Rottweiler Sulo Receives Hero Dog Title After Alerting Neighbors about a Fallen Man

Arsi Virolainen admits he’s more of a cat person, but he gets along well with Sulo. Thanks to Sulo’s persistent barking, Virolainen received timely medical help after he fell in his yard last September. Photos: Pauliina Vilenius

Antoine Soulaire, original text Pauliina Vilenius

On a Sunday evening in September, Sulo the Rottweiler barked relentlessly from the yard, seemingly without reason.

–I called him inside, but he didn’t listen. Usually, he obeys right away or at least when I take a few steps toward him, said Sulo’s owner, Kati Reiman.

When the 4.5-year-old Rottweiler continued to ignore commands, Kati asked her husband, Marko Reiman, to check on the situation. As Marko approached Sulo, the barking paused just long enough for him to hear a faint cry for help from the darkness.

–We immediately recognized the voice – it was Arsi, the Reimans recalled.

Marko quickly tried calling Arsi Virolainen, who lives across a field from the Reimans, but got no response. After that, Sulo finally agreed to come inside, and the Reimans, still in their pajamas, jumped into their car and sped over to Arsi’s house.

p_sankarikoira sulo arsi osoittaa.JPG — Virolainen’s cries for help traveled across the field. His house, a pale building, is visible on the other side.

The Reimans found Virolainen lying on the ground, just having managed to call emergency services himself, with the line still open.

–I found my phone somewhere above my head when Marko called. I thought it had fallen farther away, Virolainen explained.

Waiting for the ambulance, the Reimans discovered that Virolainen had tripped over a support rod in his yard and broken his thigh bone just below the hip.

–I thought it was just a minor sprain. I even said there’s no big issue, Virolainen recalled.

–But we could see right away that something was seriously wrong. His leg was twisted completely the wrong way, Kati Reiman added.

As they waited for help, the Reimans carefully helped their neighbor sit up, as the temperature was just a few degrees and the ground was damp.

p_sankarikoira sulo portilla2.JPG — The Reimans have had Rottweilers since 2004. The yard gate crafted by Marko Reiman reflects their devotion to the breed.

The ambulance took Virolainen to Satasairaala Hospital in Pori, where he underwent surgery to secure his thigh bone with metal.

–The procedure sounded like something out of a workshop, with turning and screwing, and one person even asked another for a drill. I nearly had to laugh, Virolainen recounted with a smile.

After his stay at Satasairaala, he was transferred to Huittinen for continued care, spending about three months in the hospital.

The accident happened in September 2023, and now, Virolainen is fully recovered, with only the metal in his thigh reacting to temperature changes.

–I’m like a walking barometer, he joked.

p_sankarikoira sulo leikkiä2.JPG — Kati Reiman enjoys rally obedience and tracking in the fields with Sulo, who loves playing in their fenced yard.

Sulo’s quick response helped save Virolainen. As a result, Sulo received the Finnish Kennel Club’s Hero Dog award, which Kati Reiman applied for on his behalf.

–I wanted to apply for the award last year, but the application deadline had passed just a few days prior. So, the recognition is coming a little late, she noted.

The morning after the rescue, Sulo received well-deserved pats and praise for his efforts. Virolainen, with his characteristic humor, wanted to bring Sulo a deer leg bone as thanks.

–Sulo would have loved it, but we decided against it for safety reasons, Kati explained.

Reimanit ihmettelivät, kun koira vain haukkui – Rottweiler Sulolle myönnettiin Sankarikoiran arvonimi