Maine K-9 Services

05/16/2024

In Honor of National Police Week

09/23/2023

Good advice

Be conscious of this as you use reinforcement. I personally have modified how I play fetch with my dogs.

08/11/2023

You probably already know that dogs see the world quite differently than humans. When digging through different resources, you’ll find often-cited facts like “dogs have 20/75 vision”, or “dogs have dichromatic vision”. But we may not be seeing the whole picture.

08/11/2023

This is interesting. I did know that bright orange retriever dummies don't look bright to dogs....

You probably already know that dogs see the world quite differently than humans. When digging through different resources, you’ll find often-cited facts like “dogs have 20/75 vision”, or “dogs have dichromatic vision”. But we may not be seeing the whole picture.

07/31/2023

It makes me proud to see what the modern Warden Service K-9 Unit members do, especially saving lives at search and rescue incidents. Having started the Unit in 1978 and 1979 with Sgt. Bill Allen, and then taking 25 years or more to convince Warden Service, how useful trained dogs are to Warden Service, I am grateful to see that "Conservation K-9s" are still being used successfully.

K9 Gordon and Warden Pomerleau Locate Missing 15-Year-Old Boy

Warden K9 Gordon and Game Warden Preston Pomerleau located a missing 15-year-old boy who had gotten lost camping after he had gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom while camping in western Maine.

The 15-year-old boy had gotten out of his tent at the Bull Brook Campsite to go to the restroom at approximately 3:15 Saturday morning. Trip leaders had heard him get out of his tent, then heard distant yelling. Trip leaders confirmed he had not returned to his tent and began searching for him, but were unable to locate him or get him to come back. When they could no longer hear him, they called 911 a little after 5:00 a.m. Saturday

Game wardens responded to the scene and began to conduct a search in the rugged terrain on the southern slopes of Old Speck Mountain and Slide Mountain. 15 game wardens responded, along with over 40 personnel from search and rescue teams from across the state. Responding organizations included Newry Fire Department, Mahoosuc Mountain Rescue Team, Franklin SAR, Wilderness Rescue Team, Maine SAR Dogs, Maine Mounted SAR, Southern Maine Law Dogs, Maine Forest Service, and Bethel Fire Department.

Wardens used ground teams and search and rescue K9s to search trails, wooded areas, and stream beds throughout the search area. They also utilized two fixed wing aircraft, a helicopter, and a drone to search from the air. ATVs were used to transport search teams into the remote area.

Game Warden Preston Pomerleau and his K9 partner Gordon located a jacket and hiking boot which were believed to be lost by the boy. They continued searching the area, and at about 3:10 PM, they heard distant yelling. Upon investigating the source of the yelling, Warden Pomerleau located the boy in the woods about 0.4 miles from the campsite. He was still moving through the woods on the steep mountainside, attempting to find his way back to the campsite, eluding searchers and traveling back through areas already searched. The boy was in good health and did not need medical attention. He was able to hike out with the assistance of search and rescue team members, and he was reunited with his group in Bethel at about 6:30 PM Saturday evening.

Learn more about the Maine Warden Service K9 Team at mainegamewarden.com/k9

07/31/2023

K9 Gordon and Warden Pomerleau Locate Missing 15-Year-Old Boy

Warden K9 Gordon and Game Warden Preston Pomerleau located a missing 15-year-old boy who had gotten lost camping after he had gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom while camping in western Maine.

The 15-year-old boy had gotten out of his tent at the Bull Brook Campsite to go to the restroom at approximately 3:15 Saturday morning. Trip leaders had heard him get out of his tent, then heard distant yelling. Trip leaders confirmed he had not returned to his tent and began searching for him, but were unable to locate him or get him to come back. When they could no longer hear him, they called 911 a little after 5:00 a.m. Saturday

Game wardens responded to the scene and began to conduct a search in the rugged terrain on the southern slopes of Old Speck Mountain and Slide Mountain. 15 game wardens responded, along with over 40 personnel from search and rescue teams from across the state. Responding organizations included Newry Fire Department, Mahoosuc Mountain Rescue Team, Franklin SAR, Wilderness Rescue Team, Maine SAR Dogs, Maine Mounted SAR, Southern Maine Law Dogs, Maine Forest Service, and Bethel Fire Department.

Wardens used ground teams and search and rescue K9s to search trails, wooded areas, and stream beds throughout the search area. They also utilized two fixed wing aircraft, a helicopter, and a drone to search from the air. ATVs were used to transport search teams into the remote area.

Game Warden Preston Pomerleau and his K9 partner Gordon located a jacket and hiking boot which were believed to be lost by the boy. They continued searching the area, and at about 3:10 PM, they heard distant yelling. Upon investigating the source of the yelling, Warden Pomerleau located the boy in the woods about 0.4 miles from the campsite. He was still moving through the woods on the steep mountainside, attempting to find his way back to the campsite, eluding searchers and traveling back through areas already searched. The boy was in good health and did not need medical attention. He was able to hike out with the assistance of search and rescue team members, and he was reunited with his group in Bethel at about 6:30 PM Saturday evening.

