Hunt-Find-Alert: K9 Search and Rescue Community – Details, episodes & analysis

Michelle Metzner joins us on HFA for the second time to discuss troubleshooting the Recall/Refind for Live Find dogs. Michelle has been a SAR handler for over 30 years and has fielded multiple search dogs over the past 3 decades. Michelle is a leader on the K-9 Emergency Response Team based in Wisconsin and is also a K-9 Handler for Wisconsin Task Force 1. Additionally, she has served as a lead K-9 evaluator for the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) for many years.

In part two with Michelle we focus on troubleshooting the Recall/Refind for Live Find dogs and how to work through some of the common issues that handlers face with their dogs. For this episode we took actual questions that Michelle has received from K-9 handlers and listened to Michelle troubleshoot how she would work through fixing the issues being faced by handlers.

If you are teaching your dog the Recall/Refind or are having issues with any part of the behavior chain this is definitely an episode that you will want to listen to.

In this episode of HFA Christy Bormann joins us to discuss Category 5 K9 and their process of taking shelter/rescue dogs and turning them into search K-9s.

Christy has been involved in K-9 Search and Rescue for over 20 years and has done both Wilderness SAR and Urban SAR throughout her history in Search and Rescue. Christy is a founding member of Category 5 K9 and serves as the K9 Training Coordinator for Texas A&M Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. Christy has certified and deployed multiple K9s in disaster environments across the globe.

During this episode we discuss the work of Category 5 K9, and their mission of taking unwanted dogs and putting them in the hands of capable detection handlers across the U.S. We also spend time discussing how Christy evaluates shelter dogs to determine if they are the right fit for Urban SAR, Wilderness SAR, or detection jobs.

If you have a passion for Shelter/Rescue dogs and turning them into working dogs, this is an episode that you do not want to miss!

References mentioned in this episode:

Category 5 K9: https://www.cat5k9.org/

Texas A&M Task Force 1: https://texastaskforce1.org/

Cat 5 K9 Evaluation Process: https://www.cat5k9.org/screening

Category 5 K9 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAT5K9/

Sonja Nordstrom joins us on HFA to discuss how to select a dog for Human Remains Detection (HRD) work, as well as how to start training with the dog to prepare for real world deployments.  Sonja is a retired FBI Special Agent and has nearly three decades of K-9 search and rescue experience, additionally Sonja competed in Mondio Ring, French Ring, and IPO for nearly 10 years.  In addition to K-9 SAR and protection dog sports Sonja serves as a judge and trainer for UKC Nosework competitions.  Sonja is also the owner of Sonja's Dog Training and a Co-Founder of American Tactical Aggregate K-9.

In this episode of HFA we go into detail of what to look for and avoid when selecting a HRD dog, including breeders, puppy selection, and initial training of the dog.  We discuss the benefits of selecting a dog from working bloodlines, the importance of health testing in dogs, and so much more.  If you are interested in doing HRD with your dog, you will not want to miss this episode.  This episode is Part 1 of a 2 part discussion with Sonja.

References mentioned during the episode.

K-9 Top Tales: K-9 Top Tales Podcast

Great Basin Search and Rescue: https://greatbasink-9sar.org/

Sonja's Dog Training: Sonja's Dog Training

American Tactical Aggregate K-9: https://atak9.com/

Hunt-Find-Alert: Facebook Page

Nadine Conner joins us on HFA to discuss how to get started in K-9 Search and Rescue.   Nadine is a Master Trainer and evaluator for AMPWDA and a Lead Trainer at FACTS, in addition to being a professional dog trainer with nearly 20 years of experience working with dogs.

This is a great episode for people who may be interested in joining a search and rescue team, and provides a great overview of the process of getting started.  In this discussion we discuss the type of people who can do search and rescue, some of the various roles on search and rescue teams, and some of the requirements to join a search and rescue team.  We also discussed the all important dog!  What to look for in a dog, how to acquire a dog, and the role that a dog can play in joining your local SAR team.

References mentioned during the episode:

SitStay Dog Training: http://www.sitstaydog.com/

Great Plains Search & Rescue: https://gpsk9s.org/

AMPWDA: https://www.americanmantrailing.com/index.html

FACTS: https://www.txst.edu/anthropology/facts/workshops/K9.html

Nadine's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nadine.hoffconner

Former Texas District Court Judge Kelly Case joins the show to inform our listeners of the legal implications of search and rescue that all K-9 Handlers should be aware of.

