GILFORD — One of the town's best police officers is retiring, but a new young replacement has been found.

Agbar, the Czech Republic-born German shepherd, has served the town for 7½ years. But his partner, Sgt. Dustin Parent, has begun to see signs of age slowing the 9-year-old down.

“He can still do drug operations, but he's starting to lose a little bit on his other jobs,” said Parent, who took on Agbar when Parent was in his first two years as a police officer.

On Wednesday, Patrol Officer Adam VanSteensburg returned from Miramichi, New Brunswick, with a Canadian-born, 14-month-old shepherd named Ike, who will begin his training as a police dog soon.

Police dogs, which are usually German shepherds because of their size and abilities, often come from out-of-country sources, Parent said, because American-born shepherds don't do as well in early testing exercises.

Among the key characteristics of a good young police dog is its “Ball Drive.” During ball-drive tests, dogs are thrown balls to fetch from increasingly difficult distances and destinations. Most dogs give up if getting the ball requires is too much effort, Parent said.

Dogs that will go the extra distance are prime candidates to be police dogs. “They test the dogs early on to see how much he will work for his reward, and whether they are scared and retreat rather than going for the reward. The dog doesn't get paid, so the reward is everything,” Parent said.

Ike tested well, Parent said. He comes to Gilford with little training but lots of potential. He and VanSteensburg will begin training together in police training sessions, where he will learn to smell and find drugs, bombs, weapons and people. He will also be trained in attacking people.

Ike was going to his new home with VanSteensburg, his wife, children and three smaller dogs on Wednesday.

VanSteensburg, who is taking on his first police dog, wasn't sure how the four dogs would get along at first in his home.

“That's our next adventure,” he said, pulling hard on Ike's leash as the dog wandered around the town office building.

Parent told the town in January of Agbar's necessary retirement, and at a selectmen's meeting, the town sold Agbar to Parent for $1.

Agbar will be remembered for his tireless work in all facets of his police work. Among his more famous achievements came in 2006, when his chase of a robbery suspect led the dog out a second-story window, but Agbar got right up, unhurt, and led police to the suspect a mile or so away.

Parent surrenders his K-9 patrol with Agbar's retirement.

But he keeps Agbar, “and he's my best friend, we do everything together,” Parent said. “It's the end of an era, but I get to keep him, so that's really nice.”