Disaster search dogs

Dog lover

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:14:00 +0000

"The more one comes to know men, the more one comes to admire the dog."

author: Joussenel
source: quoted in Paul Franche's "La Legende Doree des Betes", p. 191

Search and Rescue dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

I located an amazing site today and thought you guys would certainly enjoy seeing it for yourselves. It is about Golden Retrievers and some of the individual disaster search and rescue dogs among them. One in particular is Golden Retriever "Riley", The real canine hero from 9/11. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. go to: http://landofpuregold.wordpress.com/

bad behavior in your dog

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:36:00 +0000

It isn't very often that I come across something in the world of dog training that truly impresses me, but recently I came across a dog training guide that is simply outstanding. Before telling you what it's about, I just want you to be clear on what it is NOT. It is NOT a guide to dog training that teaches you how to get your dog to obey by hitting, scolding or abusing your dog. It does NOT encourage you to punish or hurt your dog in any way.

Here's what it IS about...You'll learn how to get your dog to WANT to please you and WANT to be a good dog.

He'll learn:- Where and when it is appropriate to bark-

To stop digging up your yard-

To stop chewing your furniture and clothes-

To stop being aggressive towards people and other dogs-

To stop whining, especially at night.-

To stop bolting out the front door-

To stop pulling on the leash-

To stop jumping up on strangers and other family members-

Potty training secrets, and a whole lot more!

And he'll learn how to do all of this using his natural dog instincts (rather than human psychology).

You'll discover that mistakes that you are probably making, such as giving your dog attention when he jumps up on you (eg petting, or scolding) and others, are communicating the wrong message to your dog.

You'll find out how you should communicate to your dog. It's not your fault, most other dog owners make these same mistakes and you'll be so impressed with the changes in your dog's behavior once you read this essential book. To find out more, go get your copy of SitStayFetch: The Ultimate Guide to Stopping Your Dog's Behavior Problems

http://www.youraffiliatelinkgoeshere.com/

Abby, Female Black Lab, proud member of SDF

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Abby-CA
Abby, a female Black Lab, was born October 30, 1997- the only girl in a litter of seven. She was born in the bedroom of the Search Dog Foundation (SDF) founder Wilma Melville. Abby lived with Wilma for the first seven weeks of her life. She only weighed one pound at birth, but quickly grew to be a good-sized puppy.
After leaving Wilma's home, Abby went to live with a woman named Kim in Ojai as part of her "Prep Home" training. She stayed with Kim for eight months, was given heaps of love and affection, and learned good discipline.
At 10 months old, Abby went off to Sundowners Kennel, our professional training facility in Gilroy, California. She learned all of the basic skills for becoming a search dog and at the end of her training was partnered with Debra Tosch, then SDF's Program Director.
Abby and Debra bonded very quickly. They loved being together and practiced their search skills diligently. After only seven months, they attained Basic Certification for disaster search from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Three months later, they attained Advanced Certification and are now considered one of the top canine/handler search teams in the nation.
Abby goes everywhere with Debra. Debra travels extensively, frequently visiting our handlers in Washington D.C., Ohio, Florida and the state of Baja, California to help them develop and maintain their search skills. Abby has definitely put on the most miles of any SDF dog! She is our search dog representative at the SDF office in Ojai, and we love having her at work with us. She is just like a member of our staff-- always on hand to meet and greet visitors. She also represents SDF at events and training demonstrations.
Because she has been a part of such intensive training in so many different search situations, she is now what we consider a "push button dog." Whatever she is told, she just does it - no matter who tells her or how they tell her. This makes Abby invaluable in training new handlers. (We don't know what we'd do without her!)
On September 11th, 2001, their skills were put to the ultimate test when they were called into action as one of thirteen SDF search teams deployed to Ground Zero. On 9/11, Debra and Abby were training with other SDF teams in Washington State and missed going to New York immediately with the Los Angeles City Task Force. As all plane flights were cancelled, they drove down to San Diego and made the second deployment by flying to New York on a military transport with the San Diego Task Force.
The assignment was extremely dangerous and demanding, climbing over twisted metal and sharp, hot slabs of concrete, breathing in dust and smoke. But the SDF teams were completely prepared for the challenge. The dogs are always eager to search: they enjoy it and even thrive on it! The team searched the rubble in twelve-hour shifts. The rest of the time was spent caring for the dogs and sneaking in a few hours sleep. At the end of the ordeal, the teams were exhausted, but proud for having served their country and having met a profound physical and emotional challenge.
Debra and Abby's next major deployment was to the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics. They were stationed a helicopter ride away from the games along with other search teams and emergency personnel.
In 2005, Debra and Abby were deployed with eight other SDF teams to assist with rescue efforts in a deadly mudslide in La Conchita, California. They appeared with Paula Zahn on CNN to talk about the rescue operation. They were also deployed to help with rescue efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Abby truly enjoys her work as a search dog. She is fearless in her approach to any new obstacle she must tackle in training, and moves with confidence when searching over rubble. For two years, Debra served as captain of the Ventura County wilderness canine team. This gives Abby the distinction of being one of a few SDF dogs that has also trained for wilderness rescue. The team also serves as part of the Los Angeles City Task Force and, when deployment is required outside the U.S., as part of the Los Angeles County Task Force. In January of 2005, Debra was selected to represent California and Washington on the FEMA Canine Sub-Committee. This committee makes recommendations to FEMA on the disaster search program in the US. In June of 2005, Debra was appointed as the new Executive Director of the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, with Abby by her side!

