Georgia police sergeant touts ‘amazing’ abilities of K9 companion in book: Made him a 'better human'

As the saying goes, "A dog is man’s best friend."

But for Alpharetta Police Department Sgt. Mark Tappan, a man of deep faith, there is a much stronger connection between him and his K9, Mattis.

In Tappan’s new book, "A Dog Named Mattis," he takes readers through his experience as a K9 handler — from getting the job to mastering it with Mattis by his side.

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In an interview with Fox News Digital, Tappan said that not only was he paired with an "amazing dog," but he learned a great deal about life through Mattis.

"When I looked at him, I saw so many qualities that I thought if I could emulate in my own life — I would be a better human, a better husband, a better father, a better Christian," he said. 

Mark Tappan's new book, published by Thomas Nelson (June 2024), is split into 12 "lessons." Each chapter begins with a Bible quote that sums up the moral of that particular lesson. (Mark Tappan)

"Just the way he approached life with such zeal and happiness and this amazing work ethic," he went on. 

"I wanted to tell the story of how amazing he is and the things that I garnered from his life."

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Tappan, raised in Louisiana, began his life in service when he joined the Marine Corps for four years as a rifleman.

He knew he wanted to take on a new role with a K9 unit when he recognized how much attention and respect service dogs receive from the public.

When Tappan tested Mattis as a potential K9 partner, the animal "far exceeded any expectation" the officer had, he said.

Mattis the K9 just turned 11 years old in May 2024. His main responsibilities, during his six-and-a-half years as a dual-purpose patrol K9, included narcotics detection, tracking, apprehension and protection/bite work. (Mark Tappan)

"He had this intangibility about him that was just incredible," he said. 

"He was focused and calm amid chaos. That is something special."

Tappan also knew what he was getting himself into, noting that being assigned a K9 is a 24/7 commitment.

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"They go home with you. They go to work with you. And you're always training or un-training that dog," he said. "And so, every interaction you have with that dog is on purpose."

Mattis’ main responsibilities, during his six-and-a-half years as a dual-purpose patrol K9, included narcotics detection, tracking, apprehension and protection/bite work.

Trust the dog

To become a great police K9 handler, Tappan had to learn one of the most important lessons ever, he said: Trust your dog.

Tappan shared the story of Mattis’ first track — also featured in the book — that happened on a rainy September day.

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The track took the cop and his K9 through a shallow drainage sewer. The duo persisted, even though Tappan doubted Mattis and felt ready to give up.

"I was bleeding from my head because I kept knocking my head up against the top of this sewer that we were crawling through," he said.

Tappan allows the public to approach and pet Mattis to start a conversation. (Mark Tappan)

"Every time I wanted to give up, because I was exhausted, because I was beaten up, I was bloodied — we found a shoe of the person that we were tracking."

Tappan said this happened twice when Mattis found both shoes belonging to the suspect as he felt like giving up.

"This dog knows what he's talking about."

"I realized this dog knows what he's talking about," he said. "I need to trust him."

Through "treacherous terrain" — up and down hills, through streams and mud — Mattis led Tappan and his backup officer to two suspects, "one with no shoes, trouncing through the woods."

"In circumstances in all of our lives … they can either break you down or they can make you stronger," Tappan said. "And so I saw value in the time that I spent with my dog." (Mark Tappan)

"It was such an incredible lesson," he said. "It was one of the hardest tracks that I've ever been on in my career."

He added, "It became the track that I made every other handler go through just because of all that it taught me."

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Tappan said it all comes back to the dog being able to see the world through its nose, unlike humans can.

"When we mess up on a track, most of the time it's because I'm misunderstanding what the dog is trying to tell me," he said.

Tappan has been with the Alpharetta Police Department in Georgia for 18 years. (Mark Tappan)

Mattis mastered these skills to the point where he’s now considered "one of the most decorated police K9s of all time."

Said Tappan, "On the day of his retirement, it took six-and-a-half years of training, two hours a day, every day, to get him to that point," he said. 

"The more you pour into the dog, the deeper your bond becomes, the more he can learn. It's so key."

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After Mattis’ retirement, Tappan realized that he was "so much more than just a working dog … As a police officer, you go through the darkest times in life," he added. 

"You see the worst of humanity. You see death, you see evil." 

Dogs "make you feel loved," Tappan told Fox News Digital in an interview. (Mark Tappan)

"To be able to get into my police car and open the pass through, and his head would pop through, and I could just scratch his head was one of the best things in the world."

Tappan continued, "He is my best friend on the planet. Different than my wife. Different than my kids — their love is so much higher. But that dog has always been there for me, has always trusted me."

The police officer called handling a dog for a living the "best job in the world." 

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K9s are "incredible tools" for police departments, Tappan said, not just in what they can do physically, but also in bridging gaps within the community.

Tappan noticed an "immense growth" in interest in Mattis on social media, whose TikTok account (@k9_mattis) currently has 5.1 million followers.

"A Dog Named Mattis" is out this week, on June 4, 2024. (Mark Tappan)

"When you wear the uniform, a lot of times people won't approach you, but if you have a dog, they're immediately interested," he said. 

"And we need to be able to take advantage of that."

Tappan said he hopes readers are "fascinated" by the work K9s do and can take something away from each of the lessons Mattis has taught him.

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"There's always a lesson to be learned with whatever you're going through," he said. "And if they fall in love with Mattis, that would be pretty cool, too, because he's an amazing dog."

"A Dog Named Mattis" is available on Amazon and elsewhere. 

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