for bed bugs – and he would immediately get to work sniffing every inch of the suspected area. “He loved to work,” Chaney states, “and he loved to be praised and rewarded. He was excited when he found bugs and when heard me say ‘good boy’ he’d come running for his treat.” He was always energetic and loved playing with Matt’s girls when he was off the clock and continued to do so following retirement, the company added. 

Subsequent to Dodger’s retirement, a new Killingsworth K9 named Charlotte had taken his place in the field. Charlotte, a black lab bred in December 2015 by Killingsworth's on-staff dog trainer, Jeff Barnes, began training in June 2016 at the age of six months. In February 2017, she made her official Killingsworth debut working in the field at just over a year old.