The Changing of The Guard

Today was an important day in training. Today I became the handler, and no longer the victim in my partnership with Quincy. We have graduated from searching for me, to his searching with me! Quincy has learned the basics of the "game" of searching. He has demonstrated that he can track me, nose to the ground, nose in the air, to a completely hidden spot without watching me run-away from him. He has shown good focus and consistent problem solving. The foundation for searching has been set....for Phase One. Now we move to Phase Two - where we begin searching for others, and scent articles are introduced along with the "check it" command. Although we are progressing in training, in some ways we are backtracking during this phase. We have to return to the basics of those initial puppy run-aways, just like our very first week, but now with me, the handler, releasing him with the "Go Find" command to search for a variety of "victims" who for now just run-away, but over the next few weeks will begin to hide. I am amazed with how far we have come in just 7 weeks of training. My pup is now 15 weeks old.

Although Quincy and I weren't ready to participate in the full scope of today's team training opportunities, it was exciting being a part of the action and watching the other dogs work in an urban disaster training setting. We trained outside of New Orleans at the Municipal Training Academy where the dogs were able to work problems searching for live and deceased victims in rubble pits, wooded fields, and a specially designed trailer. The trailer was dimly lit and had a maze of rooms, obstacles, ladders, hiding places and levels inside it. The flooring was intentionally hazardous and required a new level of focus from both the dogs and handlers. It was totally different than any I have seen worked so far. The dogs had to navigate tight areas without the handler being able to closely follow them. Outside in the pits, they had to deal with difficult footing and dangerous rubble that had sharp metal, rebar, broken bricks, and rough concrete heaped around an obstacle course of cement tubes that could be used for hiding people or "parts".

Disaster work presents very different challenges for both the dog and the handler than the usual live search or HRD (Human Remains Recovery) work. It exposes both to dangerous chemicals, terrain, and situations. Although it can be one of the more exciting areas of search and rescue to work in, with rescuers often being some of the first to be dispatched to the big disasters such as Katrina or 9/11, these searches have caused shorter life spans of the canines that worked them. Many have died early deaths from cancer and illnesses that can be directly linked to things that they were exposed to in these treacherous environments. It is definitely an area of work that has to be contemplated seriously before agreeing to volunteer the services of both canine and self. I have heard many sad stories over the past few months about canines who have worked some of these more well known tragedies and have perished from the exposures.

Fire Training Tower

Mobile Home Maze

Simulated bedroom with crawl spaces

Obstacles inside trailer

Multiple levels and hiding places

Kitchen Area with Floor Hazards and Crawl Spaces

It's still early in my training and I haven't decided which direction I am going to take, although I am leaning towards dual training my dog for both Live Search and HRD. There are so many areas to choose from and so many things that these dogs can do it is difficult to decide! I guess that only means one thing...more dogs in the future!