[LLG] New life, vocation for retired customs dog

In 2021, after seven years of service as a narcotics detection dog, Parang retired from her duties.

Now, three years into retirement, the female black Labrador retriever has found a loving home in a Songpa-gu, Seoul apartment complex, fully embracing her new role as a beloved family pet.

In the love and care of the Hur family, the former customs dog has now blossomed into the darling of her community, winning the hearts of everyone through her clumsy yet genuine devotion and patient, kind demeanor.

First dog, first home

For the Hur family, Parang was not their first choice. In fact, she had not even made it onto the list of the top three dog candidates the family had in mind to adopt.

“Initially, Parang's jet-black fur made her look a bit intimidating,” Choi Ji-young, the mother, said. The family, with two young girls, had prioritized finding a dog that exhibited a gentle, good-natured and well-trained temperament, she added.

“If she needed a home, we figured we should provide one,” Hur Hyuk, the father, continued. “She might not have received as much love as other dogs in human households. We were eager to offer her that love.”

Contrary to the parents' initial concerns about how their daughters would react to Parang, the girls immediately fell in love with her.

The adoption process for Parang spanned about 3 to 4 months. It involved completing an application form, going in for interviews and allowing inspections of the family's living environment. Finally, in July 2022, then-9-year-old Parang became the fifth member of the Hur family.

The abrupt environmental change seemed to weigh on Parang psychologically for a while, but not for too long,

“She seemed to feel uncomfortable when I hugged her for the first few days. She also struggled with sleep, tossing and turning at night,” Choi recalled.

“(But) it took only two weeks for her to expose her belly,” she added.

Having spent her life as a work dog, Parang was not accustomed to seeking out affection and attention in the way many pets do.

When Parang approaches and stares, the family figures she is signaling her desire to be petted.

The sole behavioral issue Parang had in her new home was related to urination.

“The problem lied in her habit of urinating on the floor. Thankfully, after about one year of training at home, now she only urinates on the designated balcony area,” Hur said.

Parang gets taken on four daily walks, including outdoor breaks for potty time. The family notes that, outdoors, she displays a knack for sniffing things, reminiscent of her former self, although no suspicious substances have been found so far in the neighborhood.

The family members take turns to walk her and even the youngest daughter who is in elementary school takes her out, according to Hur. “She had been trained in such a way to keep pace with human companions. She maintains her composure quite well.”

She underwent socialization training before adoption, which facilitated her adjustment to a new home, Hur added.

Local socialite

The family at first harbored concerns about the possibility that Parang might make the neighbors uncomfortable.

“We were concerned with how the neighbors would perceive Parang,” Choi noted. It's possible that one's first impression of Parang may be different than what she's really like.

“But, soon enough, every person who met Parang learned about her gentle and quiet personality.” Nowadays, neighbors, particularly seniors who go through a similar post-retirement stage in their lives, empathize with Parang and warmly embrace her, Choi stated.

Along with her social life within the family, exploring new places such as resorts and campsites, Parang has seamlessly integrated into the local community, participating in various pet-related events and canine social gatherings.

In 2022, Parang claimed the first prize in a competition testing a dog’s patience. Choi said proudly that Parang stayed in place the longest of all the dogs (around 4 minutes) without moving until Choi instructed her to stop.

A few months ago, Parang and the family took part in a pet-related campaign called "petiquette" -- a portmanteau of "pet" and "etiquette" -- organized by the district office. The campaign aimed to distribute dog waste bags to local dog owners in a bid to foster responsible pet ownership.

Parang grows eager during the evening, anticipating casual meetups with her furry friends during their strolls. "Now there's an unspoken agreement among local dog owners that we should gather and hang out from around 8 to 9 p.m.," Hur explained.

In fact, a more crucial duty for Parang in her community involves patrolling the neighborhood during her daily walks. Officially designated as a patrol dog by the Seoul Metropolitan Government since May last year, Parang and her family contribute to making the neighborhood safer by preventing potential illegal acts and crimes, as well as reporting any damaged infrastructure.

"Parang’s role as a patrol dog has enhanced her positive image and contribution to the community," Choi stated. "We once reported malfunctioning signals for visually impaired pedestrians at crosswalks and damaged roads."

Every moment spent with Parang is valuable for the family, as the typical lifespan of a Labrador retriever is approximately 15 years. In their effort to maintain Parang's health, the family adjusts her food intake and ensures she undergoes an annual medical check-up.

All the family members wish for nothing but Parang’s happiness throughout this new phase of her life, Choi said. “We hope that when the time comes, she leaves us peacefully.”

Standing for living, loving and growing, LLG goes beyond the realm of daily news, exploring the vibrant tapestry of modern life, as told by real people. -- Ed.