'America's Top Dog' reality show features K-9s, Cocoa police officers

A new show is looking for the top dog in paw enforcement, er, law enforcement, and we hope it's K-9 officers Kyra or Bear from the Cocoa Police Department.

Cocoa's patrol K-9 teams will compete on "America's Top Dog," a new reality TV competition that premiered Jan. 8 on A&E. In each episode, four police K-9 teams, including fan favorites from A&E's hit series "Live PD," and one civilian team undergo a series of tasks on K-9 obstacle courses. Three skill rounds test K-9s on their speed, agility, scenting ability, and teamwork.

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About the show

Cocoa Police Officer Dan Rhoades and his K-9 partner Bear will appear on the Jan. 15 episode. A teaser showed footage of Bear in action and said, "Bear specializes in apprehensions." In Wednesday's episode, the K-9 will go up against:

• Bonito, who has helped more than 100 narcotics busts

• Kato, a "Live PD" favorite

• Duke, who saved his owner

• Rocko, who's known for his speed

"It was an amazing experience to participate in this," Rhoades said in a news release. "Bear did an amazing job, and I am so proud of him. We are honored to have been selected. I’m happy to be able to shine a light on the important role of police K-9s in law enforcement; not just for officer protection, but for public safety."

The obstacle course on "America's Top Dog" is meant to mimic real-life challenges that K-9s (and their human partners) face every day on the beat. In one challenge, teams navigate a maze to find scented items and apprehend a suspect in a bite suit with a takedown. Each week’s winning team gets $10,000 as well as $5,000 for an animal charity of their choice. Eventually, top competitors return to the finale course to battle for the title of "America’s Top Dog" and an additional $25,000 cash prize, a press release states.

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The show is hosted by Curt Menefee (“Fox NFL Sunday” and “The OT”) and features expert dog trainer Nick White and sideline reporting by veteran sports reporter Jamie Little.

Cocoa Police Officer Brian Delos Santos and K-9 Kyra also will appear on a show at a future date. Check back with FLORIDA TODAY to find out when. Officer Robin Viera and K-9 Kable were cast on the show, but served as alternates and will not appear on the first season, according to a press release from Cocoa's police department. The three officers and K-9s were cast from more than 400 candidates from across the country, the release states.

About the dogs

Here's some background about the "Top Dog" canines, according to Cocoa Police:

• Bear is a 6-year-old German Shepherd who joined the police department in 2014. He is trained to track fleeing suspects, locate missing persons, find illegal drugs, and evidence in criminal cases. He is currently assigned to the patrol division’s Charlie Squad.

• Kyra is a 2-year-old German shepherd born in Hungary. In 2018. The Grace Roberti Foundation donated Kyra to Cocoa's police department, and she became the agency’s first female patrol dog. Kyra is trained to serve in patrol and SWAT. She is also trained in drug detection.

• Kable is a German shepherd. While Viera and Kable traveled to California to film "America's Top Dog," the team served as an alternate. They are expected to appear if the series has a second season, the press release states.

Another accolade for Cocoa K-9

This isn't the first time Cocoa police K-9s (and their human partners!) have been in the national spotlight.

In December 2018, Copper the bloodhound got recognized for his excellence. The American Kennel Club awarded the K-9, accompanied by his handler Officer Chris Hattaway, with its AKC Humane Fund Award for Canine Excellence during the AKC National Championship in Orlando.

The event was televised as part of the AKC's four-hour special, which aired on New Year's Day 2019 on Animal Planet. The young black and tan coonhound was sworn in to the Cocoa Police Department in February 2017. His bio on akc.org says the dog trained to track missing persons "has helped bridge the gap between the Cocoa community and the police," thanks to his paws-on role in public relations. "Copper’s presence during police interviews changes the atmosphere for people who have been traumatized, including children, victims of sexual or domestic abuse, the elderly and more."

The AKC award shines a light on "hero" dogs that impact the lives of their owners and communities. Copper was the only K-9 in 2018 to receive the award. 

In addition to the award and the dog's screen time on Animal Planet, Copper and Hattaway received $1,000 for a pet-related charity, pet insurance for a year and a sterling silver medallion.

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When to watch

"America's Top Dog," a spin-off of "Live PD," airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays on A&E. The show is hosted by Curt Menefee (“Fox NFL Sunday” and “The OT”) and features expert dog trainer Nick White and sideline reporting by veteran sports reporter Jamie Little.Visit aetv.com/shows/americas-top-dog/cast.