SAR News Published by the National Search Dog Alliance March/April 2017 Vol. 11, No. 2

Article page Article page BOD Meeting Date 1 NSDA’s Financial Statement 22 NSDA Certifications in El Salvador 2 Scenarios Seminar Flyer 23 2017 Hero Dog Awards 4 Podcasts 4 Law update: The Johnson Ammendment 5 2017 Board Meeting Dates Law update: Divorce – Who Gets the Dog 6 Woman’s Defence Against Allergy 6 March 2; April 6; May 4; June 1 NSDA Upcoming Tests & Seminars 7 NSDA Certifications 9 Contact Secretary, Sue Wolff, at Free Eye Exams for Service Animals 10 [email protected] for the call in number in the Military 11 for the meetings Rescued Sheepdog 12 Dog Finds Home with SAR Team 13 30 Most Talented Dog Breeds 14 Grief for Lost Dog Motivates Volunteer 14 Indiana SAR Kids Program 15 Cats 16 Bucky Says: Dogs, chimps & 2 year olds 17 Kibbles and Bits – Aggression 18 Whoever said you can't buy Dogs Search for Red Panda 20 Happiness forgot little NSDA Board of Directors 20 puppies. The Last Howl 21

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 2

NSDA EXPANDS CERTIFICATIONS INTO EL SALVADOR by Robert Noziska

In August 2016 the country of El Salvador, through the Department of States’ International Narcotics Law Enforcement Bureau, requested support from the United States Border Patrol (USBP), Special Operations Group (SOG) to conduct a Human Remains Detection (HRD) Handler/Instructor course for the El Salvadorian Policia Nacional Civil (PNC), El Salvador’s Federal Police.

As requested, SOG deployed three BORSTAR HRD Canine Instructors who were fluent in Spanish and had HRD instructional and operational experience. Border Patrol Agents from the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Special Operations Detachment and from SOG/Border Patrol Search, Trauma, & Rescue (BORSTAR) Unit deployed to San Salvador, El Salvador.

After arriving in-country, HRD Instructors had to travel and assess numerous areas on the outskirts of San Salvador for training venues to include rubble piles, large open fields for area and buried searches, and lakes/shorelines for submerged boat searches. These venues would be used throughout the course as well as for maintenance training and yearly re- certifications. This in itself proved to be challenging due to the mountainous jungle environment and the potential of running into Transnational Criminal Organization elements that operate in the area. Once all training sites were surveyed for both safety and training suitability, the course got underway.

The training of these canines presented unique situations due to the particular breed of dog used by the PNC. German Short-hair Pointers (GSP) were used, due to availability, instead ofthe traditional German Shepherds (GSD) or Belgian Malinois (BM) typically utilized in detection canine work. Because the critical drives for detection work of the GSP’s are significantly different than these other breeds, the HRD Instructors were challenged to use their diagnostic and problem solving skills to develop non- traditional training techniques to which these canines would be receptive. These skills and non- traditional methods were used throughout the entire training timeline from odor introduction/initial imprinting, reward object selection, drive build-up exercises, to the actual water search training for submerged human remains.

During the course and between training HRD Instructors advised and assisted in establishing a sustainable, organic, formal training program to be maintained by the Government of El Salvador. This program will serve as a future model for HRD training in Central America.

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After 10 full weeks of facing both venue and canine drive related challenges, the HRD Instructors were able to successfully graduate the first two Customs and Border Protection certified HRD Handlers/Instructors not only in El Salvador but in all of Central America.

This was also the first time that any canine team outside of the United States has been certified under the umbrella of the National Search Dog Alliance in HRD.

These two new canine teams are expected to be extremely busy throughout the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Most of their requests for the HRD discipline will be used in the location of clandestine gravesites utilized by Transnational Criminal Organizations, Drug Trafficking Organizations, and organized criminal gangs. The remains located will be used as evidence for prosecution in criminal cases as well as to give closure to numerous families of homicide victims throughout Central America.

2017 HERO DOG AWARDS

Nominations for the 2017 American Humane Hero Dog Awards® closed on March 8, 2017. NSDA is participating again this year as a charity partner. Voting will begin soon so check at www.herodogawards.org

If a nominated dog is NSDA’s charity partner and they win their category, the American Humane Association will donate $2,500 to the Alliance. If the nominated dog goes on to win the entire competition, NSDA will win an additional Hooch - 2016 winner Emerging Hero Category $5,000!

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You can listen (and subscribe) to the Search Dog PODCAST through iTunes and also find the PODCAST on Podbean at www.saroc.podbean.com.

Please send questions, feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

And the PODCASTS stay up indefinitely. Stay tuned. NSDA PODCASTS Eva Briggs

This month’s Podcast features an interview

with K.T. Irwin about scenarios training. K.T. has been a member of Northwest K9 Search Park County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and Recovery and Park County, Wyoming Unit (PCSAR) Search and Rescue and a Certified K9 Handler since 1998. Since then, she has trained and deployed seven search dogs to locate missing people: Labs, Border Collies, German Shepherds and one .

