CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jet, like many dogs, was glued to his owner's hip.

He would follow Patrol Officer Antonio Colon around his home, from the living room to the kitchen, and would sleep in the hallway, right outside the bedroom, keeping watch.

"He was my shadow," Colon said. "Everywhere I went, he had to be right there with me, by my side."

Colon and the entire Cleveland Division of Police said formal goodbyes to Jet, one of the longest serving members of the Cleveland Police K-9 Unit, at a Monday memorial service at the police union hall.

Jet was 13 1/2 years old when he was

. His health had been deteriorating, but the K-9 narcotics officer was still healthy enough for active duty until Feb. 21, Sgt. Doug Campion said.

"By the time Monday came around, things had gotten worse, and we had to make the decision," Campion said.

But Jet, who Colon said was never one to back down, wasn't going out without a fight. Campion said as he and Colon were walking Jet into the veterinarian's office to be put to sleep, Jet lifted his leg and left his final mark - right on Campion's foot.

"I don't know if that was Jet showing me what he thought of my supervisory skills," Campion said, "or a sign that he and Tony had done some extra training."

Jet was born in Austria two weeks after Sept. 11. He was given the name Baloo after the character in "The Jungle Book," before the department bought him in 2002, Colon said.

"He was loveable (like Baloo), but that was as far as the comparison went," Colon said.

So Colon decided to change his name to "something simple." The jet black German Shepherd's name was changed to Jet Black.

Immediately, Colon was drawn to Jet's demeanor - sweet-natured, yet fierce, and unwilling to stand down. Those characteristics would serve him well - a K-9's duties include being tough enough to run down a suspect, but sweet enough to let fifty kids covered in pizza grease pet his face, police spokeswoman Jennifer Ciaccia said.

And Jet fit the bill.

"He put fear into criminals' minds, but love into the arms of a child," Colon said.

Colon and Jet worked together for 12 years - nearly half of Colon's time as a K-9 handler.

After 25 years as a handler, Colon plans to retire this fall. He said he hoped to be able to retire with Jet still by his side, so in many ways Colon lost more than a partner.

K-9 officers live with their handlers during their time on the force, and become family pets. Colon's family flanked him in the first row during the short service Monday, crying and sniffling even more than the man who said Jet "gave him purpose as a police officer."

"He showed me more love, forgiveness and understanding than any human had shown me," Colon said."I made more friends with Jet by my side than at any other time on this job. He made me feel as if we were movie stars, and that the city was our stage."

At the end of his eulogy, Colon put his notes down, looked over at the photograph of he and his longtime partner, and said, with his voice cracking, "Rest well, sweet Baloo."