Hillary was a rescue herself. I believe I was her sixth owner. Jim and I promised she’d never have to change homes again, and we kept our word. She was deployed in the field on searches, sometimes in cold rain/snow and sometimes in the desert heat. She never let me down.
Jaydn was my best SAR dog. From Mission Ready completion at 17 months, to her last search and trainings at almost 10 years old; she understood the mission and purpose for our life together – to find lost people. As most of us can say, our dogs add a richness and air of adventure to our lives that comes from no other place. Jaydn took me many places because of her love of the ‘game’, and we had great successes. I will always miss her and be thankful for the short time we had together.
Jock was adopted when he was three years old. His previous owner, a member of CARDA, was killed in a mountain climbing accident. He joined our family and became our Gentle Giant. He had the Determination of the Labrador and the Gentleness of the Golden. He went on many searches with me in a lot of different environments. He accepted the new puppies and even got to like the boys. I retired him from searching in 1999. From then on he was the guy in the back of the truck waiting for some one to come over and pet him.
Jock was my search dog, my playmate and my friend.
Believed to be the first Boxer certified in SAR outside of Europe. “There were several cold, windy, and rainy nights when I was tired, wet and discouraged… all I had to do was look at my tireless Boxer who was willing to work cheerfully for as many hours as it took: My spirit was lifted.”
Kazaam was my first SAR dog. He was very independent and only worked for himself. He was a member of CARDA and Los Angeles Search Dogs. His first find was a cadaver in the water when he was not even exposed to cadavers yet. He became a wonderful C1 dog with a couple of finds. Unfortunately, his career was cut short when he developed a sarcoma of his cervical neck. R.I.P my boy. You lived to work and I am missing you a lot!
