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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I first wrote this missive back in November,
but discovered I was no longer a member of D.D. But now I'm back in the
fold & here is my little story;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Well it is late Fri. p.m., & I am happy as Ole
Boots with a bag of catnip. I have just returned from a fun &
educational evening with our local K-9 search team while they trained to find
missing persons.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>While there, I met a delightful basset, Shadrach,
& his handler, Scott Rolik. Shadrach is your typical typical
gregarious basset. However he is not just your typical lovable companion
pooch, as most people, I think, consider bassets. Shadrach is also a
true "professional" as well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Shadrach started his career learning basic
obedience. He & his family were new to the Wichita, Ks. area so Scott
was looking for ways he & his canine companion could serve their new
community, when Scott learned of the local Sedgwick County Emergency Management
Canine (SCEMK9)Search Team. The team includes canine teams that search for
missing persons by means of trailing, area/wilderness searching & human
remains/cadaver detection. Shadrach started his career 1st as a trailer
& then as a cadaver dog, where he really found his niche.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Shadrach is the only basset in this K-9 unit
& Scott states that Shadrach performs very well as a cadaver
dog. He has a strong hunting & work instinct & is energetic on the
job, all qualities one should look for in a potential search dog. But
according to Scott, he has a disadvantage of less agility in rugged areas due to
his build. Shadrach is being retired from cadaver work due to a back
injury incurred over the course of his work. But Shadrach is not hanging
up his service tags just yet. He plans to continue to serve as good will
representative & to give demonstrations on the work of cadaver dogs for his
unit. Shadrach is also certified as a therapy dog where he can spread his
good nature during visits to nursing & retirement homes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Scott is not yet looking for a replacement for
Shadrach, but gives these tips in what to look for in a search dog. He
suggests looking for traits as mentioned above, plus having a long snout(more
smell sensors). He also suggests some games to play with the dog prior to
formal training. These include hide & seek games, starting with
"peek-a-boo", puppy run-aways with family members & games in which treats or
toys are hidden & the dog receives lots of praise for finding
them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Scott says if one is interested in K-9 search work,
one could look on the web under that topic & look for one in their area, or
contact local emergency groups, ie police, fire, EMS or local office of
emergency management. In conclusion, Scott says that his next search dog
would probably not be a basset due to their build, but that each dog should be
evaluated on individual merits, [& the job]. I am submitting this
article because I feel that many times we tend to look at our bassets as only
lovable companions, (one of their most important qualities) &
we forget that they were originally bred as working (hunting) dogs
that can still function as performers of serious work.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Note: Since writing this piece, Freckles (my 13 yr.
young droller) & I have attended a session about companion dogs & we
plan to enroll in classes @ the beginning of the next session.
Respectfully submitted, along with salutes,& valentine wishes for all you
droolers & slaves who are out there spreading "Good Will" wherever you
are.</FONT></DIV>
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