KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) _ An 11-year-old explosive-detecting and protection dog has retired after eight years with the Howard County Sheriff's Department.

Deputy Steve Kline decided that it was time for his K-9 partner, Mac, to retire because of the dog's age. Kline tells the Kokomo Tribune that Mac's response time and agility had begun to slow down.

Since the dog's first day working with the sheriff's department, Kline and Mac had patrolled the streets of Howard County, and had been dispatched to incidents in which deputies suspected there might be explosives or they needed the dog to track someone.

Mac retired from the department last week and will spend the rest of his days relaxing at the Kline house.