Learn more about the Maine Warden Service K9 Team at mainegamewarden.com/k9

07/16/2023

Interessanter Artikel über eine Studie der Universität Oslo über die Fähigkeit der Hunde, die Richtung einer Spur zu bestimmen.
Getestet wurde mit Tracking-Dogs, also Fährtenhunden, die mit tiefer Nase suchen auf Gras und Asphalt.
Aber das Ergebnis spricht für sich.
Nach nur rund vier Metern (2-5 Schritte) auf der Fährte konnten sie die Richtung klar definieren.
Wenn man überlegt, wie gering der Altersunterschied des "Geruchs" auf diesen wenigen Metern ist, kann man sich vielleicht ungefähr vorstellen, wie gigantisch die Nasenleistung unserer Vierbeiner ist....

https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/180/1/247/6534/Behaviour-of-Dogs-During-Olfactory-Tracking

07/06/2023

This is a good explanation of the use of the stick in Ring Sport and other dog sports.

05/06/2023

Just spent 3.5 days of SAR instruction and testing with two committed and skilled SAR dog handlers, Kathryn and Chris from New York. Kathryn passed three IPWDA (International Police Work Dog Assoc.) tests with her Golden, Thunder, and Chris made significant training progress with her young Golden, Clutch. Outstanding dogs and great to be working with handlers who understand dog training and pushed all who attended to higher levels of performance and discussion about training methods.

04/09/2023

03/14/2023

Looking forward to spring? Save the dates, the MESARD training with IPWDA testing will take place at the Topsham Fairgrounds, Maine, Sept. 8,9,10, 2023. See the MESARD (Maine Search and Rescue Dogs) website for more information as it develops.

01/26/2023

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonja Nordstrom. Hi Sonja, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3), was started in the Ogden Valley in 2008. We now operate out of both Weber and ...

01/26/2023

Great Basin has used the Maine K-9 Services on-line course to train its new members.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonja Nordstrom. Hi Sonja, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3), was started in the Ogden Valley in 2008. We now operate out of both Weber and ...

08/31/2022

The Maine Search and Rescue Dogs, MESARD, are sponsoring training with IPWDA certification testing in Topsham, Maine Sept. 23 to 25. See http://mesard.org/events/ for more information.

08/24/2022

Have you ever heard of a big dog suddenly chasing and killing a much smaller one? Perhaps they were playing even, just before the sudden switch. I have. It's unfortunately happened in the last few years in my own village. It's devastating, it's unpredictable, and it's real.

Importantly, IT IS NOT AGGRESSION. It's a phenomenon called predatory drift and it's why my own canine family are managed so closely and responsibly.

Pictured are two of our dogs. Little and large. Beast and button. Big sis and little sis. Call them what you like, but just because they know each other VERY well does not mean they will ever coexist together like similar sized dogs can. It would just not be safe. And it would be neither of their faults.

Just a run and squeal from the little'un could trigger off the big'un. Any "prey-like" behaviour and she could trigger off instincts in her that are akin to a wolf catching and ingesting prey. It's instincts, not aggression. It's not even a choice she would be making.

ALL DOGS CAN BE TRIGGERED INTO PREDATORY DRIFT if the environmental circumstances around them trigger it off e.g. if they're around a dog much smaller than themselves. Daycares for example and even dog walkers need to be aware of this when mixing breeds.

The risk of predatory drift is heightened as well if:

* There is more than one large dog to the small
* They are allowed to play (which has its risks just for sheer size differences as well!)
* The smaller dog is in any way fearful and likely to run, whine or squeal
* The dog is likely a "finisher" i.e. would normally not hesitate to catch a squirrel and eat it right then and there. Some parts of the predatory sequence have been enhanced and/or inhibited in some breeds, but some dogs would still exhibit the full sequence from eye to kill to digest.

How do we manage our family?

* The dogs are never walked together without the both of us humans present. EVER.
* We use long lines as a management tool
* We keep all walks calm and environment focused.
* Absolutely no direct interactions with each other is encouraged on walks. They are in fact called away from any direct interactions.
* They are kept in separate rooms in the house. ALWAYS.
* We do not slack on our management or supervision even for a second. Because that's all it could take. And again, it would be neither of their faults.

(It is our choice to implement this level of management from our own risk assessment of these particular dogs since our family joined together a year ago. Our dogs also have other difficulties beyond the risk of predatory drift so strict management is key for their safety).

As you can see the size difference is significant. They have a lovely relationship. Their tails will wag when they see each other coming into the house and they will touch noses either side of the baby gate. But being the "best of friends" wouldn't stop an accident happening. Predatory drift is not born out of anger, frustration, dislike of one another. It's completely separate. The only way of ensuring it doesn't happen is through awareness and management.

A quick google search will bring up lots of articles on predatory drift and the risks. It is important to be aware of this, whether you're the guardian of a giant breed, or guardian of a toy breed, or frankly, anything in between. Predatory drift between dogs is not too common, but it always has devastating consequences.

Knowledge and awareness is key 🐾💜

Please note: predatory drift is NOT dogs fighting as a result of over stimulated play. Predatory drift is NOT dogs arguing over a resource such as food. Predatory drift is NOT dog-dog reactivity. There are many reasons why one dog may show aggressive behaviour responses to another and the majority of them would not count as predatory drift.

07/28/2022

Changes come with time: the owner of emaine hosting is retiring, so I had to create my own website using GoDaddy. Its been an adventure, but I can't afford to have someone else do it.

10/28/2021

Good information.

The XXT or the external extraction technique, is a safe and effective intervention.