She has worked with many master trainers in all canine disciplines and is a Principal Evaluator The purpose of Park County Sheriff’s Office Search for the National Search Dog Alliance and Tri- and Rescue Unit (PCSAR) is to organize for, plan for, State K9 Organization. She teaches seminars in train for, maintain equipment for, and respond to human remains detection on land and in water incidents requiring search and rescue assistance as as well as case-based workshops, Scenarios, requested, directed, and authorized by the Sheriff which challenge handlers in search strategy, of Park County, Wyoming. This is accomplished in navigation, reading canine body language and three ways: clue awareness utilizing the search disciplines of mantrailing, cadaver, airscent and evidence. 1) By identifying hazardous areas, activities or situations and assisting in education of the K.T. has worked cases for city police public about these hazards and ways to avoid departments, county sheriff departments, the or minimize them thereby eliminating or Department of Criminal Investigation, the minimizing the hazards if practical; Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau 2) By training all PCSAR team members in basic of Indian Affairs. In 2011, she successfully search and rescue skills and training special worked with the Wyoming Legislature to pass teams for more technically demanding the first bill in the country legalizing the emergencies; and possession of human remains for the training of 3) By responding to calls for assistance in search and recovery dogs by certified searching for lost or missing persons and handlers. Since then, Utah, Texas and rescuing persons in distress within the training Louisiana have passed similar bills and and performance capabilities of the members. Washington and Montana are in the process for passing their legislation in 2018.

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We would be able to campaign for candidates THE JOHNSON AMENDMENT at all levels of government who are What it means to 501(c)(3) supportive of our mission and would push for organizations legislation sympathetic to our cause. We, as By Sue Wolff smaller entities, could have more influence on federal regulations effecting disaster At the National Prayer Breakfast in responses and how monies are dispensed for February, President Trump announced, those actions. “I will get rid of, and totally destroy, the Johnson Amendment and allow our While the repeal may be directed at churches representatives of faith to speak freely and religions, all 501(c)(3) organizations will and without fear of retribution.” be effected. For the sake of our monetary income based on charitable deductions and Introduced in 1954 by then Senator, and our legislative standing, it would benefit all later president, Lyndon B. Johnson, the SAR organizations to keep track of the Johnson Amendment explicitly prohibits progress of this potential repeal. 501(c)(3) organizations (including churches) Source: Guidestar.org from engaging in partisan political activity.

Although 501(c)(3) organizations may engage in a certain amount of issues advocacy, they must stop short of actively endorsing or financially supporting a particular candidate or a particular political party. This restriction applies almost exclusively to charitable nonprofits. It is deemed to ensure that charities remain a nonpartisan haven, separate from politics, in civil society

Even though the President’s statement is aimed mainly at churches, what could this mean to NSDA and all SAR teams who hold a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS?

There is thought that, along with the repeal of the Amendment, the charitable deduction may be eliminated or altered. Congress is seeking ways to increase revenue without raising taxes. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the deduction for charitable contributions costs about $50 billion a year in terms of money that does not HAPPY ST. PATRICK DAY go into the U.S. Treasury.

However there is a bright side for SAR to this possible repeal. While SAR organizations cannot now lobby for bills protecting our K- 9s, we could without the Johnson Amendment in place. SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 6

The Alaska bill also allows courts to include in domestic violence protective orders and requires the owners of pets seized in cruelty or neglect cases to cover the cost of their shelter. Family Law Washington Post: Karin Brulliard 1-24-17

Divorce: Who gets the house? WOMAN’S WEAPON AGAINST Who gets the couch? DANGEROUS ALLERGY Who gets the dog? Divorces can be messy. Leaving aside the Balloons, rubber bands, dishwashing gloves very raw emotions involved, there is the and yoga mats are hardly cause for panic for matter of splitting property. most people. But to Patsy Hayes, even the slightest physical contact with latex is enough If one of those items seems different to you, to send her to the hospital, wheezing with that’s probably because you, like many swollen lips, tongue and eyelids -- a possible Americans, consider pets to be more like life-threatening scenario. family members than furniture. But courts do not. Now, the severely allergic 21-year-old has a furry, 41-pound secret weapon trained to In the eyes of the law, animals are property. make sure she avoids her nemesis. So although custody battles are often passionate and sometimes truly wacky, courts think of them more prosaically: as part of the “property distribution” in a divorce.

That’s why an amendment to Alaska’s divorce statutes is making waves in the world of animal law. It makes Alaska the first state in the country to require courts to take “into consideration the well-being of the animal” and to explicitly empower judges to assign joint custody of pets. In a blog post, the Animal Legal Defense Fund called the well- being provision “groundbreaking and unique.” Introducing Andromeda, the latex . “It is significant,” said David Favre, a Michigan State University law professor who Read the entire article by Tracy Seipel at specializes in animal law. “For the first time, The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) a state has specifically said that a companion www.mercurynews animal has visibility in a divorce proceeding beyond that of property — that the court may award custody on the basis of what is best for the dog, not the human owners.”

