Small Steps....

Buzz has gotten the concept of the bark barrel quite nicely by now.  Human goes in the barrel with his toy, Buzz runs to the barrel, Buzz barks LOTS and LOUD and BINGO....human presents the toy for a wonderful game of tug.  What fun!  So now we were ready to take the next step.  It seems simple enough - move the barrel to a new location with new/uneven footing (like you will find in a disaster scenario) and then next, begin to 'hide' the barrel with debris (again like you would find in a disaster scenario).  On the surface seems simple enough, but it is funny how a new environment or context, uneven footing, etc... can really distract a dog or throw them off.  But this is part of the test to see if the dog really has the nerve strength and confidence to truly do disaster work.  Well......I think Buzz passed this test with flying colors.

Thanks to my friend and teammate Matt - who has become quite well versed as a "victim" - Buzz showed no hesitation to get to the barrel and BARK LOTS and LOUD to get that stupid human to produce the toy. :)  It is so fun to watch his confidence build and his drive for the game grow with every training.  If he keeps this up I think he has lots of potential as a future disaster dog....as long as I don't screw him up!

Time Flies.....again!

So a friend gave me a gentle reminder and poke - telling me it had been THREE MONTHS since my last blog post/update.  How did three months go by so fast and who stole all that time????  Buzz is now close to having the body of an adult Golden but still has the brain and antics of a total puppy...these are challenging times. :)  But he has also shown some remarkable maturity and focus in his training in the last month.

We have been working the bark barrel to build his bark indication for live find search work.  He has really gotten the concept of "person in the barrel has my toy....must bark LOUDLY and OFTEN to get them to open the lid and play tug".  And of course special thanks to my teammates Matt Noar and Lynne Fehr for letting me stuff them in a hot, dark, and windless plastic barrel when it is 90 degrees outside.  The things we will do to train our dogs!   I am in continual amazement at how quickly Buzz catches on to whatever I teach him or throw at him.  

He has a wonderful confidence and basically does not know any fear...which certainly has its downsides.  It seems the more he can jump, spin, and make himself airborne in pursuit of toys or play the happier he is.  His favorite morning activity is to run outside and do his business, then run laps around the yard while hurdling my landscaping and bouncing off the lawnchairs....which happen to rock and spin as he flies from one to the other.  Of course his version of acrobatic fun scared the crap out of me a few weeks back when he suddenly could not lay down without significant pain and was clearly having intense back pain.  After running all sorts of tests to rule out the scary stuff (thankfully all negative) it seemed he had just twisted some muscles in his back and with several days of rest and some meds he was all back to his 'flying walenda' self.    For all the chaos he seems to create, I can't think of a day that he has not made me smile and laugh.  He just seems to love every moment with so much gusto and nothing bothers him...a lesson I could certainly take note of and learn to apply in my own life.  Even when I catch him chewing a shoe - I go to take the shoe....feeling my anger welling up...and he simply looks up and me and licks my face as I take the shoe away....and any ounce of anger I had vaporizes with his grinning face.  Life is too short to be angry about a shoe, especially when you are so blessed to have a dog like Buzz!

Time Flies

How did it go from February to May so quickly???  I can't believe how fast Buzz is growing and how he has developed such great foundational skills that I hope to turn into an even better search dog.  He is sooo motivated for his toy and will now easily bark at ANYONE to get his toy..no shy violet here.  I have also amped up his hunting games, adding odor to the hunt.  He has so much enthusiasm for the 'game' and just launches himself as he starts the hunt.  It just makes me smile and laugh to watch him eagerly start the game.  I am now considering whether or not we want to focus on live-find disaster/area search work given his amazing nerve strength and enthusiasm for people.  I will be putting him through some 'tests' with my friends that really know disaster dog work in the next weeks - so we will see how he does.  I expect he will do really well if his current behavior is any indication.  I could not be happier with this boy...what a joy to train and work with. I wake each day and smile as I let him out of the crate and he tumbles out to greet me with his kisses....ready for the day ahead.  If only life were that simple and joyful for us humans on a daily basis!  Even the most simple thing like a discarded water bottle makes Buzz happy...I guess that is a lesson we all could learn from. :)

The game of Hunting

It is amazing how my training approach and philosophy has changed over the years...I owe so much to the dogs that have come before Buzz - K9 Chief and K9 Sula.  I am so enjoying just taking my time with Buzz - letting him 'be a puppy' and not pushing him into odor work too quickly.  It is such a joy to just work on building the solid foundation of his natural hunt drives and a great reward system.  Sunday was a great day to continue the hunt games in a new environment, hiding Buzz's favorite toy in a wood pile with all sorts of people watching him. He was so focused on finding his toy, using his nose to follow the odor and ignoring all the people that were watching him.  All these skills are building such a great foundation for the more directed search work that is yet to come.  Knowing that Buzz will hunt and stay focused on his hunt is such a joy - that is they key to all the rest to come.  I am enjoying the lack of stress and anxiety I am feeling with Buzz...no need to rush him.  He will never be this baby pup again so I am soaking in every last moment of this joy...he will have a lifetime of work ahead of him.

