Rom, a K-9 who aided in the capture of prison escapee Danilo Cavalcante, was honored at the National Dog Show

The National Dog Show is known for snow-white standard poodles, regal greyhounds, and meticulously trimmed Shih Tzus, all focused on winning the Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s top prize.

But this year, they were joined by a pointy-eared 3-year-old Belgian Malinois shepherd named Rom — who wasn’t competing. In some ways, Rom had already won.

The Pennsylvania State Police K-9 aided in the capture of Danilo Cavalcante, the convicted murderer who escaped from a Chester County prison on Aug. 31 by scaling a wall, then led hundreds of law enforcement officers on a two-week-long manhunt that paralyzed parts of the Philadelphia suburbs.

And on Saturday, he was honored during a special ceremony at the National Dog Show, which is taking place this weekend at the Expo Center in Oaks, Montgomery County, but will not air on television until Thanksgiving Day. Rom, who appeared alongside a State Police color guard, was recognized along with his handler, Trooper Daniel Reed.

“This was the largest-scale thing I have ever done,” Reed said after the show.

Rom was one of several police dogs that helped track down Cavalcante.

One dog — 4-year-old Yoda, a member of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol from El Paso, Texas — garnered national attention for his role. When Cavalcante was found in South Coventry Township and attempted to flee, Border Patrol agents released Yoda, who bit Cavalcante and ultimately subdued him, allowing officers to take the escapee into custody.

» READ MORE: The dog that helped capture Danelo Cavalcante is named Yoda

Rom, also known as “Rom the Bomb,” is a tracking dog who spends most of his time on the job either searching for explosives or trying to find suspects. Reed said that he and Rom, who have worked together for two years and serve 12 counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania, were the first K-9 unit officers to arrive on the scene after Cavalcante escaped.

Rom picked up Cavalcante’s scent, Reed said, and tracked him for more than a mile, but it was hours after Cavalcante had slipped away. For the next two weeks, Reed and Rom worked 12- to 15-hour days in intense heat, repeatedly tracking Cavalcante and helping lead investigators in the right direction.

Reed said he’s consistently “blown away” by Rom’s stamina.

“When I do bomb threats or any kind of searches, I am fully confident in this dog. He is just an absolute rock star,” Reed said. “He will keep searching until the job is done. He motivates me.”

And he said their handler-dog relationship is unique. Reed compared it to the film Avatar, in which human-like beings form an intense bond with creatures through a neural connection, allowing them to have nonverbal communication.

He said his “indescribable” connection with Rom was formed after working together to turn a dog into an “amazing asset.”

“It’s just that something clicks,” he said. “The bond comes by earning it through the hard work and dedication and patience of working with a dog — and then them starting to shine.”