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 7 Tests, Training Seminars, and Conferences Reach over 1,360 SAR K-9 handlers, list your tests, training seminars, and conferences in the SAR Dog News. Contact Norma Snelling at [email protected]

TESTS 2017 Topic Location Contact March 24-27 Avalanche, trailing, large source Wasilla, AK Terry Crooks [email protected] April

3-8 Avalanche Whitefish, MT Terry Crooks [email protected] May June Trailing, land HRD, area, large 5-10 Libby, MT Terry Crooks [email protected] source HRD 30-July 1 Water HRD Cody, WY K.T. Irwin [email protected]

TRAINING SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES 2017 Topic Location Contact March Disaster Search for K9s, Live Baton Rouge,

17-19 Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html and HRD LA

31-Apr 2 K9 SAR Basics Champaign, IL Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html April K9400 Advanced Air Scenting Camp

1-2 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Search Techniques for K-9 Atterbury, IN Ben 7-9 FACTS HRD K9 Seminar San Marcos, TX [email protected] Alexander K9220 Basic /Trailing Camp 8 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN K9210 Basic Land Cadaver Camp

9 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN IDHS SAR Conference: Area, Camp

20-23 Trailing, HRD Land, HRD Land Jan Meyer [email protected] Atterbury, IN Scenario, Disaster- Live & HR Appomattox,

20-23 Virginia SAR Conference Rob Blevins www.vasarco.net/ VA AMPWDA National K9 23-29 Cloverdale, IN Tony Keith www.AMPWDA.com Conference- SAR emphasis AMPWDA National K9 24-28 St. Louis, MO Tony Keith www.AMPWDA.com Conference – Police emphasis Law Enforcement Training 26-30 central Indiana Gail Cramer [email protected] Specialists (LETS) seminar Penn. Search & Rescue Council 27-29 Manheim, PA Coordinator [email protected] SAR-EX Conference NASDN Seminar on Area, www.NASDN.org 27-30 South Bend, NE Donna Casey Trailing, and HRD [email protected]

28-30 Developing K9 Skills for SAR Champaign, IL Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html Susan 29 Search dog seminar Jim Thorpe, PA [email protected] Bulanda

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 8 May K9320 Basic Intro Disaster Camp

4-5 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Search Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN K9330 Intermediate Disaster Camp 6-7 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN Maine Assoc. for SAR 12-13 Newry, ME Coordinator emainehosting.com/masar/events.htm Conference Washington State SAR 19-21 Ferry Co., WA Coordinator www.wasarcon.org/ Conference K9500 Water Cadaver Search 20-21 TBD Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Colorado Forensic Canines Bonnie 21-24 Lakewood, CO [email protected] NAPWDA Cadaver Cert. Guzman Building Search for Live and 26-28 Dwight, IL Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html HRD K9s June Area, Disaster, HRD, and IRO Ruckersville,

2-4 Elements with instructors from Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html VA The Netherlands

2-4 Mountain Rescue Assoc. Conf. Boise, ID Coordinator http://mra.org/ K9320 Intermediate Camp 3-4 Tracking/Trailing Techniques Lillian Hardy [email protected] Atterbury, IN for K9s dem.utah.gov/2016/06/01/mark-your- 3-4 Utah State SAR Conference Fish Lake, UT Cody Barton calendars-2017-search-and-rescue-

conference/ International Conf. on Urban San Francisco, www.waset.org/conference/2017/06/san- 7-8 Website Search and Rescue CA francisco/ICUSR HRD, Area, Evidence, Trailing, Large Source scenarios and 9-11 actors. Large areas and urban Cody, WY K. T. Irwin [email protected] areas. (See flyer at end of this newsletter.) Area, HRD, and Obedience

9-11 Elements with instructors from Flagstaff, AZ Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html The Netherlands K9310 Intermediate Cadaver Camp 10-11 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Search Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN Colorado Forensic Canines K9 Lake or Park Bonnie 15-18 [email protected] Trailing Seminar County, CO Guzman Disaster and Obedience Camp 16-18 Elements with instructors from Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html Atterbury, IN The Netherlands Colorado Forensic Canines K9 Lake or Park Bonnie 20-22 [email protected] HRD Seminar County, CO Guzman Introduction to Water Search 23-25 Barrington, NJ Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html for K9s Water HRD Worksop for Search 30-July 2 Cody, WY K. T. Irwin [email protected] Dog Teams July

K9500 Water Cadaver Search

15-16 TBD Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s K9420 Advanced Camp 29-30 Tracking/Trailing Search Lillian Hardy [email protected] Atterbury, IN Techniques for K9s August K9210 Basic air Scenting Camp

19 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 9

K9200 Basic Land Cadaver Camp 20 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN September

SAREX Calif. SAR conference

8-10 Merced Co, CA Coordinator www.sarex.org/ with CARDA K9 track Colorado Forensic Canines Bonnie 14-17 Fairplay, CO [email protected] NAPWDA Certification Guzman K9320 Basic Intro Disaster Camp 19-20 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Search Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN Nat. Conf. on Responding to

19-21 Missing and Unidentified Atlanta, GA Coordinator [email protected] Persons K9330 Intermediate Disaster Camp 21-22 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s Atterbury, IN K9430 Advanced Disaster Muscatatuck,

23-24 Lillian Hardy [email protected] Techniques for K9s IN Old Dominion K9 and Sumner Appomattox, Tim & Suzy 24-29 [email protected] Co. (TN) Fall Seminar VA Perry October CSAR Seminar: Air scent, Cuyahoga Falls, [email protected] 1-6 trailing, HRD & water recovery Tudy Morris OH www.csar.org/ topics 18-22 North Star Int. K9 Fall Seminar Saint Paul, IN [email protected] www.nsk9ta.com/ November Utah State Urban SAR Alliance Salt Lake City, 6-9 Coordinator [email protected] Conference UT K9 Scent Theory and Detection

