The Blount County Sheriff's Office got a new member of the force — a 10-week old, floppy-eared bloodhound puppy.
Her name is Ayra, and her training started on Thursday, according to a release from officials. She completed her first track with Deputy Bennett and his current bloodhound partner, Roxy. She was also joined by two other bloodhound teams.
Ayra's training will be overseen by Cpl. Russell, a renowned trainer, according to a release from the sheriff's office. He said that starting training at a young age is important for bloodhound puppies since it helps socialize them and helps them get used to loud noises, vehicles and other distractions.
After Ayra is trained, the sheriff's office will have one bloodhound team on each shift. They said it will allow for additional availability to help search for missing people. She will also eventually replace Roxy, who is set to retire in 2022.
She was a gift from a breeder in Texas, police said. In total, the sheriff's office has nine K-9 teams, according to officials.
