Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:

Learn More

Meet TV’s “Top Dog,” Police K-9 Capone And His Handler

| Published on July 15, 2021

Personally, I’ve always believed there should be more TV shows about dogs. If that’s how you feel too, you might already know all about the show “America’s Top Dog” on the A & E network. The reality competition show features talented dogs and their handlers competing on an obstacle course designed to test their speed, agility, teamwork, and trust.

In the recent third episode of the current second season, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois named Capone and his handler, Senior Police Officer Danny Casson, took home the gold. With their win, these two brought pride to their hometown of Oxnard, California while showing off their incredible partnership.

@topdogae/Instagram

Victory And Hometown Pride

Season two of “America’s Top Dog” involves a new format, where dogs participate in head-to-head match ups against another competitor in their “class.” Classes include working dogs, police K-9s, and “underdogs.” Naturally, that puts Capone in the K-9 category.

As a reward for their win in Tuesday’s episode, Capone and Casson earned the weekly $10,000 cash prize money plus $5,000 toward the animal charity of their choice. Winners of their week, they will go on to compete for the top title and the grand prize of $25,000 in the show’s season finale.

@topdogae/Instagram

Capone and Casson’s hometown delighted in seeing them on TV. The Spanish Hills Country Club hosted an episode viewing party, attended by approximately 100 guests, including Casson’s 88-year-old father. Casson couldn’t help but feel excited by the attention he and his partner got.

“It was a full house. Obviously, seeing my dad taking it in and whatnot was pretty dang cool.”

Though they deserve it, Casson also emphasized that he didn’t take Capone on the show for the money:

“I never did it for the money. I did it for the experience.”

@OxnardPD/Facebook

Obviously winning feels great, but Casson loves most of all that he can represent Oxnard and work with such a talented dog all the time. Belgian Malinois make great police dogs and Capone is obviously very skilled.

“Being able to bring something to your hometown, especially something positive, is always kind of cool. I’m so fortunate and so proud to be able to work with this dog.”

Dogs are capable of such amazing things, and though the “Top Dog” course is challenging, Capone and Casson were more than up for it. Catch more episodes of the TV show on Tuesday nights on A & E.

H/T: VC Star
Featured Image: @topdogae/Instagram

Recent Articles

Interested in learning even more about all things dogs? Get your paws on more great content from iHeartDogs!

Read the Blog