Kelly Case has spent time as a Texas District Court Judge, Assistant District Attorney, and Criminal Defense Attorney and he provides us an overview of the legal aspects of search and rescue that's vitally important for all SAR team members to be aware of.

Hunt-Find-Alert: Facebook Page

Trejos v Texas (K9 Application of the Nenno Test): https://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-court-of-appeals/1101233.html

Nenno v Texas: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-court-of-criminal-appeals/1130950.html

Welcome to Hunt-Find-Alert the podcast covering everything K-9 Search and Rescue related.  This episode is a brief overview of the podcast and is a precursor to the exciting upcoming conversations that we will have.

Hunt-Find-Alert Facebook

Glossary of Terms:

AMPWDA = American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association

AWDA = American Working Dog Association

NSDA = National Search Dog Alliance

SDONA = Search Dog Organization of North America

HRD = Human Remains Detection

In this episode of HFA Dr. Mark Marsolais joins us to discuss evaluating prospective SAR K9s utilizing the Brownell-Marsolais scale.

Mark Marsolais is a Professor of Criminal Justice and Security at Thomas College. Sam Houston State University awarded him a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice. In addition to his doctorate, Professor Marsolais has a B.S. degree and M.A. degree in Psychology. He specializes in teaching criminal justice, policing, homeland security, conservation law, evidence, critical issues, and special topics (e.g., Police Use of Force; Search and Detection K9s). Professor Marsolais served over 20 years with the Houston Police Department as a patrol officer, criminal investigator, Internal Affairs investigator, and supervisor of patrol, defensive tactics, and special operations. In addition to his policing experience, Professor Marsolais served as a director of national and international canine detection programs for a Washington-based security firm. Since the late 1980s, he has been involved in canine search and detection as a hander, trainer, and educator. He has direct experience with deploying canines to search and locate human remains, wanted suspects, contraband, lost persons, and disaster victims.

During this episode we take a deep dive into the Brownell-Marsolais scale developed by David Brownell and Mark to evaluate SAR K9s to determine their suitability for their prospective jobs. The scale measures three components of prospective SAR K-9s

• K9 Sociability
• K9 Drive and Motivation
• K9 Nerve Strength

We use this episode to explore each component and how they are tested to determine a candidates suitability for SAR work.

If you are looking for a tool to evaluate prospective SAR K-9s this is the episode for you!

References mentioned during this episode:

Hunt-Find-Alert Facebook: Hunt-Find-Alert:K9 SAR Community | Facebook Ground Zero Emergency K9 Training: https://www.groundzerosaveslives.com/

In this episode of HFA Ian Maslin joins us to discuss the importance of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) for SAR responders.

Ian is a Certified Traumatologist from the Traumatology Institute and Certified from UMBC in Critical Incident Stress Management. He is an Advanced Approved Instructor with The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. A Peer CISM responder with British Columbia Search and Rescue Association, and Emergency Support Services. He is also a Community Care Nurse in the Lower Mainland of BC. Additionally he serves as the Training and Competency coordinator for British Columbia Search and Rescue association Critical Incident Stress Management program.

During this episode we discuss the essentials of why SAR teams should implement a CISM program, and the positive benefits a well coordinated CISM program can have for team cohesiveness. We also breakdown the essentials of what's in a CISM program, and how each element is utilized after a stressful situation. We concluded the episode by providing resources that SAR teams can utilize to implement a CISM program for their local team.

References mentioned during this episode:

Talking Trauma Website: https://talkingtrauma.com/

International Critical Incident Stress Foundation: https://icisf.org/

Kent Harrison Search and Rescue: https://khsar.ca/

Ian's Phone Number: 604-316-2079

In this episode of HFA Tim Baird joins us to discuss selecting the right breeder and puppy for your next SAR K9.

Tim has been working with detection dogs for nearly 30 years, starting as a Patrol K9 handler before transitioning into a detection K9 handler. In his years working with dogs Tim has helped support K9 programs for many government agencies including the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. Tim also helped develop the Vapor Wake program created by Auburn University to detect person borne IEDs. Tim also has extensive experience breeding and raising future detection K9s in his nearly three decades of experience. Tim currently works for Arete Canine training explosive detection dogs.

During this episode we discuss what to look for in your future SAR K9 and what kinds of genetic traits are desirable for the work that SAR dogs perform. We also dive into breeder selection and spend a significant amount of time discussing evaluating puppies and steps that you can take when screening your next SAR prospect.

If you are considering getting your next SAR prospect, this is an episode that you'll definitely want to listen to.