9-12 Champaign, IL Coordinator www.sdona.org/events.html with Mike Suttle

2018 Topic Location Contact April

Penn Vet Philadelphia, Kathleen 20-23 [email protected] Conference PA Kelsey

WASHINGTON INDIANA Suzanne Elshult and K-9 Keb Jason Suedkamp and K-9 Anna Disaster III/HRD Land HRD Disaster III/Live SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 10

Annual Free Eye Exams for Service Animals QUALIFICATIONS IN BRIEF

For this program, animals that have completed a formal training program and currently provide services such as the following are invited to participate: guide, hearing assistance, drug detection, police/military, search and rescue, and those assisting people with disabilities other than blindness.

This is a philanthropic program offered by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, with the support of our sponsors, to provide free screening eye exams The ACVO/StokesRx 10th Annual Free Eye each year to working Service Animals around Exams for Service Animals program invites the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Annually NSDA members to receive a free sight-saving over 7,400 free eye exams are provided to eye exam from our boarded veterinary qualified Service Animals and over 52,000 total ophthalmologists from around the country. in the past nine (9) years. There are no strings attached and no cost to the client. REGISTRATION SUMMARY Those utilizing the services of actively working Service Animals, or those who train them via Registration opens April 1st for a an official training program, are welcome to complimentary eye exam to be given in May participate annually. for Service Animals (and formally trained/ registered Therapy Animals). On April 1st, an MORE PROGRAM INFORMATION online registration form will be made available Much more program information is located at at www.ACVOeyeexam.org. Clinics and www.ACVOeyeexam.org appointment space is on a first-come, first served basis.

All appointments will occur in the month of May.

To participate, NSDA members must register online during the month of April and will receive a confirmation number to provide to the clinic of their choice. Clinic information will be provided after registration is complete and the handler may then call to make an appointment. Diagram of canine eye

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Bloodhounds in the Military

75th Anniversary of the US K-9 Corps

March 13 is K-9 Veterans Day Dogs have been associated with the United States Army since its inception, but their role has been primarily that of a mascot or in some other unofficial capacity. Not until World War II did the Army make the connection official. In January 1942, members of the and other dog lovers formed a civilian organization called Dogs for Defense. They intended to train dogs to perform sentry duty for the army along the coast of the United States. Aware of this effort, Lieutenant Colonel Clifford C. Smith, chief of the Plant Protection Branch, Inspection Division, Quartermaster Corps, met with his commander, Major General Edmund B. Gregory, and suggested that the Army use the sentry dogs at supply depots. Gregory gave th SP/4 Terry Scharton with the 615 his approval to MP Company bloodhound mascot “Andy” in front of the Orderly Room an experimental on Long Binh Post, Vietnam, 1969. program, and on March 13, 1942, Under Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson approved Gregory's application and created the K-9 Corps.

After World War II, the Military Police Corps took over responsibility for training military dogs. The canines have continued to serve with distinction in other conflicts. It is SP/4 Randy Battles of the 615th MP estimated that the Army employed 1,500 dogs during the Company, 95th MP Battalion, and the Korean War and 4,000 in the Vietnam War. Currently, the company mascot, “Andy” with Martha Army has 578 dog teams which have seen service in Iraq Raye, “Colonel Maggie,” and a Captain at the Bob Hope USO and Afghanistan. The courage and loyalty of these dogs Christmas Show at Long Binh Post, have continued to save lives and prevent injuries since Vietnam, December 25, 1971. creation of the K-9 Corps.

(from an article by Dr. Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr., U.S. Army Military History Institute, https://www.army.mil/article/7463 ; photos from http://720mpreunion.org/ )

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“In fact, it was hard to find them right away because they were hidden. Then we heard RESCUED SHEEPDOG PUPPIES this very tiny and we saw them from a little hole the firefighters had opened in the wall. Then we expanded the hole and we Five days after up to 60,000 tons of snow, pulled them out.” rocks and uprooted trees plowed into the Hotel Rigopiano in central Italy, rescue crews were Jubilant emergency crews carried the pups out still digging by hand or with shovels and in their arms, with one firefighter burying his chainsaws in hopes of finding more face in the fluffy white fur to give the dog a survivors…and they did but not what they kiss. expected. “We’re happy to have saved them, and these are important moments in a dramatic situation,” he said. “But I don’t think there’s much correlation with finding other people.”

Firefighter spokesman Luca Cari, however, stressed that the puppies were found in an isolated part of the hotel and didn’t necessarily signal any new hope for finding human survivors.

The last people were rescued after 58 hours of being buried.

abc27.com Emergency crews had been hoping that the 22 missing people may have found air pockets under the debris, and that the snow would insulate them from the frigid temperatures. But more than two days had passed since anyone has been pulled out alive from the hotel rubble. Conditions at the site were deteriorating, with the heavy snow turning to ice.

