North Dakota Highway Patrol Welcomes New Bloodhound Recruit

Beau, a 12-week-old bloodhound puppy, joins the agency's growing canine team specializing in tracking missing people and suspects.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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The North Dakota Highway Patrol has welcomed a new 12-week-old bloodhound puppy named Beau to its team of canine specialists. Bloodhounds are increasingly in demand across the upper Midwest for their remarkable tracking abilities, which can aid in finding missing children, individuals with dementia, and criminal suspects. Beau is currently undergoing early training in Fargo and is expected to be fully certified for trailing in approximately nine months.

Why it matters

The North Dakota Highway Patrol's bloodhound program has grown in importance over the past 14 years, with the agency receiving around 70 requests for assistance annually. These specialized canines offer a unique, low-tech advantage over drones and aircraft in search operations by being able to pick up and follow scent trails. As the program continues to expand, Beau and other bloodhounds may play a crucial role in future search and rescue efforts across the region.

The details

Bloodhounds possess approximately 300 million scent receptors in their noses, significantly more than humans and other dog breeds. Their physical characteristics, such as large, floppy ears and folds of skin, aid in gathering scents, allowing them to follow trails even after a week or more. The North Dakota Highway Patrol began utilizing bloodhounds around 14 years ago, shifting focus from dual-purpose dogs to those specializing in either drug detection or trailing. Beau, originally from Texas, is currently undergoing early training in Fargo, focusing on basic commands, socialization, and housebreaking.

  • The North Dakota Highway Patrol began utilizing bloodhounds around 14 years ago.
  • Last year, two handler teams traveled 10 hours to Montana to aid in the search for a suspect in a quadruple homicide.
  • Beau, the new 12-week-old bloodhound puppy, is currently undergoing early training in Fargo and is expected to be fully certified for trailing in approximately nine months.

The players

North Dakota Highway Patrol

The law enforcement agency that has welcomed a new 12-week-old bloodhound puppy named Beau to its team of canine specialists.

Beau

A 12-week-old bloodhound puppy who is joining the North Dakota Highway Patrol's team of canine specialists.

Danny Jones

The executive director of the U.S. Police Canine Association, who explains the unique advantages of using bloodhounds in search operations.

Trooper Dustin Pattengale

The handler for the new bloodhound puppy, Beau.

Trooper Steven Mayer

A North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper who has traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, to assist the city's police department in training their first bloodhound, Willow.

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What they’re saying

“To actually get a direction and start moving in a direction, you're going to need a dog on the ground to start that trail, and that's the difference between the technology and actually having a dog such as a bloodhound on the ground.”

— Danny Jones, Executive Director, U.S. Police Canine Association

What’s next

Beau, the new bloodhound puppy, is expected to be fully certified for trailing in approximately nine months, at which point he will be able to assist the North Dakota Highway Patrol in search and rescue operations across the region.

The takeaway

As the North Dakota Highway Patrol's bloodhound program continues to grow, these specialized canines will play an increasingly crucial role in locating missing or endangered individuals, demonstrating the value of low-tech, scent-based tracking methods in modern search and rescue efforts.