Working Dogs In The News

These Labrador retrievers look like any two dogs playfully tugging at each other's ears in Kristin Wilson's living room - but both are at work.

Their job? To alert Wilson and Sheila Zamora of Fresno, Calif., both diabetics, when their blood-sugar levels are falling. Quick action is needed to spare them from dangerous effects of hypoglycemia - seizures or even comas.

Wilson's yellow lab Kolumbo and Zamora's black lab Sherman are assistance dogs, just like those who help the blind.

The women say these dogs have accurately detected when their blood-sugar levels have dropped - and have even reminded them to eat when they've failed to act.

Training dogs for diabetics is a relatively new idea At least one study seems to suggest that dogs can detect low blood-sugar levels in people, but researchers are still looking for proof and an explanation of the phenomenon.

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast in Ireland questioned 212 dog owners in 2008. The owners were Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetics. Their dogs all were just pets - not trained assistance dogs. Sixty-five percent of the owners said the dogs had reacted to at least one hypogylcemic episode, with 31 percent of the dogs reacting to 11 or more episodes.

The dogs' reactions included barking, licking their owners, staring intently and jumping on their owners. A few of the dogs trembled and some ran away from their owners, the researchers said.

It's thought the dogs detect a scent from the body when a drop in blood sugar is imminent or occurring, said Diabetics4Dogs Program Director Carol Edwards. The nonprofit, based in the Bay Area city of Concord, Calif., trained Wilson's and Zamora's service dogs.

The smell could be acetone, endorphins "and a few other things," Edwards said. But there are still more compounds to identify, she said. "I would love to know what they're smelling."

The dogs are exposed to the low-blood sugar scent in training, Edwards said. The dogs also receive obedience and social training before being placed with a diabetic, she said.

Since the nonprofit began training dogs in 2004, Edwards said few diabetics have returned their dogs for failing to detect hypoglycemia. The business has trained 50 dogs and has an additional 12 in training, she said.

The American Diabetes Association hasn't taken a position on diabetes assistance dogs, said Bo Smith, director of marketing and communications in the association's Los Angeles office.

"Science has not yet proven the dogs are reacting to a change in body chemistry," Smith said.

Wilson and Zamora, however, are convinced.

Even dog play doesn't keep the canines from their job. As they romp in Wilson's living room, Sherman stops briefly and bites a "bringzel," a black cloth pouch hanging around his neck. He looks at Zamora. When he gets Zamora's attention, he returns to nipping Kolumbo's ears. That was Sherman's signal for her to check her blood sugar, Zamora said.

Zamora's blood sugar isn't low, but it has dropped 31 points to 228 in the 17 minutes she's been at Wilson's home. Although Zamora doesn't need to eat, Sherman gets a treat - cheese crackers.

Wilson and Zamora are longtime insulin-dependent diabetics - Wilson, 38, was diagnosed with diabetes at age 6; Zamora, 45, has had diabetes since she was 17.

The women's blood-sugar levels can plummet without warning to below 50, a level low enough to cause seizures and coma. Because they have had diabetes for so long, they no longer experience cold sweats, tremors or other warning symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Zamora has had seven seizures - five within the last two years, including two that occurred when her husband was not home. Her teenage daughters called paramedics for help in the middle of the night each time. One of the seizures lasted 25 minutes.

She got Sherman in October so her daughters would not have to go through that again, Zamora said.

Wilson, a single mother, hasn't had seizures, but she wanted an assistance dog to prevent them. She brought Kolumbo home July 25 from Diabetics4Dogs.

Wilson spent two weeks at the Concord, Calif., dog-training site learning how to handle a service-assistance dog. Kolumbo was placed with her after the fourth day. The training included taking him to stores, restaurants, on a bus ride and on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, she said.

Wilson, a Fresno County Children's Protective Services worker, paid $50 for an application fee and $100 for training materials. Other costs, including a dog crate, were about $1,400, she said.

