They say every dog has its day, but not just any pooch earns a medal.
Arik, a retired police dog, is wearing his medal proudly after helping his owner, 18-year-old Calvin Kuchta, save the life of a senior who into trouble while cross-country skiing.
Arik and Calvin just returned to Cape Breton from Toronto, where Arik was inducted into the 'Purina Animal Hall of Fame' for his part in the dramatic rescue.
"I was headed into town and I saw Lloyd's vehicle at the end of the trail, and then at about 8 p.m., I was on my way back, it was dark, and it was still there, so I thought that was a bit suspicious," explains Kuchta.
"While I was skiing, I slipped on the ice and fell on my hip, and couldn't walk," says Lloyd Stone.
Calvin drove home to get his dog. Its leash was frozen into the ground, so he fashioned a leash out of a jump rope, and allowed Arik to lead the search.
"We started tracking and we heard a voice scream 'Help!'. So Arik took off running, and broke right off the jumping rope," says Kuchta.
"I seem to recall him licking my face, and in a few moments, Calvin came along and said, 'I'm going to call my father," says Stone.
Calvin and Arik kept Lloyd warm until the paramedics arrived. He ended up being okay, but Calvin says he's not sure he would have found the man without the help of his dog.
An expert in animal behaviour agrees.
"The dog was able to track through the woods, either following the scent of this person, or the actual tracks in the snow, to find this elderrly gentleman, and they were able to get to him before he froze to death or suffered from hypothermia," says Ragen T.S. McGowan, a Purina Animal Behaviour Expert.
Earlier this week, Arik the dog was inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Toronto. People around the community are singing his praises, especially his owner.
"I wasn't too surprised, but I was definitely proud of him," says Kuchta.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald.