Big Dog Training Day

Today Buzz got to join in the big dog training at the rubble pile and he came out of the truck and on to the rubble pile as if he had always been there.  This little guy has no fear and such wonderful confidence.  Today the goal was to just play with Buzz on 'baby rubble' and let him have fun tugging and playing on new surfaces and with new footing.  We played his favorite game of tug and he was all about the game...as usual.  Not much can keep him from wanting his tug toy...not even uneven surfaces or strange environments.  Then he got to learn from the "big dogs" following them around the rubble piles and learning how to navigate the voids and other obstacles.  Buzz had a great time with retired SAR dog Taeryn and his SAR pup buddy Kuster.  It is so amazing to see his level of confidence already.

Every Moment is a Learning Moment

I try to take my dogs on a nice long run/walk off leash at a local natural area almost every day.  Honestly, I think the hike in total peace and solitude of the flora and fauna is as much for me as it is for them.  I decompress, think, and just breathe without the sounds or distractions of the 'real world' - I sooo look forward to those hikes every day.  But my obsession with multi-tasking does not sit quietly so of course I take advantage of the walks as a great opportunity to practice some basic training skills - but in a more fun environment.  Having a second, adult dog that is reliable on her training sure does help - puppies LOVE to do what the 'big dog' does and mimic their behavior.  So I have turned the recall exercise into a race game - waiting until the dog and pup are well out ahead of me sniffing something of interest- I then give a recall and the race to get to me first is ON :)   Of course Sula usually wins the race right now, but Buzz is fast catching up and will be quicker than she is very soon.  Nothing beats the incentive of racing the other dog back to get the treat first!   I also play hide-and-seek games, ducking behind a tree or bush when the dogs are ahead of me, then calling them.  They have to use their nose to figure out where I am hiding.  It is amazing how quickly Buzz has figured this game out.  Of course Sula is a PRO so it helps that he has been able to learn from her at the same time.  But he uses his nose very independently and now is starting to find me completely on his own rather than just following Sula.

I love being able to combine training in such a fun and de-stressful environment.  I try to look at every moment as a learning moment - knowing that Buzz has the mind of a steel trap, so it is in my best interest to help him learn the RIGHT thing...and not the WRONG thing.  :)   I just love watching Buzz learn and problem solve...nothing beats ending the day with such a great training hike!

First Snow

Today was Buzz's first snow.  There is nothing more fun than watching a puppy experience something like snow for the first time...total joy and elation as they run, jump, dive, dig, and flop around in the fluffy white stuff.  We played with toys and I buried them so he had to use his nose to find them.  What a treat to watch him sniff around and then jump for joy when he found his favorite tug under the snow.  Even Sula decided it was a good day to finally play with Buzz, chasing him through the fresh snow and having a coonhound bark fest all the way. :)

Ode to K9 "Chief"

As I work on this blog for the newest member of my family "Buzz" I keep coming back to how this all started - "Chief".  I got Chief as a puppy, the runt of 13 Redbone Coonhound/Lab puppies and picked him simply because he was CUTE!  I had not clue about K9 Search and Rescue and really thought he would just be an awesome companion....which of course he was.  But soon I realized that this little boy needed a job, he was just a terror to live with!  In a twist of fate, at the same time I attended a meeting of the Missoula County Search and Rescue group, hoping to volunteer with them.  I was an outdoor nut - hiking, backpacking, skiing, biking, etc... so it seemed a great way to volunteer and be involved in the outdoors.  Thankfully I met a woman in the group who was doing K9 SAR and was invited to train with them.  So the journey and life-long passion began....so simple and so innocent at the time! :)  Chief trained for area search, avalanche, and cadaver and just seemed to excel in all he did, despite all the mistakes I made along the way.  He was the best first SAR dog a girl could ask for...so forgiving of me and always willing to try something new.  We never did certify in area search but avalanche and cadaver seemed to be what we were destined to do.  


Chief worked tirelessly to his retirement at 12 years old, and left this earth at almost 14 years old.  He helped many families along the way and taught me more than I will ever truly appreciate or understand.  I have so many amazing people in my life as a result of the journey with Chief.  After his passing I was so humbled by the notes of compassion and condolences, some from people I had never met but had heard of Chief's work helping a family member or friend in years past.  He set the bar very high for K9 Sula and now K9 Buzz, but Sula has met the challenge and gone far beyond, and I have the same hopes for Buzz.  Chief will always be with me in my heart and soul, I miss him today as much as the day I said good-bye.  But I feel his presence and know that both Sula and Buzz are benefiting from all that I learned from Chief.  Miss you Scooby-Boy!

