{"id":80213,"date":"2026-10-15T10:20:37","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T14:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=80213"},"modified":"2026-10-15T10:20:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T14:20:38","slug":"introducing-lucky-utcs-newest-therapy-dog-and-future-explosives-detection-k-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/introducing-lucky-utcs-newest-therapy-dog-and-future-explosives-detection-k-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing Lucky, UTC\u2019s newest therapy\u00a0dog\u00a0and future explosives detection K-9\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Lucky,

UTC Police Sgt. Aaron Bayer will serve as Lucky’s handler. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s official: Lucky, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\u2019s newest K-9, is here to stay.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucky, a six-month-old Labrador Retriever, began his full-time job in the UTC Police Department on Oct. 15.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Sophie, <\/span>who was introduced last year<\/span><\/b><\/a> as <\/span>UTC\u2019s first working K-9, Lucky will serve as a campus therapy dog. In addition, he will train to become an explosive ordnance detection (EOD) dog to detect explosive devices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UTC Sgt. Aaron Bayer, the man on the other side of the leash, will work with Lucky as his handler. Sophie will be in the care of UTC Police Cpl. Ginger Dockery.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to imagine coming to work without Sophie,\u201d said Bayer, who oversees K-9 and community engagement. \u201cShe\u2019s become such a big part of my life in such a short amount of time. I\u2019m going to miss having her beside me every day, but I know she\u2019s going to be just fine.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dockery became emotional when she talked about taking on the role as Sophie\u2019s handler.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is surreal for me,\u201d Dockery said. \u201cShe is already a queen around here and I\u2019m really excited to have her and to be working with Sgt. Bayer in community engagement.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"UTC

Cpl. Ginger Dockery with Sophie (left) and Sgt. Aaron Bayer with Lucky<\/p><\/div>\n

Lucky will take on many of the same responsibilities as Sophie, attending campus and community events and working with the UTC Counseling Center to comfort students.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The idea of adding another K-9, Bayer said, came soon after Sophie\u2019s arrival.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis will be around the one-year anniversary of having Sophie here,\u201d he said. \u201cThe timing is incredible. We\u2019retaking the success that we had for Sophie and doubling down on it by introducing Lucky.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bayer said that the excitement about Sophie never \u201cphased out.\u201d She is recognized by almost everyone across campus and even around town. She is also a hit<\/span> on social media<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt hasn\u2019t slowed a day since. Even over the summer when the kids aren\u2019t in school, we\u2019re off campus and people all over the community are asking for her,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The UTC Police Department adopted \u201cconnection and detection\u201d as the theme of its K-9 initiative.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bayer said Sophie has helped meet a need they knew existed but didn\u2019t always see up close. He expects Lucky to do the same.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that loneliness is an issue on campus with people that come here from out of state or even across town,\u201d he explained. \u201cSophie has really gravitated towards those kids and given them something to rally around. Sophie is always there for them. I don\u2019t know how to even describe it. It\u2019s one of the most interesting parts of connections I think we\u2019ve noticed.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Three

Sophie enjoying pets from students.<\/p><\/div>\n

Detection is the other side of Lucky\u2019s future responsibilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do we tie together the best of both worlds?\u201d Bayer said. \u201cHow do we still build connection with our students, but also utilize that dog for something greater?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UTC Chief of Police Sean O\u2019Brien is familiar with explosives-detection K-9s from his work in the Chattanooga Police Department. It\u2019s how he got to know Gunny, a retired police dog and <\/span>UTC\u2019s other beloved K-9<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The campus community may never have seen or heard of the behind-the-scenes work that keeps them safe, especially before big events with large crowds.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOften, when we have a large-scale event, we will ask the city\u2019s bomb squad to come in and do that sweep with us,\u201d O\u2019Brien explained. \u201cThey only have two EOD K-9s, so there is a frequent demand for that type of K-9work.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That demand extends to the surrounding community, including local K-12 schools, sporting events and other gatherings that may require explosives detection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will support the city when they have a need for additional explosives detection dogs because there\u2019s just not very many of them,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cOften, the city will have to outsource to a different agency coming from some significant distance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy having one ourselves, we can support the city and be good partners with the city on these types of needs as they come along.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucky will likely be fully trained in explosives detection by next spring. For now, he will continue learning his therapy dog duties on campus.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He comes to UTC with plenty of training already under his collar. Lucky was born at Warrior Paws, a nonprofit operated by Rucker Retrievers Dog Training in Cumming, Georgia. Rucker Retrievers also trained Sophie.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A

