HOW DID I GET HERE??

Well don't really have anything new to blog about....still tracking with my friends and learning from all of our successes and also from our bumps!!
Search and Rescue is moving along nicely...we passed probation and now really need to push forward. With the passing of probation I have come to realize that I wasn't sure that we would make it....was I good enough, was Quila good enough...I mean who am I and do I really have the ablity to train Quila?
So I was having one of my long talks with my friend, Michelle and we were discussing how we got to where we are today with our dogs...we are going to post a joint blog in the near future about our working dogs...so stay tuned...remember you can go to Michelle's blog by looking at my profile info...she has alot of knowledge and great information on her blog....anyways I degress....I am just a average person who has always had a dog....at least since being an aldult. I started out with a cross breed dog for my kids, then later we got a sheltie...moved on to a bassett hound and then my first golden....and now my second golden , Quila. I had no training at all until the first golden....but each of my dogs was well trained for basic obedience...I guess I must have just had common sense with them and their training. My sheltie did go to work with me and so was my first working dog....although I had no idea that was what I had created!!
With each dog I have gained knowledge...knowledge about training and also that each dog and each breed is unique.
When I got my first golden, Tanen I was lucky enough to go to Lorrie's training classes....then become her friend and  later we supported each other as we did dog shows together....didn't start till Tanen was 6 years old...but was hooked .
I got Quila with the intentions of doing dogs shows....and then exploring other areas that I hadn't done yet... like agility . When I got involved in the Search and Rescue I really didn't think I was good enough to train my dog...even with the help they provide. Mary Anne ....who monitors and assists me in my training for it ,has been great...supportive and also teaching my why we need to do things a certain way....Quila is my pet and I love her but more than that she is now a working dog...she and I have responsiblities to do a good job in her training so that  we can do our job properly when we are out trying to find an lost person.
So now we will continue forward with the knowledge that I can train her, with help, and that we will be a great team and asset to our province.

I will talk more about the working dog when Michelle and I do our joint blog....
So now that I realize that Quila and I can and are doing it....we are stepping up the training and loving it.
We are going to add Human Remains to her training  , which will make her a crossed trained Search and Rescue dog.

The question was asked as to where we get our Human Remains....well unlike the states we do not use body parts...but the items we do get are thur approved organizations ...we have to have items to train with ...otherwise we could not train the dogs. We use hair, clothing of deceased , blood items etc.

Well that is enough for today....I am loving what we are doing and I can't tell you how rewarding it is


A few pics of us tracking yesterday....

 Her is Michelle and Ash showing the item that Ash found....notice Michelle's coordination with her jacket and sunglasses...unfortunately she was not coordinated with her dogs harness!!

 Here Quila shows her alert when she found her article...she had barked first.
Quila had a good day....did some article searches, tracking and some hides.
I have said before that a hider can make or break a dogs training....so I am so lucky that my friends work hard to help me and do a great job as hiders.

 Kristine and Teah also found their article...

Now us girls needed some nurishment after a hard morning....so off to Boston Pizza for some lunch....

OBEDIENCE CLASS ENDS...

Well my first obedience class comes to an end. It has been alot of fun and really rewarding to see the dogs and their owners grow so much.
They all made great progress and now have the tools to work with their dogs to have them be a great member of the family ....with good manners.

Here are a few of the dogs that graduated!!

We had a great evening and also did a bit of agility to see how the dogs liked it ....they all had fun and loved the tunnels.
Hopefully will have another class in Sept.

SHOW TIME

Well off to the Evelyn Kenny Kennel show in Calgary July 13-15. Quila was showing in conformation and also one Rally Novice trial.
Although she didn't get any points in conformation...she did get second place in her class.
Rally was a little more successful ....we qualified for her second leg...one more and she will have her Novice title. It was a learning time for us. I tend to have a tight leash on Quila and had gotten docked marks the last time we did a Rally trial for having too tight a leash. So this time I really tried to keep my leash loose....apparently not loose enough as the judge took 14 points from me for a tight leash....guess I need to loosen it more!

Here is a pic of Quila in the conformation ring with Shannon ....she has learnt to stand nicely in the ring now

                      Just a couple of pics of Quila and I doing our rally trial.....she did really well                       Now we just need to practise more now!! 

PET THERAPY....

I don't know if I have mentioned that Quila is also a pet therapy dog....she has her CGN and TDI titles and that allows her to go into school and hospitals etc to visit.
My girlfriend, Lorrie and I headed off to Stettler Hospital for a visit....we haven't been in awhile and thought we should take advantage of the day and go see the Nursing Home and Auxilary Residents.
This time we also went to visit a friend that we knew was in the Hospital side...he was very happy to see the dogs...it made his day.

 Here Quila is sitting with some Residents...has on her TDI bandana ....due to privacy laws we have to be careful not to take pics with the Residents in them....