Five puppies were born last month to the hotel’s resident sheepdogs, Nuvola and Lupo, and were prominently featured on the hotel’s Facebook page. Their parents had found their own way out after the Wednesday afternoon Hotel after 4 star Hotel before avalanche but without their puppies. Part of the roof collapsed and moved the hotel While rescuerers were searching for more 10 meters down the mountain and under 13 buried victims, they heard a muffled sound. feet of snow. Rigopiano avalanche, Widipedia “They just started barking very softly,” said Sonia Marini, a member of the Forestry Corps.

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DOG FINDS HOME with search and rescue team in toys and he wanted to be out doing stuff all

the time." A dog at the Humane Rescue Alliance was looking for his forever home, but had no luck. Bongo just needed to find a place for all that Thankfully, trainers at the shelter saw just how energy to go. "So I started thinking maybe he special Bongo was, and knew he was meant would be a good candidate for search and for something more. rescue programs or a working dog program," said Dilley. She was right; Bongo aced his This is his story. initial training. "He's a natural!" Bongo is an 11-month-old Lab who had a Now, Bongo is in California going through his rough start at life. Unwanted and essentially final testing with the National Disaster Search deemed un-adoptable at a shelter in Miami, Dog Foundation. "All the trainers love him and Bongo was sent up to the Humane Rescue he loves it and he's doing so well there," said Alliance in Washington, DC. Dilley. "We are really pulling for him."

It turns out, all the characteristics that made Bongo un-adoptable actually make him the perfect .

"I think different dogs have different purposes in life," said Dilley. "I'm really happy and proud when we can match that dog and his needs and his purpose to what is out there in the community."

Bongo's purpose, is to save lives. But that was only discovered because someone saved his.

"I like to think about that, too," said Dilley. After nearly two months in the shelter, Bongo's "It's the reason I come to work every day." bad habits only got worse. "We had staff members who said, the moment they opened Bongo has one more test to pass before he can the door, he was all teeth; it was just really officially start working. overwhelming for people to deal with," said The Humane Rescue Alliance does everything Alexandra Dilley, a trainer at the Humane they can to get dogs adopted - or into Rescue Alliance. "He was going to be a hard programs like Bongo's, for working dogs. adoption." And it turns out - the National Disaster Search Everyone only saw the bad in Bongo, except Dog Foundation is in desperate need of more Dilley. Where most saw problems, she saw dogs like Bongo. potential. "He was a very sweet dog, all of his behavior was very social and wiggly," said http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/dog-finds-home- Dilley. "He just had a lot of drive and interest with-search-and-rescue-team/409365994 February 17, 2017 Nikki Burdine, WUSA-9

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30 MOST TALENTED DOG BREEDS IN THE WORLD

Dog lovers worldwide will tell you that every is talented in their own way. The truth is, however, that some dog breeds are simply more skilled than others when it comes to certain tasks.

If you're interested in adopting a dog that will compete in dog shows, dock jumping or canine agility competitions, you may be interested in adopting one of the most talented dog breeds.

You can't judge the talent of a dog just because of his breed, of course. With the right type of training, virtually any dog can find his inner talent. All it takes is a little creativity and a lot of patience and you may find that your mixed breed rescue dog has a unique talent that you never expected (and is probably on this list of talented dog breeds).

On the other hand, some dog breeds are just naturally more intelligent and easier to train than others. These dogs learn quickly and are able to anticipate what their handler wants them to do next. For these reasons, they are the considered talented dog breeds.

1. German Shepard 6. Rough Collie 2. Labrador 7. 3. 8. 4. Bloodhound 9. Belgian Malinois 5. 10. Shetland Sheepdog http://news.google.com/news/url?sr=1&ct2=us%2F9_0_s_13_1_a&sa=t&usg=AFQjCNFyEqafVrpMb3Tb_80XO 3ktFqghRg&cid=null&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftopdogtips.com%2Fmost-talented-dog- breeds%2F&ei=qsO1WNnBJtvqqQLm0b_YAg&sig2=jKpw6U_C_QwLSf9mzmsn1g&rt=HOMEPAGE&vm=STAND ARD&bvm=section&did=287649776985778373&sid=-2518723636763170704&ssid=cstm&st=2&at=dt0 TopDogTips.com

“And then one day, I just sat down out there and cried and cried,” she recalled. “I even went so far as to try to bargain with God.”

And that is when she found the answer and the peace she was looking for. All of a sudden it struck her. She thought, “If I feel like this, can you imagine how people feel who are GRIEF FOR LOST DOG missing a child or a loved one?” And right then motivates Brunswick Search and Rescue volunteer she determined to get a search and rescue dog

and join forces with a team to help locate When Nina Daugherty’s little Yorkie, Diva, was missing persons. snatched by a coyote, Daugherty was grief- stricken. She thought Diva was dead but she http://www.starnewsonline.com/entertainment/2017012 wasn’t sure; she needed proof. So day after 6/grief-for-lost-dog-motivates-brunswick-search-and- day she searched the woods behind her Castle rescue-volunteer Hayne home looking for some clue.

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K-9 SEARCH DOGS some idea that dogs need training and can do at Westfield, Washington, Public Library all kinds of things.”

Westfield children will have a chance to hang Anywhere from four to eight dogs will attend out with Indiana K-9 Search and Rescue dogs the event and Snyder said there is no through a program organized by Westfield particular breed that makes the best search Washington Township. dog. Indiana K-9 SAR dog breeds range from Dobermans to Great Pyrenees.

