An adorable German Shepherd was simply too friendly to land a job on the police force in Queensland, Australia, but his cuteness and affability paid off after he landed a career more suited for his personality.

Gavel failed out of police dog academy when he was just six weeks old because he was more interested in licking people and cuddling than he was in catching the bad guys. Australian police told BBC that Gavel “did not display the necessary aptitude for a life on the front line.”

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It seems that Gavel was destined for a more “regal” life. In February, Governor Paul De Jersey gave Gavel Queensland’s official “Vice-Regal dog.” Gavel, who was fostered by the governor, now greets guests and tour groups as they enter the grounds of the Queensland’s Government House.

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“He may have missed out on becoming a Queensland police service dog, but it is abundantly clear that Gavel has the characteristics necessary to adequately fulfill duties as Queensland’s official vice-regal dog,” De Jersey wrote.

Gavel is now a little over a year old. He’s “outgrown four ceremonial coats, undergone a career change … and brought untold joy to the lives of the governor, Mrs. [Kaye] de Jersey, Government House staff and the thousands of Queenslanders who have since visited the estate.”

https://www.facebook.com/QldGovernor/photos/a.283510101839781.1073741828.281586725365452/712122525645201/?type=3&theater

[Feature Photo: Governor of Queensland/Facebook]