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