Kolumbo and Wilson are still in training. They won't "graduate" until the dog consistently alerts Wilson when her blood-sugar levels drop. Wilson must keep weekly charts to show how Kolumbo is doing. "He's at about 80 percent accuracy," she said.

Zamora, a second-grade teacher at Heaton Elementary, said Sherman's accuracy is "amazing." Three times in the past two weeks, the dog caught low-blood sugar levels while she swam in her backyard pool, she said.

Wilson's learning not to ignore the dog's signal - he puts his head on her arm when her blood sugar is dropping, she said.

Wilson said she takes the dog with her to work, the store and in the car. "I take him everywhere," she said.

Sherman will be at Zamora's side when her students return to school on Aug. 17. Her students know he's a working dog, she said. Last year when she introduced Sherman to her class for the first time she let the boys and girls briefly pet him. "The rest of the year, they didn't touch him," she said.

The women said the service-assistance dogs quickly become indispensable.

Kolumbo is "my guardian angel," Wilson said. "I don't know what I would do without him."

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When the murder suspect's footsteps faded, Fin's nose led police to his hiding place.

The Gaston County Police K-9 collared the accused killer, a Shelby man traced to a home in Bessemer City, more than four years ago. His handler, Sgt. Billy Downey, said the successful track is just one of Fin's many crowning achievements.

"It was a difficult track because (the suspect) got over two six-foot privacy fences," Downey said. "He was the most wonderful police dog I've ever worked with, and not just because he was my own."

The 12-year-old German shepherd died Monday after his veterinarian found an inoperable heart tumor. Fin had been diagnosed with hip dysplasia and retired from service in December 2006. He lived with Downey and his family.

County police bought the dog from a Charlotte trainer when he was 4 years old. Fin received training in schutzhund, a working dog sport that tests canine agility and protective traits, and Downey trained him to perform article searches, track humans and sniff out illegal drugs.

Fin led police to more than $2 million worth of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs during his five-year career, Downey said. Police K-9s live with their handlers, and Fin transitioned well from a family pet to a duty dog.

"When he was at home, he was playful and he got along with everyone," Downey said. "He would let the kids ride on his back and pull his ears. As soon as he got in the back of the police car, his demeanor changed. He knew he was going to work."

In summer 2006, Fin developed hip dysplasia, a genetic condition common to the German shepherd and Belgian malinois breeds favored by law enforcement. He was retired that year and continued to live with Downey - who earned his sergeant's stripes the same month.

Fin's health had declined, and he wouldn't have survived an operation to remove the tumor. Downey had him euthanized to relieve his suffering.

"I've got hundreds of stories about him, about the things he's done," Downey said. "He was a great watchdog, and he loved being in the backyard, playing with the kids. The family misses him bad already."

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"This is the biggest our unit has ever been," said Sgt. Mike Fridley, the handler of Niko, a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois.

Niko is a multi-purpose working dog who is certified in narcotics detection, tracking and apprehension.

Fridley previously served as a military police K-9 handler in the U.S. Marine Corps and said he always wanted to become a handler in civilian law enforcement.

Fridley went to then-Sheriff Bill Laird and requested a dog.

"He said, 'Mike, I'll tell you what. If you go out and raise the money for it, we'll get you a dog,'" Fridley said.

He did just that.

"I went out to the public - the Fayette County Board of Education, the park service, Elkem Metals, Dr. Millie Peterson ... just all over Fayette County, and I raised over $27,000.

"I came back in a few days and said, 'Sheriff, I have the money. I'm ready to get a dog.' He couldn't believe it. That's how much the public helped in getting our K-9 unit started."

Fridley bought Niko at Augusta K-9 in Virginia. He stayed there for 8 to 10 weeks to train with his new dog.

"I showed up down there and the guy said here's two dogs," he explained. "You start out with the two, and you see who you work best with."

