Sand Country Retrievers

07/14/2024

Ash is one of our pups from 2023-24, already out saving lives with new handlers! We couldn’t be more proud of this team. Great job Kayle and Ash.

Game Warden K9 Ash and Game Warden Kayle Hamilton located a missing 75-year-old man who had fallen off a ledge and had been missing for four days.

Michael Altmaier of New Sharon had not been seen since Monday, when he left his New Sharon residence and was seen driving on the Colby Miller Road in Wilton. He was headed to a scheduled meeting in Weld, but never appeared. His car was later discovered last night by Mount Blue State Park Staff at the Mount Blue State Park Scenic Overlook which is off the Center Hill Road in Weld.

Maine Warden Service began searching Friday morning at daylight. At approximately 3:45 p.m., Game Warden Kayle Hamilton and K9 Ash located Altmaier along a bog approximately ¾ of a mile from where his vehicle was located. It is believed Altmaier had fallen down over a ledged embankment Monday and likely became disoriented and ended up in the area of the bog that evening where he eventually had fallen and was unable to get up.

Game Wardens, search volunteers from MASAR (Maine Association for Search and Rescue) and a paramedic were able to get to Altmaier’s location and provide initial assessment and first aid. At approximately 6:00 pm, a Maine Forest Service helicopter was able to land in the bog and transport Altmaier out to an awaiting ambulance where he was transported to a local hospital where he was admitted for observation overnight. Emergency Rescue Personnel said Altmaier was in surprisingly good condition despite spending the last 4 days laying in the area of the bog.

Maine Warden Service was assisted in the search and rescue by Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Maine Association for Search and Rescue, Maine Search and Rescue Dogs, Bureau of Parks and Land Staff, Maine Forest Service, NorthStar EMS, and the Weld Fire Department.

08/30/2023

K9 Jill recently went to work for McMullen County as a trained narcotics detection K9 with a additional discipline in article recovery. I was fortunate enough to train with her and her handler today when she gave this cool indication pose while she pinpointed a pocket knife hanging in a tree!

08/08/2023

07/06/2023

Since it was launched in 2015, our webinar Rethinking Heat Injury in Working Dogs has been viewed 3329 times! It was based on our study that was published in thr Journal of Special Operations Medicine in January 2012, and since its launch we’ve updated it three times (2016, 2019, and 2021) whenever significant new information became available from research. We’re currently working on the next update to be released later this year, but in the meantime, you can view it at our website for free! www.vettacgroup.com, training and support, web-based training. (Live link in bio).

07/06/2023

Some of you watched K9 Charlie now Cassi grow up. Well, here she is with her new job in Africa as a conservation detection and tracking dog! Looking forward to sharing her other successes along the way. Thanks WD4C for the update.

05/04/2023

In Corpus, and have a pet that could be better behaved?
Give Chris a call!

05/03/2023

Not getting the behaviors you want out of your pet? Give Terry a call.

04/11/2023

Rockin M Rue MH X Rockin M Ricochet SH

OFA Hips: Good/Excellent
OFA Elbows: Normal
EIC/CNM/PRA/Dilute(DD): Clear

Pedigree: https://www.huntinglabpedigree.com/puppy.asp?id=51724
Info: https://rockinmkennel.com/lab-puppies/

Shay is the daughter of GRHRCH SRSACC SRSAC Spring River's Yankee Captain MNH MH QAA "Jeter".

04/11/2023

Game Warden K9 Koda and Game Warden Jake Voter located a missing 11-year-old Damariscotta girl who didn’t want to go to school Monday morning, and hid 20 feet up in a tree.

The young girl, who had become upset with her mother about having to go to school this morning, left the house at about 8:15 Monday morning. The mom thought her daughter had headed out to the car, but when the mom went out to the car, the girl was gone. Friends and family members searched for her unsuccessfully, then called the Damariscotta Police department a little after 9:00 a.m. The police department and a K9 unit from Lincoln County Sheriff’s office were unable to find her, and called for more assistance.

The Maine Warden Service started searching the area at approximately 11:25, along with a Maine State Police pilot in the area who searched from the air with a plane, and a drone from Lincoln County Sherriff’s Office.

At approximately 12:25 Monday afternoon, Game Warden Voter and K9 Koda set off on the right side of the house to search the woods. Approximately 200’ from Voter’s truck, K9 Koda started circling around a pine tree, and wouldn’t leave the tree. Voter didn’t see anything at first, but upon circling the tree, he noticed the young girl on the backside of the tree, about 20 feet from the ground.

The young girl asked what was the name of Voter’s dog, and after he told her, he asked if she needed help, but she was already climbing down to see Koda. When she got down from the tree, she threw Koda’s ball for her, and then Warden Voter, Koda and the young girl walked out of the woods and the girl was reunited with her family.