Here is Quila and I , Lorrie and her dogs Zevha and Naz....Naz is a three month old afghan pup.

The Residents love the dogs and it brings up many memories of their own pets....they remembered our dogs from previous visits.
A few Residents snuck cookie treats to the dogs....have to watch that!
We had a wonderful time and the dogs really enjoy the visits as well.

TRACKING, DISASTER TRAINING WITH A LITTLE SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING AS WELL....

Well this week has been very busy...first Quila and I were off to Red Deer on Wednesday for tracking with the "girls"...wasn't sure about the 62kmh winds...but what the heck , we might get wind in our test so lets go!!
Unfortunately Michelle and Ash were unable to make it  as they were tracking her phone...see her blog for that story, but the rest of us braved the wind. Her blog information is under my profile info.
Kristine, Lorrie and I set up short ( 250-300) tracks...not thinking our dogs could do much in the wind...but they proved us wrong...they did great. The corners were a little tricky but they all finished their tracks in good time with little to no difficulties...who knew!!

 Here she is well on her way...following the track....hard to tell how windy it was but it was really, really windy!!

 Here we are fiquaring out a corner...took a minute but she got it....look at the hair and you might get an idea of the wind

She found her glove,.....the wind had blown away her treat reward...good thing I had more in my pocket!!

                                          Lorrie and Zevha....     Really nice line...and working well

                                             Glove and reward found...with no problems

Teah and Kristine working rather nicely....look at that line ....is Kristine holding it so nicely ...or is that the wind!!
                        Teah was a star...she just ran that track like it was just anyother day...

After running our tracks the girls were kind enough to do a couple of hides for Quila...wasn't sure how this would go ....with the wind being so strong.
It was unbelievable to watch...the first hider was at nine oclock...I sent Quila out and she ran full tilt at 12 oclock....wasn't sure what she was doing...then as soon as she hit the scent cone she turn towards nine oclock and ran right to the hider....it was beautiful to watch. She did this for both hides....even though they were in totally different hiding spots.

Here is Lorrie rewarding Quila for finding her with a good game of tug..with her favorite toy...Lorrie made it for her....



Tracking all done now and so off to the trabin for a couple of days of rest before we head off again.
Saturday was spend with the first day of the three day Basic SAR course....it was interesting and I can't wait to do the other two days in the field.
Then it was off to Edmonton for Disaster training....this is our first opportunity to try this to see if Quila can do it....well she can and is quite willing to go over any material, no matter how high etc.

                         You can just see the dog on the left side working the rubble....

                         Here one of the dogs and handlers is on the top of the rubble working...

                      Here Quila has found a hider that was buried in plastic in a hill of wood chips...

                                                         Another dog working the site....

Quila waiting patiently for her turn...has her wet jacket on to keep her cool....

This is really good training as it allows us to see how the dogs are going to do if we have to actually work a disaster.
My organization does not do international disasters but we could get called to a collapsed building etc here.
With that in mind we need to train so that the handlers and dogs are ready.
We would never let our dogs go into any unstable or unsafe site.

Quila also had the opportunity to see what she would do with HR ( human remains)...not to make lightly of HR ...but she was pretty funny...she didn't know what to do and was a little scared but did not leave ...so that was good. HR is not body parts ....it is blood etc that the dogs can identify as HR.




Sunday it was off to Mornville for Search and Rescue training...
Now the first thing we did was Quila's last test...then we are off probation!! We were in the back of a truck with two other dogs and there handlers...off we go for a slow drive...on bumpy roads etc. We have to trade spots a couple of times and then when we get back the other dogs and there handlers get out...someone else lifts Quila down and then takes her away out of my sight. This is to see how she reacts to open vechiles, other dogs in close proximaty and if someone else looking after her etc. She loved the truck ride...wanted to do it all day, ( it was her first time in a truck), she didn't care if she had to share the space with other dogs and she was fine with another handler ....so we PASSED !!! Now onward with our training!!
I wish I had gotten a pic of us in the truck but I was so focused on the test that I just didn't even think about it...

We all did some article searches first...one with some HR material and one without.
Quila did really well with the one without and alerted quickly ...the one with HR she wasn't to sure what to do...first she smelled it, then tried to roll in it...that isn't allowed and she was corrected...then send her back in until she alerted on it. Overall she did good.
Then we did some people searches which is a on going process...she is getting better and better as we practise etc.
It was a very hot day and so tried to not over work the dogs...and make sure everyone ....humans and dogs were getting enough water.

Just a few of the dogs working various areas looking for articles in these photos...unfortunately hard to get ones of my dog while I am working her....These dogs are all at vaious stages of their training but all of these three go out on active searches.

So overall a great few days....I don't put much writting in but if you have any questions be sure to ask me in the comment area...I am more than willing to put more in if people are interested in more of the process etc.