Paired with a German shepherd and Belgian Malinois, Fridley said, "The shepherd and I got along well, but me and Niko were meant to be."

The Belgian, whom Fridley calls a regular member of his family, has been Fridley's partner in crime-fighting for the last nine years.

"We hit it right off, went through our schooling and got certified. We've been on the road ever since."

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Niko, who's 9 years old, has been a shining light for Fayette County ever since day one.

In some of his larger finds, he's found a half kilo of cocaine, which was packaged with a Mexican Mafia stamp on it, and 48 pounds of marijuana.

"The marijuana was wrapped in cellophane with orange gel in it. They were trying to hide the scent, but it didn't deter Niko. He about ate through the box ... We've found a lot of dope," Fridley said.

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Niko is also first-class when it comes to tracking and apprehensions.

"I've done a lot of good tracks. I've found bad guys, lost people."

Several months ago. Niko was used at Pine Knoll Apartments where a man wanted in New Jersey was hiding. After the man exited a back door and refused to comply with police commands, Niko was released, and he successfully apprehended the man, who was said to be armed and dangerous.

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"These dogs live to work. They live to make you happy," Fridley said.

"I start up my cruiser in the morning and I go down and let him out of the kennel. He runs from his gate to the car and jumps in back. By the time I get around front, he's sitting there, like 'where have you been, dad.' It's time to go to work. And he'll pace the whole time."

Today, Niko's one of the oldest dogs in the department.

Police dogs typically retire at 8 to 10 years, but Fridley says he doesn't want to jinx it by predicting how much longer Niko will work.

"Niko hasn't lost a step yet. He's still got a high drive. He loves going to work. I'll keep him as long as I can and as long as he's able to get into the cruiser and go to work."

Sheriff Steve Kessler, whom Fridley says is 100 percent supportive of the K-9 unit, has made arrangements so that each of the handlers can keep their dog, when it retires.

"They're your partner. They're with you at all times," Fridley said. "They're very protective of their handlers - especially our dual purpose dogs."

Fridley and Niko were picked as K-9 officer of the year at this year's Fraternal Order of Police awards ceremony.

"That was humbling," Fridley said.

"It was for making apprehensions, finding drugs. He's part of our family. He is our family. I call him my son."

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The winner of the Golden Clone Giveaway - a competition to find the world's most "cloneworthy" dog - has been presented with his cloned puppies.

Trust, Valor, Prodigy, Solace and Deja Vu are clones of Trakr, a German shepherd that with his handler was one of the first to arrive and begin searching for survivors on September 12, 2001 at the site of the World Trade Center. Trakr located the last human survivor rescued from the rubble.

The dogs were cloned by California firm BioArts International, in collaboration with South Korea's SooAm Biotech Research Foundation, directed by disgraced scientist Woo-Suk Hwang .

Trakr died earlier this year. His owner James Symington, a former Canadian police officer, said that one of the clones - Trust - was an exact replica of Trakr.

"The physical similarities are uncanny," he told AFP. "He's the spitting image of the Trakr that I first met in 1995. He has exactly the same markings, the way he moves, everything. Very alert, very intelligent and intuitive."

Of course, cloning is not a way of raising the dead. There are plenty of reasons why you might want to clone an animal - it may be an endangered species, a prize livestock animal, or a champion racehorse - but doing it to resurrect a beloved companion seems to be a dubious one.

The cost of cloning will prevent most people going down this route. BioArts boss Lou Hawthorne said dog cloning, at about $144,000 per clone, would remain beyond the reach of ordinary pet lovers. Hawthorne owns three clones of one of his own former pets, a collie-husky cross called Missy. (Read our interview with Hawthorne)

Meanwhile Hwang's former employers, Seoul National University, have their own canine programme, and recently created the world's first transgenic dog.

