BANGOR, Mich. — When duty calls in Bangor, help is on the way — as fast as furry 6-inch legs will allow.
“All he wants to do is just get belly rubs," laughed Bangor Community Fire Chief Derrick Babcock.
He's the owner of Max, who doesn't look like your typical firehouse dog.
“Who doesn't like a little short-haired, short-legged dog?" questioned Babcock.
Meet Bangor's new fire dog: a 20 pound, one-and-a-half year old wire-haired Daschund.
Though he needs no introduction, he knows how to make one. Max pushes a button when he meets new people that announces "hi, I'm Max!"
Max was always destined to be Bangor's firedog, Babcock says. He was brought home after the heavy loss of their previous firedog, Tucker.
“Tucker, he was a good boy," said Babcock. “Everybody knew him, and people would stop by here just to see him.”
Max had big shoes to fill. But Babcock says he's been a perfect fit since day one.
“We knew that he was going to be the station fire dog when we got him. And, and he's definitely lived up to it," he said.
“He knows that this is his job, he comes here it goes in my office, he lays down, he greets people at the door, the UPS guy brings him a treat every day.”
But fighting fires and that wagging tail don’t mix.
“He's not like sniffing out, you know, arson suspects or anything like that," said Babcock.
Though, Max found a job perfect for his skill set. He'll be a therapy dog for Bangor Community Fire Department and beyond.
“He’ll be used quite a bit in this community," explained Babcock. “If he helps one person that makes it worth it,”
To become a support dog, he needed a sponsor. That's where Anthony Pedrosa of Denver Cole Farms came in.
“We heard of this one, we jumped at it," he said. “From the first time I met him, he's like, licking my face and everything like that... makes you smile, no matter where you are, who you are.”
Then, he needed training.
“It was not an easy three weeks, while he was gone, I missed him way more than he missed me," said Babcock.
Enter Scott LaRoe, owner and operator of Magnum Canine, a training facility.
“Right away, I was like, 'oh, yeah, this guy's got what it takes,'” he said, gesturing to Max. "He loves to cuddle, we actually kind of had to break some of his cuddle time a little bit.”
LaRoe says Max is the perfect mix between a chill dog and ready to work. When he puts his vest on, he knows it's time to support.
“We got to the point where we were trying to find stuff that would startle him or, and we just couldn't do it," LaRoe said.
But to become beloved in this community? Not one thing needed for Max.
“We just got lucky," smiled Babcock.
This firefighter, too small for the job, ignited the biggest flame in their hearts.
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