Preventing dog bites in children

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:37:00 +0000

Recently here in the United Kingdom, there have been numerous incidences of children being bitten, mauled, or far worse than that, killed by a dog. Some of these dogs were the family pets and the children, members of the family. There needs to be guide lines for persons owning a dog and especially having one around small children. Presenting your family with a dog as a pet, is a serious step, and these adults should take full responsibility to insure that the dog is well trained, and the family members are instructed as to the do's and don't's of behaviour around an animal such as a dog. Most of these malicious attacks can be avoided if proper steps are taken. I have prepared a list of what I consider proper steps to be taken to insure your family members are not subjected to any of these attacks, be it your family dog or a complete stranger's dog.

Never disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or with pups.
Never pet a dog without letting him see and sniff you before hand.
Always ask permission to pet a stranger's dog.
If you see the owner cannot control their dog, simply walk away.
Never approach a dog behind a fence, in a car, or tethered on a chain.
Never tease a dog in any manner.
Never approach a strange dog you do not know or a dog who is not with his owner.
If a dog starts running towards you or attacking you, don't run away, stop, stand still, walk away slowly, facing the dog, not making eye contact.
If you are attacked, give the dog your jacket, a book, or whatever you may have handy.
If attacked, stop, curl up in a ball like a turtle, cover your head with your arms and hands.

British police with German trained Alsatians

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Police in Britain are now learning German after forces started importing dogs from Germany due to a shortage in the UK. They are more efficient and obedient than our own Alsatians.

Success in a trial by Derbyshire Police has brought in teams from Berlin and the trainers are very impressed with the new arrivals. Among the words handlers are learning are "sitz" for sit, "aus" for let go and "hol" for fetch. One of the handlers said it was quite fun learning a new language. "It's amazing how quick they are to respond as soon as you utter a German command, but when you say 'let go' in English they look at you like you are crazy. As soon as you say "aus" they drop what they are holding immediately." The dogs are now being sent to 17 forces. A quarter of all those in the East Midlands are German. Other forces using them are Cheshire, City of London, Gloucestershire, Devon, Cornwall and Essex.

The breeders in Germany use a strict regime and the dogs are tested for tracking, search, and protection abilities. This is very important in the making of a dog working for the police force.

This information came by way of the Daily Mirror.

Disaster Search Rescue Dog Training in USA

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 14:34:00 +0000

Can you imagine there are at least 230,000 sites listed on Google search for Disaster Search Rescue Dog Training in the United States of America? I was especially interested in one in Wisconsin, a very comprehensive site pertaining to disaster search rescue dogs. I have been interested in the canine species all my life. I was a professional handler for showing dogs in conformation, and traveled all over the states showing various breeds. It is an exciting occupation if one enjoys competition. Several handlers were also into disaster search dog breeding. I admire the work these Search dog handlers do with their charges, and enjoy any articles or books about rescue dogs.http://leersburg.com/

Orthopedic beds for older dogs or dogs recovering from surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:56:00 +0000

As dogs get older, they get arthritis, joint pains, and some have surgery from time to time. Dogs that are recovering from injuries, or surgery, would certainly recover quicker with an orthopedic bed. Older and larger dogs are troubled with arthritis, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, calluses or other bone joint problems, and they spend a lot of time lying down. They would benefit from an orthopedic bed and it would help speed their recovery. Their bed should be placed out of drafts and cold places to be sure they are comfortable. There are certain qualities you should look for when purchasing an orthopedic bed for your dog.