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Fairmont Tremblant has added two-year-old Golden Lab Gracie to the hotel staff. She joins the hotel as Canine Ambassador, to meet and greet guests, go for scheduled walks and runs, and be a community liaison. Says, Fairmont representive Joanne Papineau "Though she missed the opportunity to become an official Canadian Guide Dog by a snout, she is committed to her new goal of making every guest smile."

Gracie is Fairmont's ninth canine ambassador. She's had some formal schooling with the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind in Ottawa, however incredible social skills proved to be better suited to the social life of a hotel ambassador, so she's joined theTremblant team.

Gracie is already very popular with children and children-at-heart loving attention and going for runs or taking leisurely strolls through the picturesque village of Mont-Tremblant. She works five days per week at the hotel. When not busy, she relaxes on her fluffy bed beside the concierge desk in the rustic, elegant country décor, giving guests a tail wag.

The other eight Fairmont canine ambassadors are Santol at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Catie at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, Chunki and Kimi at The Fairmont Acapulco Princess, Sonny at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Dakota at The Fairmont Winnipeg, Holly at The Fairmont Waterfront and Mavis - Holly's half-sister - and Beau, at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

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Holloman Air Force Base members said goodbye May 1 to one of their own at a memorial service rendering full military honors to a 49th Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog.

Uro, a 4-year-old German shepherd, died April 24 at Holloman. His death was determined to be caused by gastric dilatation volvulus, which is common among larger breeds of dogs and also working dogs.

"He was a very calm and lovable dog and wanted to please everyone" said Staff Sgt. Stephanie Finch, K-9 handler/patrolman. "He was very friendly and if you just saw him (without his handler), you would never know he was a working dog."

Born on Oct. 17, 2004, in Germany, Uro came to Holloman in September 2006, having completed over 100 days of military working dog training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Like many working dogs, Uro was dual certified in narcotics detection and as a patrol dog.

Although he had not yet deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, Uro was instrumental locally in the discovery of narcotics on five separate occasions, including two while working with a Joint Drug Task Force in El Paso.

Although loving and playful, Uro was also very protective of his fellow officers. On one occasion, Uro was dispatched to assist patrolmen who were dealing with an unruly individual. When the individual became violent, Uro's years of training and preparation paid off as he quickly subdued the individual, said Sergeant Finch.

"We protect the base population and the dogs protect us," said Staff Sgt. Kevin Williams, K-9 handler/patrolman, who was Uro's handler when he died.

Like all other active-duty members, Uro was provided full military honors, which included the presentation of the colors, the playing of "Taps," a flag folding ceremony and a three volley firing party.

"The untimely death of Military Working Dog Uro was a devastating loss for both our K-9 section and the unit," said Chief Master Sgt. Donald Tapp, 49th Security Forces manager. "Although one of our youngest dogs, he had conducted several thousand training and search hours in support of the home security mission. Uro was a true defender and a vital police asset. He will be greatly missed, but his devotion to duty in support of the 49th Security Forces Squadron mission will live on in spirit."

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Military working dog teams from throughout Victory Base Complex came out April 13 for a ceremony at the division chapel to honor one of their own. Kevin, a military working dog, passed away due to complications from cancer. His death was unexpected and left the other half of his team, Staff Sgt. Aaron Meier, in limbo and in mourning.

While in theater, military working dogs are not replaced, so Meier will be reassigned to other duties for the remainder of his deployment. As Meier now turns his attention to new job responsibilities, most of his focus still remains on the loyal partner and friend he lost.

"Kevin was the highlight of my day," said Meier, a military dog handler, from Fairmont, Minn., assigned to Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.

For more than four years, Meier and Kevin built an excellent working relationship together. "Kevin was a great patrol explosive detector dog," said Meier. "I could flip his on and off switch easily because of all the training we did together."

During their course of working together, the relationship developed further and formed a powerful, personal bond between them. "I was planning on adopting Kevin after this deployment," said Meier. "This was his last time deploying because of his age."