“We feel it’s so beneficial to the community to get out and see how these dogs perform and what a value they add to our different police departments,” said Stacy London, township recreation program coordinator. “It’s a great experience and we’d love to get as many people out there to the library.”

http://currentinwestfield.com/2017/kids- have-chance-to-hang-with-k-9-search-dogs- at-westfield-washington-public-library/ Currentinwestfield.com

Leah Snyder pauses with Axl, a Great Pyrenees search and rescue dog (submitted photo)

Leah Snyder, director of Indiana K-9 Search and Rescue, said kids often have a special fascination with search dogs.

“We just take (the dogs) in and let the kids hang out with them,” Snyder said. “All kids think that search dogs are special and they just love it. What we want them to see and hopefully take away from this whole thing is some safety. We talk a little bit about stranger danger and missing children. We just say the dogs can find missing people and leave it at that. They can see what a trained dog can do. So hopefully, when they grow up, they have

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 16

SEARCH AND RESCUE CATS To boot, cats can climb, squeeze into tight better than dogs? places and keep balance, as Viegas notes. All of these qualities could bode well for a successful rescue. We’ve all heardstories about cats who helped their owners escape fires. Or cats who’ve There’s also a lot of them. Shreve calls cats an helped people cope with depression. Or those “untapped resource,” as they outnumber dogs who’ve alerted family members about someone in the United States by 10 million. having a stroke. But can cats save lives in a more official context? “Given the importance of olfaction in cat sensory perception, cats could be trained to A quick Google search for “search and rescue discriminate between a variety of odors,” she cats” brings up a fake organization that does tells Seeker, “therefore serving in working roles not actually deploy teams of cats to for detecting specific humans, medical scent avalanches. detection, bomb sniffing, or drug sniffing.” Humans have used other unexpected animals to Although the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Cat sniff out bombs including rats, South African Association does not exist, reality can become elephants and bees. almost that cool. A new study in Applied Animal Behavior Science finds that cats People usually think of cats as notoriously hard discriminate between different smells better to train so working cats are few and far than dogs. This means they may be more between. But the feat can be done with careful effective in sniffing out bombs and missing attention to socialization and rewards. people than rescue dogs. While cats probably never will dig people out of an avalanche, they have more potential as rescue animals than many give them credit for.

Right now, rescue cats are few and far between. Maybe this research will change that.

http://www.care2.com/causes/could-search- and-rescue-cats-be-better-than-dogs.html

As Jen Viegas writes on Seeker, ”[Study co- author Kristyn Vitale] Shreve explained that there are three families of receptor proteins in the scent detection organ of mammals: V1Rs, V2Rs and FPRs. The number of V1R receptor gene variants is believed to predict the mammal’s ability to discriminate different odors. Domestic cats have around 30 V1Rs compared to just nine in dogs, Shreve said.”

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 17

DOGS AND 2 YEAR OLD KIDS: The findings, published in the journal Animal SIMILAR SOCIAL Behaviour, could help scientists better understand how humans evolved socially. One INTELLIGENCE explanation for the similarities between dogs and humans is that the two species may have Dogs and two-year-old children show similar evolved under similar pressures that favoured patterns in social intelligence, much more than “survival of the friendliest” with benefits and one of our closest relatives – rewards for more cooperative social behaviour. chimpanzees, says a study. The researchers looked at how “Our working hypothesis is that dogs and two-year-olds, dogs and humans probably evolved some of these skills chimpanzees performed on as a result of similar evolutionary processes, so comparable tests designed to probably some things that happened in human measure various evolution were very similar to processes that types of cognition. happened in dog domestication,” MacLean said. While chimpanzees performed well on tests involving their physical So, potentially, by studying dogs and environment and spatial domestication we can learn something about reasoning, they did not do as well human evolution,” he added. when it came to tests of The research could even have the potential to cooperative communication skills, help researchers better understand human such as the ability to follow a pointing finger or disabilities, such as autism, that may involve human gaze. deficits in social skills, MacLean said. Dogs and children IANS Indo Asian News Service outperformed chimpanzees on cooperative communication tasks, and researchers observed similar patterns of variation in performance between individual dogs and between individual children.

“What we found is that there’s this pattern, where dogs who are good at one of these social things tend to be good at lots of the related social things, and that’s the same thing you find in kids but you don’t find it in chimpanzees,” said Evan MacLean, Director of the Arizona Canine Cognition Center at the University of Arizona in the US.

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 18

KIBBLES & BITS by Susan Bulanda

To my loyal readers – Do you have any subjects that you would like me to cover? Send them to me at [email protected] with K & B in the subject line.

I was asked to comment on whether or not certain breeds are more aggressive than others. The answer to that is definitely yes. However, to fairly call a dog aggressive we must first define what aggression is.

Unfortunately, in today’s society in many cases if a dog bites once, it is labeled as aggressive. This is unfair and untrue. All dogs bite or will bite given the right circumstances. A discussion about dog bites and aggression is another whole topic that would take quite a bit of room. So for the sake of this article, I will call a dog aggressive when it will bite unprovoked or cannot determine friend from foe.