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

04/09/2023

04/09/2023

04/08/2023

Ginger Ilse, our first love and best friend after getting married, went to forever lie in heaven yesterday at the age of 11.
Ginger spent her 11 years working as our boss companion, our bird dog, and successful Junior hunter. But most importantly she was best known for her mother role, as she was a hard working mother to 20 beautiful babies from 3 litters. She has puppies that have achieved hunt test certifications, field trial certifications, search and rescue and tracking across the US.

In her last few months of life, she put up with several other mother’s puppies jumping all over her, ranch rides, sneak off visits to Mrs. Dietz, and quiet naps in her barrel.

We will forever miss you Ginger and will cherish the memories you have provided for us. If anyone reading this has pictures of her puppies please feel free to post and share.

Ginger Ilse 08/23/2011-04/07/2023

03/28/2023

Detection is coming along.

03/21/2023

K9 Jill is learning quickly. Coming to a agency near you!

03/21/2023

Another great trainer.

03/21/2023

I often get asked about who I would send a lab to for bird dog training in South Texas. Here you go.

03/13/2023

See below

While at the Texas Pet Sitters Conference recently, we had the chance to hear from Dr. Roy Madigan, a veterinarian, and the principal scientist in the Canine Chagas Treatment Study.

We felt it imperative to share with our clients, and our community, the surprising information we learned.

Chagas disease is a parastic disease that is spread by kissing bugs. Similar to heartworm disease, animals can become infected with Chagas if they're bitten by, or ingest, a kissing bug.

The symptoms of Chagas can show up in a variety of ways. For less severe cases, lethargy, decreased appetite and weight loss may present. In more severe cases, you may see fluid in the abdomen, heart failure, vomiting, and unfortunately, sudden death.

Dr. Madigan estimates that up to 23% of companion dogs in Texas currently are positive for Chagas (compared to about 3.3% that are heartworm positive).

Chagas tends to attack the heart tissue, and is a progressive disease. The most common symptom seen when this happens is arrhythmia. It is also known to attack the brain.

Testing for Chagas is not common. The pet owner usually has to seek it out. There is currently a reliable test called "ELISA" that costs around $120.00. Dr. Madigan tells us that by next year, a new version will be available that will cost around $35.00 and will include a heartworm test. It will be readily available to all veterinary practices. They are currently awaiting approval from the FDA.

The treatment for Chagas is in a pill form and lasts for 12 months. Dr. Madigan reports that while it is 100% effective, it does not fix the harm that has already been done to the body by the parasite.

Our best defense against Chagas is preventative action. Pyrethroid insecticides will kill kissing bugs. Oral flea and tick medicine will kill Chagas.

If you see your pet with a kissing bug, do not squish the bug. Use a plastic baggie to capture it (don't touch it!) and contact https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/contact/ for instructions on how to submit it for testing.

It takes up to three weeks for a pet to test positive after exposure to Chagas, so don't immediately get your pet tested.

It is not only dogs who get Chagas. Cats also are affected. Chagas is the number one cause of seizures in cats.

Humans can also get Chagas. If your pet tests positive, every pet in the house should be tested, as well as all humans.

Antibodies are not effective at preventing reinfection, so a vaccine is not an option. Researchers are currently working to develop a slow-release injectible to protect pets.

Our takeaways:

*Chagas is impacting more pets than most people know. If your pet is showing unusual symptoms, ask your veterinarian to test them for Chagas. The sooner it is detected, the better off your pet will fare.

*Chagas is a treatable disease.

*Be aware of your enviroment. Keep your yard clean. Turn off outdoor lighting. Bring pets inside at night. Remove piles of rocks, leaves or wood near your home. Keep vegetation trimmed regularly. If you find a kissing bug, submit it for testing.

*If your pet tests positive for Chagas, test ALL your pets. Also, test all humans in the house.

For more information, please visit https://kissingbug.tamu.edu and www.vidapharmacal.com

03/10/2023

K9 Rip is helping his partner clean up Maine making his first narcotics find in his first month of work. Congrats Rip, looking forward to seeing more from this team!

03/04/2023

SAR prep. We don’t know where these pups will land but they will be ready to work!

02/25/2023

Lions and tigers and get out of my way bear!

02/25/2023

First time encounters with a bear can be scary! Not for these girls.

02/22/2023

K9 Asch doing some track training. New driver, new place, 2 decoys, let’s do this!

02/13/2023

0 sh*ts to give.

02/07/2023

Would you could you hunt in a barn? Yes, I could. Yes I would hunt in a barn!