Though he never got to adopt him, Meier and Kevin still had many unforgettable moments together. "I pampered him a lot because a happy dog works better." Meier recalled the first time he gave Kevin a pillow to rest his head when they were together in a hotel preparing for a Secret Service mission. "Kevin had many human characteristics," Meier added.

Kevin's traits will always stick out in the minds of those who knew him. "He was very protective of Sgt. Meier," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Jasper, kennel master at Camp Liberty, DSTB, 1st Cav. Div. "Besides being a great detection and patrol dog, he was good for law enforcement purposes."

As one of the first dogs to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kevin's achievements were acknowledged during the ceremony. There were poems read in his honor, Taps was played by a 1st Cav. Div. trumpeter and military working dog teams left snacks in Kevin's bowl as a tribute to his service. "It is appropriate to honor their service," said Lt. Col. Barbara Sherer, from Springfield, Mo., 1st Cav. Div. command chaplain and co-coordinator of the ceremony. "Military working dogs are an important part of the military team and sometimes they are taken for granted."

That's a sentiment echoed by Staff Sgt. Jasper, "We consider dogs to be Soldiers too, they are constantly working." The ceremony gives credit to all the dogs and all the work they do here and in the United States, he added.

Military working dog teams are called upon often to perform their duties, so there is rarely a chance for teams from the different camps to see each other. Kevin afforded each team the opportunity to see in each other more of the common ground they share.

As Kevin's life, the attachment Meier had with him and the work they accomplished together were celebrated, new bonds formed among the Soldiers. They realized more the value of their military working dog teams and appreciated the chance for one of their own to be recognized.

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When Lena Wilson tried to board the No. 240 bus in North Vancouver last Thursday, she was shocked when the driver initially refused to let her service dog Kelly on the bus.

Wilson has been physically disabled since the age of 14, when toxins from an E. coli infection entered her brain, and left her with dystonia, a serious neuromuscular disorder. All four of Wilson's limbs are affected by the disorder.

Wilson, a 27-year-old recent University of B.C. graduate, must use a wheelchair, and relies on a Pacific Assistance Dog Society companion to deal with everyday challenges.

She got her first service dog at the age of 15, and depends on Kelly for everything from turning light switches on and off to answering the phone and retrieving items she might drop.

Kelly is an eight-year-old lab/retriever mix.

"She goes everywhere with me and it's illegal for people or businesses to deny her access," said Wilson. Wilson always carries the dog's PADS identification papers and a card explaining the law (Bill 47 -- 1990, The Guide Animal Act).

"The bus driver refused to look at it," said Wilson.

Wilson kept her cool. "Kelly knows my body language and when I'm stressed. She tries to give me eye contact to calm me down," said Wilson.

When the driver finally lowered the lift for Wilson's wheelchair, there wasn't enough room for the dog to enter at the same time. She handed the leash to her sister, who was with her.

The driver later claimed he was justified in refusing the dog access because technically, as Wilson boarded, she wasn't personally "handling" the dog.

Wilson said the driver continued to be argumentative, "hostile and combative," while they were on the bus.

"This is the first time I've ever had a big problem with my service dog," said Wilson, who has filed a complaint with TransLink and Coast Mountain Bus Company.

"I haven't heard back from anybody," said Wilson.

When The Vancouver Sun contacted Coast Mountain spokesman Derek Zabel, Zabel said: "PADS dogs are absolutely allowed on our system. This is an issue we are definitely going to have to follow up on with this operator. We will make sure they understand what our policy is."

Zabel said Coast Mountain takes all customer complaints seriously, but "complaints dealing with disabled passengers are priority one."

He said Coast Mountain works directly with drivers on a continuing basis to provide education and sensitivity training.

Said Wilson: "I just want to get the awareness out there that service dogs for the disabled are as professional as guide dogs are for the blind.

"And an apology would be nice."

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An army dog handler was killed with his animal after his unit came under enemy fire in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday.