Fortunately, breeds that are prone to aggression are not typically suitable for SAR work. Here are the breeds that have been bred to be aggressive:

Akbash Dog Fila Brasileiro Komondor Anatolia Shepherd Dog Great Pyrenees Bouvier des Ardennes Illyrian Sheepdog Perro de Presa Canario Cane Corso Karelian Bear Dog Stichelhaar Cão Da Serra De Aires

Komondor Some that can be aggressive but breeding has softened them: Black Russian Dogue de Bordeaux Scottish Terrier Dachshund Great Siberian Husky Doberman Old English

Most of the above named breeds have been bred to be guardians of or people. They can be wonderful with the immediate family but intolerant with strangers. Doberman Pinscher

What I have seen over many years is that local breeding practices can introduce aggression in almost every breed. There were a few years when Golden and Labrador Retrievers were the most common breeds brought to me for aggression issues. This primarily was a local breeding issue.

In the 1970-80’s when I raised and raced Siberian Huskies, you did not find aggression in this breed.

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 19

However, there was one popular stud dog that produced aggressive offspring for at least three generations that I knew of. Anytime a client with an aggressive Siberian contacted me about aggressive behavior toward humans, I could trace the pedigree back to this one dog. Today the breed does have aggression issues in some of the dogs. I cannot say it is all because of this particular stud but it does make you wonder. What we can take away from my experiences is that any breed can be genetically influenced to be aggressive. This means that somewhere in each dog’s genetic makeup is the tendency toward aggression and, if that tendency is focused upon, the likelihood of producing an aggressive dog increases.

The other aspect of aggression is environment. Any individual dog can become aggressive if the situation presents itself or it is encouraged to act aggressively. This is evident in breeds that are popular for training, aggression sports such as and Ring Sport, police and military dogs. It does not mean that these breeds are necessarily aggressive but they can be trained to be so.

This can take place culturally as well. When a breed becomes popular with sub-cultures and is taught to be aggressive, the breed can gain a reputation as being aggressive when in fact they are not. A good example is theStaffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Terrier. Often these breeds are lumped into the classification of Bully Breeds. Most people cannot tell the difference between them.

Ironically the Pit Bull Terrier was bred not to show re- directed aggression to humans when in a dog fight; they are the only breed to have been bred not to bite humans yet they have the reputation of being aggressive to people.

Labeling an individual dog as aggressive is not easy. This is because there are different kinds of bites and not all of them are aggressive acts. In a given situation a dog may act in an aggressive manner but not be an aggressive dog. This is what makes the job of a behavior consultant who specializes in “aggressive” dogs difficult.

The final analysis regarding aggression in dogs is that, when selecting a dog for SAR work or as a pet, it is critical that the dog/ is selected from a reputable breeder who has been thoroughly researched. Ideally the potential owner should see litter mates and dogs from previous breeding’s of the sire and dam. While breeders may do their best, genetics is not an exact science and the genetic makeup of any given litter could vary from pup to pup. A breeder may do their best and still have a pup or two that does not measure up as far as temperament or physical traits. What the potential owner must consider is that, overall, the pups produced from the breeder have had the qualities for which they are looking.

SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 20

MISSING RED PANDA Based on patterns of two (2) search http://pilotonline.com/news/local/science/base dogs, officials believe missing red panda d-on-patterns-of-search-dogs-officials-believe- missing-red/article_1d38287b-b111-501c-be44- has not left the Virginaia Zoo in Norfolk 6aa0f77736b1.html

The zoo called for help from the Newport News Update: Sheriff’s Office to “exhaust every resource we can to try and find our panda,” said Greg The NY Times reported she was found – right Bockheim, zoo executive director. in front of the zoo’s bird exhibit The Washington Post reported Feb 6 that Ollie the One of the dogs, Blyth said, was a Sheriff’s bobcat was found but not Sunny the red Office bloodhound named Cooper who panda. specialized in tracking people. The other dog, a mastiff mix named Bear, is Blyth’s own dog who tracks pets.

“The dogs don’t give me any indication that Board of Directors— the panda has left,” said Tommy Blyth, a Newport News sheriff’s deputy who used two OFFICERS trained search dogs to sniff out the Panda’s Susan Fleming, President, Pennsylvania trail. [email protected] Terry Crooks, Vice-President, Montana [email protected] He added that the panda was “probably within Sue Wolff, Secretary, Tennessee an earshot.” [email protected] Julie Gibson, Treasurer, Idaho [email protected]

DIRECTORS Bridget Jackson, Missouri [email protected] Jen Skeldon, Wyoming [email protected] Heather Proper-VanValkenberg, Pennsylvania [email protected] Kathleen Kelsey, Missouri [email protected] Norma Snelling, Washington [email protected]

Founding Members— K-9 Thor, Eileen M. Nobles, Susan Bulanda K-9 Roo, Leslie Godchaux, Brian R. Hendrickson Ashley Mars, marketing manager for the zoo, Continental Kennel Club, Inc., K-9 River, K-9 Persha; said the sniffing campaign has zeroed in on an Jan Thompson, K-9 Cali, Peggy Ann Buchman; K-9 exhibit known as Asia – The Trail of The Tiger. Geist

Infrared cameras, a drone and traps with grapes and bamboo have been used to lure the animal back.