Buzz's Day Out

Today was another amazing, warm, sunny (very NON-JANUARY) day in Central Illinois - perfect excuse to take the dogs out and around town.  I have so come to appreciate all my dog-loving friends and the local businesses that love dogs.  One of my favorite places is Hail the Hair King Salon and Spa, run by a dear friend Travis Manning.  So today after my appointment I brought Buzz inside for a little visit.  He ran into the shop like he owned the place, immediately making friends with every person he saw.  Of course everyone gushed over the 'cute little golden boy' and he just ate it all up!  Of course I know the truth....the power of that 'cute factor' quickly wears off when you find yourself chasing the little fur-monster as he races out the dog door with your favorite new shoe!  :)  But Buzz sure knows how to put on the charm when he is out in public!  And I took advantage of such a dog-friendly place, exposing him to all the odd sounds, smells, and new obstacles.  Yet again not much seemed to phase him as he marched around the salon, tail wagging and acting like he had been there his whole 13 weeks of life.  I am coming close to my "100 new things in 100 days" challenge, I think the visit to the Hair King accounted for at least a good 10 new things in just 30 minutes!  Training can be so much fun!

Playgrounds, postal carriers, and goose poop

Taking advantage of the over 50 degree day in JANUARY, I decided to take Buzz for a longer walk to Miller Park to have some agility fun on the playground.  Along the way we met a postal carrier who was so excited to give Buzz a cookie, commenting that it was best to make them your friend when they were that small...before they grew up. :)  It seemed like everybody was out walking in the warmth - and every person had to stop and 'pet the cute puppy'.  Buzz got lots of practice sitting nicely for petting....with modest success.  :)

The playground at Miller Park is ideal for puppies, a small, toddler version with nice, open grate steps and several slides.  Buzz showed amazing intuitiveness as he gently stepped off the platform onto the plastic slide and actually walked the whole way down without sliding into oblivion.  I was so amazed at his level of confidence and nerve....good boy!

Playground Fun!

On the way home we had to run the gauntlet of park goose poop...the real puppy emerged...how can one resist all those delicacies!!  So much for the 'smart little boy'. :)   More people visits along the way home and I had one tired puppy when we returned....success!

Be careful what you wish for....

So I have decided to document the life and adventures of my new SAR puppy Buzz, if nothing more than a way for me to remember what REALLY happens should I ever have a thought of doing this again! :)

I have said it a million times....I wanted my 3rd SAR candidate puppy to have even more drive than the previous two.  Somehow memories of the hell I went through with Sula were muted to a dull pain in my brain.  I was determined to find a pup with even MORE drive than Sula - not sure that was possible :).  Somehow the knowledge I had gained over the last 15 years of doing K9 SAR had brought on significant paralysis as I spent the better part of a year researching breeds, breedings and litters...another Redbone?  a Lab?  a shelter dog?  oh wait...maybe a Golden?....oh the time it consumed.   I had to laugh as I recalled that my first SAR dog Chief was selected almost on accident, based on the sole quality of 'cuteness'.  He was the runt of a litter of 15 accidental pups, Mom was Redbone Coonhoud, Dad was Black Lab.  I just happened to come across the litter being sold at a locally owned pet store and fell in love with the scrawny little boy, so clearly the runt among the other robust puppies.  I decided to purchase him on the spot, no evaluation other than thinking he was simply adorable.  That is how my involvement in K9 SAR began...accidentally.  Chief certainly had his issues, thanks in large part to my mistakes along the way, but in the end he was an amazing cadaver dog and had an outstanding career before he finally passed over the Rainbow Bridge at 13.5 years old.  I spent a bit more time researching my next SAR dog but knew I wanted a Redbone Coonhound and quickly found a reputable breeder and picked a female pup from his next litter and named her Sula.  Those first 6 months with Sula were utter hell, I actually called the breeder several times near tears asking if he could re-home Sula with a hunting home.  I knew she had to work and would never survive as just a 'pet'.  He talked me off the ledge and thankfully we both made it through those tough times.  I have come to learn how to work WITH Sula and not against her and as a result, Sula has become an AMAZING SAR dog certified for land/water cadaver and trailing.  I could not be happier with her and am so grateful I did not give up on her...and me.

But now I have added my third SAR pup to the household - a male Golden Retriever named "Tanbark's To Infinity and Beyond", call name "Buzz".  I evaluated the litter and saw the tell-tale signs of high-drive puppy terror, but of course that is what I gravitated to.  I reminded myself that those qualities would pay off in the end, making him a great SAR dog - IF I did not screw him up along the way. :)  Besides, how could a Golden be any worse than a bull-headed, independent Redbone??  HA....I got fooled again!  Yes, he is simply adorable, but he is an adorable TERROR.  He is very quick to learn, which works great when I teach him the RIGHT thing...not so much when I screw up and teach him the WRONG thing.  Being a Retriever he is obsessed with having stuff in his mouth, quickly destroying anything that comes in contact with those razor teeth...including skin, toes, pant legs, and various other assorted items that had the ill-fate of being within his reach.

I keep reminding myself "it will all be worth it" and I will admit that my patience for his terror-ness is a bit improved, thanks in large part to Sula.  I find myself laughing a bit instead of broken down in tears as he ramps up his vocal protests to being crated or contained in the x-pen...not much can come close to the vocal protests that the coonhound waged against me. :)   I remain hopeful, recognizing that we have a loonngg way to go and lots can go wrong, but am determined to enjoy the journey and work for the best outcome.   So far so good...in the end I could not be happier with Buzz and the potential for his future!