During a recent episode of the talk show “Conan O’Brien,” the beloved host had a special guest that left the audience in awe: a retired police dog named Hondo. Bill, a police officer with 20 years of experience, joined Conan on the show to share his fascinating journey as a canine officer.
Bill hails from Winter Paror, a small town on the northeastern corner of Illinois. In this close-knit community of about 6,000 people, Bill served as a police officer and was previously assigned as a K-9 officer. Conan was intrigued by the idea of working dogs and expressed his admiration for the way they know they have a job to do.
Throughout the interview, Bill shared heartwarming stories about his loyal German Shepherd companion, Hondo. As a retiree, Hondo spends his time enjoying the History Channel and relaxing during his well-deserved retirement. Bill humorously mentioned how he had to stop wearing his uniform home because Hondo would get too excited and try to follow him out the door.
Conan couldn’t resist meeting Hondo and requested that the canine retiree make an appearance. Hondo, a beautiful German Shepherd with a calm demeanor, appeared on stage, delighting the audience. Bill explained that Hondo was his third dog and that he had matured as a handler throughout his career. In the past, he had experienced a more energetic and high-spirited working dog, but Hondo‘s calmness made him the perfect partner for Bill.
The conversation took a lighthearted turn as Conan joked about retirement tropes in movies, imagining Hondo saying, “I’m three days from retirement,” before encountering an unexpected scenario. Bill shared that Hondo had to retire due to arthritis setting in after recovering from a hip injury earlier in his career. Despite this setback, Hondo leads a happy life as a cherished companion.
As the interview drew to a close, Conan asked Bill about the process of matching a police dog with an officer. Bill revealed that the kennel owners conduct comprehensive background research on officers and carefully pair them with suitable dogs based on their personalities and traits. Fortunately for Bill, Hondo‘s calm and confident nature made them a perfect match.
The conversation ended on a humorous note as Conan shared his belief that any dog can become a police dog, even a poodle. Bill, standing firm on his experience, expressed doubt about Conan’s poodle’s ability to handle the challenges of police work.
The interview with Bill and Hondo was a heartwarming and entertaining segment of “Conan O’Brien.” It offered a glimpse into the unique bond between police officers and their canine partners and highlighted the importance of these loyal and hardworking animals in law enforcement.