Scot Rucker<\/p><\/div>\n

Owned by Scot Rucker, Warrior Paws trains service and therapy dogs for veterans and first responders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA therapy dog is a dog that loves to be petted on and is obedient,\u201d Rucker explained. \u201cWe teach them different tasks for when they are in forensic interviews. We\u2019ll have dogs come over, put their head in their laps, and apply pressure to their knees.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rucker brought Lucky to campus a week before his arrival for a \u201csleepover.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoy this part because I\u2019m getting to see my dogs go on and give back to the community,\u201d he said. \u201cPets are great and I have a lot of pet parents that do a great job with their dogs, but this is different.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucky and Sophie are just the beginning of something that the UTC Police Department hopes to continue for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to build a legacy, so to speak,\u201d Bayer said. \u201cWe want to keep it going over and over again so that when a dog retires, we\u2019re ready to bring in another.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UTC Police officers are there for the campus community, whether that means responding to a crisis or offering a friendly face.<\/span> Bayer and O\u2019Brien said that K-9s help make that connection easier.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI often talk about bridging potential gaps in connecting, especially with our young students,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cIf we get those touch points with a dog, then we\u2019re building these relationships and we really are seeing the value of it only a year in with Sophie.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bayer thought back to the time before Sophie and Lucky.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe police department existed in a vacuum,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople didn\u2019t know we even existed. Now, Sophie and I\u2014or another representative of the UTC Police Department\u2014are now everywhere. We\u2019re all over the county.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, it\u2019s the first time people have ever seen a UTC police car or an officer there. It\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After a year of getting to know Sophie and finding his footing in community policing alongside her, Bayer said he is excited to begin a new chapter with Lucky.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve really had to step up and lock in to figure out how to take her to the next level, take myself to the next level,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of it has been done through trial and error and just me figuring it out.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited about the new challenge, and getting to experience it with Lucky.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"UTC<\/p>\n

\"UTC <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"UTC <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

UTC Department of Public Safety<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UTC Police Department<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meet Sophie, UTC\u2019s newest sergeant and therapy dog<\/a><\/p>\n

Gunny, a retired K-9, finds a new beat at UTC<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s official: Lucky, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\u2019s newest K-9, is here to stay.\u00a0Lucky, a six-month-old Labrador Retriever, began his full-time job in the UTC Police Department on Oct. 15.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2000,"featured_media":80222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119404,15,3,205,7712,64,8325],"tags":[126327,124535,127595,127069,127092,127099,127061,125838,127824,127823,127822,127820,124331,126325,126324,48102,127821],"class_list":{"0":"post-80213","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-campus","8":"category-community","9":"category-engagement","10":"category-faculty-and-staff","11":"category-lead-story","12":"category-news","13":"category-service","14":"tag-aaron-bayer","15":"tag-department-of-public-safety","16":"tag-ginger-dockery","17":"tag-goal-1-2-enhance-learner-success-strategic-plan-2030","18":"tag-goal-2-1-faculty-staff-experience-strategic-plan-2030","19":"tag-goal-4-1-service-excellence-focus-strategic-plan-2030","20":"tag-goal-5-1-community-engagement-strategic-plan-2030","21":"tag-gunny","22":"tag-k-9","23":"tag-lucky","24":"tag-rucker-retrievers-dog-training","25":"tag-scot-rucker","26":"tag-sean-obrien","27":"tag-sergeant-sophie","28":"tag-sophie","29":"tag-utc-police-department","30":"tag-warrior-paws","31":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nIntroducing 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