It should have a removable cover with a heavy-duty zipper, which will enable it to be laundered.

It should have a layer of medical-grade foam to provide the proper cushioning. The foam looks like an egg carton.

A dog's bed needs to be firm to allow the dog to get up easily after lying down for a long time.

Do you know what a puppy raiser is?

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:01:00 +0000

Well, I didn't know what a "puppy raiser" was until I became interested in our canine friends a long time ago. The term applies to persons who raise pups for the purpose of becoming guide dogs. These pups are placed in homes at 8 weeks. The volunteers are called "puppy raisers", and have to fill out applications and be approved. They are required to see that the pup gets lots of socialization, everywhere and experience as many situations as possible. A well socialized pup will have fewer adjustments to make when it comes in for formal guide dog training. They are required to teach the pup basic obedience through an approved basic obedience class, and attend monthly meetings in order to let the pup interact with other dogs. At 18 months the pup will go to Guide Dogs of America for formal training. At that time the puppy raiser gives up his darling to go off to be trained.

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:01:00 +0000

The Greyhound Racing in Texas is very popular, both as a sport and as a hobby. I am originally from Texas, now living in England, but I was never involved in the racing sport of dogs. I was active in the dog shows which are very active over the entire country. I have several friends that have retired racing Greyhounds as pets, and they are very loyal, gentle, and lovable dogs to have as personal companions. In England, the racing of dogs is very prolific, and the horse races are even more so. The racing sport is very, very popular, and the race tracks are all over the bloody place. I have attended only two races since I have been here, but hopefully I will be able to attend more as time goes by. I enjoy the horses as well as dogs, and I appreciate the trainers and handlers that help these animals become successful in their special sport.

Disaster Search Dog Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:38:00 +0000

After the bombing in 1995 in Oklahoma City, this foundation was organized. Before the bombing there were only 15 Advanced Certified Disaster Search dog handler teams in the United States. Today there are over one hundred active teams.

Paramount to a successful team are the right dog, the right handler and professional training for both. The United States recognizes the need to be prepared for a wide variety of disasters. Most states are developing urban search and rescue capabilities.

Some dogs are from rescue groups and shelters from around the country. As soon as a dog is identified as a potential disaster search dog, it is placed with a valued family in a Prep Home. These are young dogs between the ages of 9 and 18 months. They stay in the home from 2 to 12 months, depending on their age and readiness. They are exposed to socialization, house manners, early exposure to disaster equipment and rubble.

What makes these dogs different? A constant routine, strict diet, and an exercise program are all required in their daily schedule. These dogs spend almost 24 hours a day with their handler, at home, on the job, on vacation, wherever the handler needs to be. They are trained to focus on one scent, live humans buried under rubble, among other things. These dogs are the only dogs in public service that need certification by the United States Government to do their job. This is due to the extremely high level of training required in disaster search operations. This is a program that has become an important one to disaster relief all around the world. These animals are extremely athletic, sound, strong, socialized, and in excellent health.

Kennel training your dog

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Moncrieff) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:05:00 +0000

How many stories have you heard about a dog, puppy or older, tearing up things when the owner is out of sight? It happens regularly doesn't it? It is a fact that a dog, young or old, can be trained to sleep in a crate (kennel) when you are out or at night when you are asleep. The first thing you do is find a crate (kennel) that will be comfortable for your dog when he is fully grown, and one that is easy to disassemble and clean. You can acquaint your dog with the kennel easily but slowly. Place it in the home in an area where the family will be during the evening such as the television room, and just place it there with the door open. After a day or two, put in a cushion and a toy or treat for the dog. As he finds out this is his private space, he will gradually decide to go in and take a nap or just take a rest for a while. After a couple of weeks or so, you can put him in for a nap when you go out to the market, and after you return you can let him out and really praise him for being such an angel while you were gone. The first few times you confine him you should leave him for short periods, less than two hours. You certainly don't want it to feel like a punishment to him. This is for his safety as well as your piece of mind. After a week or two, you can move it to your bedroom next to your bed if you choose, and put him in for the night. After he gets used to sleeping in his space at night, he will go in willingly and you can train him to "kennel" on command. He will be a much happier dog with his private place and you will be secure in knowing he is out of trouble.