NSDA SAR DOG NEWS March/April 2017 Page 21

Large source, right? Even when alligators have been involved, there are still large portions of THE LAST HOWL human remains left by the creature. Therefore the use of a large source in NSDA Water HRD By Sue Wolff tests…and a large source should be utilized in training as well. Opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily States, counties and municipalities justifiably those of the National Search Dog have concerns about blood seepage into the Alliance. water from a source used for training and/or

testing. If the source is contained properly,

there should be no leakage. What’s a good source? How much source is needed for training? A little? A lot? Should the If the bloody tissue is especially sodden, wrap it amount be different for water, disaster and first in cheese cloth. Then put it into a woman’s land? How should it be contained? stocking. Either cut off a section of panty hose

or use a knee high. Next place the source into a The first consideration for source is the PVC tube with holes drilled in it at 2-3 inch availability. This is often governed by state and intervals. Then to check for seepage, place this federal laws of which all HRD handlers should in a bucket of water. I doubt there will be any have knowledge. but, if there is, do a second layer of cheese cloth

and/or stocking. Smaller pieces of source can Some handlers are lucky enough to be friends be wrapped as above but placed in a cricket with a medical examiner who is willing to legally cage which can be found at sporting goods supply them with source. Others get theirs from stores in the fishing section. a doctor with permission from the patient. Then there’s always the Bone Room online with Bottom line: K-9s doing the searching for special prices for SAR personnel. human remains should be familiar with a large

amount of source, small to minute amounts and The amount of source used in training is no source at all in order to be successful on real governed by what the goal of the training is. life HRD searches. Are you searching for a whole body in a lake i.e. a large source or are you looking for bone fragments from a homicide i.e. tiny source?

Some handlers and Evaluators have questioned certain portions of NSDA’s HRD tests. Some didn’t understand why a land area was without source. Handlers should train for this since most HRD searches only clear areas of a possible location of a body and/or parts.

Comments I’ve heard regarding NSDA’s water HRD test is that handlers fail because their dogs are repulsed by the overwhelming odor of the source. Think about it. Most calls that I have been on for drownings were for entire bodies.

National Search Dog Alliance 2017 Statement of Financial Income and Expense

Cash Basis January through February 2017

Unclassified TOTAL Ordinary Income/Expense Income 43400 · Direct Public Support 43430 · Individual/Business Donations 350.00 350.00 43450 · Individual Business Donations 25.98 25.98 Total 43400 · Direct Public Support 375.98 375.98 46400 · Other Types of Income 46420 · Inventory Sales (Merchandise) 20.00 20.00 46430 · Certification Field Test 105.99 105.99

46440 · On Line Certification Testing 55.00 55.00

Total 46400 · Other Types of Income 180.99 180.99

47200 · Programmed Income 47210 · Membership Dues - Individual 1,640.00 1,640.00 47230 · Membership Dues - Team 540.00 540.00 Total 47200 · Programmed Income 2,180.00 2,180.00 Total Income 2,736.97 2,736.97 Gross Profit 2,736.97 2,736.97 Expense 65000 · Operations 65010 · Business/Financial Software 1,500.00 1,500.00 65020 · Postage, Mailing Service 8.33 8.33 65075 · Hosting Fees 27.14 27.14 65080 · PayPal Cost-Membership Dues 49.18 49.18 65090 · PayPal Cost-Inventory Sales 0.74 0.74 65100 · PayPal Cost-On Line Training 3.31 3.31 65102 · PayPal Costs - Field Test 2.91 2.91 65131 · Field Test Refunds 45.00 45.00 Total 65000 · Operations 1,636.61 1,636.61 Total Expense 1,636.61 1,636.61 Net Ordinary Income 1,100.36 1,100.36 Net Income 1,100.36 1,100.36

SCENARIOS WORKSHOP FOR SEARCH DOG TEAMS

Edwin Grant, Steve Stewert, K.T. Irwin

June 9, 10, 11, 2017

This workshop is entirely scenario based and many of the scenarios are based on actual cases. Search scenarios will be conducted in wilderness and urban areas to simulate actual searches for missing persons. Human remains detection, air scent, evidence and trailing dog disciplines will be utilized for large area and urban search for the types of cases SAR handlers usually respond to such as Alzheimer subjects, missing children, drowning victims, suicide searches as well as crime scene. Teams are encouraged to work each case together utilizing the strengths of each dog/handler team. Some of the cases will be worked separately by each team. Very large training sources will be used as well as actors to simulate real-world searches. The goal of this workshop is to learn to read your dog, work with other search dog teams using a variety of SAR disciplines in order to locate the missing subjects as well as hone navigational skills, search strategy, man tracking, first responder medical skills, etc.

Please contact K.T. Irwin at [email protected] for questions regarding the seminar.

There are many places to camp, RV or motel in and near Cody. Please search Cody Wyoming Lodging or Google Cody Wyoming Chamber of Commerce for a listing of lodging facilities in all price ranges.

Please purchase bear spray when you arrive in Cody.

Name: ______

Address: ______

Telephone: ______

E-mail Address: ______

Canine’s Name: ______

Canine’s Certs/Experience Level: ______

Workshop fee: $375.00 payable to: Northwest K9 Search & Recovery 137 Rio Vista Cody, Wyoming 82414