The soldier was from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and attached to the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. He died on Thursday night after being attacked by insurgents while on a routine patrol from forward operating base Inkerman, in the Sangin area of Helmand province, the MoD said.

His explosives sniffer dog was also killed in the ambush, which wounded six other soldiers - five from 2 Para and one from 3 Para. One suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and was being airlifted to the UK for further treatment. The other five were returning to duties.

"I would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of our fallen soldier," said spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, Royal Navy Captain Michael Finney.

His next of kin had been informed and the soldier was expected to be formally named today, the MoD said.

The death takes the number of British service personnel who have lost their lives in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 112.

On Tuesday weapons maintenance specialist Corporal Jason Barnes, 25, from Exeter, Devon, was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand as he drove an ambulance back to base.

The growing Taliban-led insurgency is mainly concentrated in the south and east. However significant fighting is occurring in the west and central parts of Afghanistan. More than 2,600 people have died in insurgency-related violence there this year, according to Associated Press figures.

The Royal Army Veterinary Corps, based at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, is believed to have been involved in every army campaign since its formation in 1796. For its first 150 years horses were the main focus. But more recently dogs have come to play a crucial role in British military operations around the globe.

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Another Army Dog Story:
Canadian Armed Forces Blogger: Sniffer dog revealed as longest serving member of Army in Afghanistan

Arson dogs are tools, firefighters say, and Doogie the chocolate Lab was solid as steel.

He sniffed for accelerants for almost nine years, working more than 200 area fires without injury or illness.

But arson dogs are more than tools. They form bonds with their human trainers and touch emotions. When Doogie died suddenly last month, Olathe Fire Marshal Brad Henson held the dog's paw and sobbed. They had been together, at home and at work, since 2000.

Henson feels as if a family member died, he says, and fire departments no longer have the services of one of the few arson dogs in the area.

Doogie also had worked for federal authorities in the $5 million Schutte Lumber fire in 2003. Last week, Kansas City, Kan., firefighters wanted him to work a fire there, Henson said.

"It's hard to tell people that Doogie is not available," Henson said.

But a replacement may come soon. Henson is training a younger member of his canine family, a dog that detects explosives, to sniff accelerants.

Doogie was Henson's first working dog. He recently told how he and his wife became family for three large fire dogs.

In the spring of 2000, Henson and Doogie met and bonded in a five-week training program in rural Maine. They live together in a dorm room within a community for retired nuns and Catholic educators. There was one room with a TV that all shared, and no cable.

Doogie had been rescued from a pound, and Henson didn't know what to expect. He never had many dogs as a kid, but after getting interested in them as part of his training he applied for the department to the State Farm Insurance arson dog project.

It provided a trained dog for free and paid for Henson's travel and room and board during the training. The company has sponsored more than 250 arson dogs and handlers in 16 years, but experts say arson dogs are still far rarer than bomb dogs or attack dogs.

In the metropolitan area, the Kansas City police have one, as do the Overland Park Fire Department and the South Metropolitan Fire Protection District in Cass County.

Even as a rookie, Doogie took to the food-training technique and was soon a star. He got fed directly from Henson's hand only after the dog sniffed an accelerant and signaled by sitting down. Once every day, Henson poured a small amount of accelerant somewhere, let Doogie find it and then fed him.

The friendly dog hammed himself onto an insurance company promotional video before they left their Maine training ground. Then they boarded an airplane and Henson was amazed at his first flight with this unflappable dog.

"He got the window seat," said Henson, 43. "The stewardess gave him ice water. He got wings from the pilot."

Doogie's double life

Soon Doogie was being a pal to Henson and his wife, Leisa, in one life, and he was working charred ruins in another. Doogie had a home collar and a work collar, Henson said.

"When I grabbed that one collar, he knew it was time to get to work."

Arson dogs can detect minute traces of accelerants at fire scenes, which saves firefighters time and money in collecting and testing samples.

For 2007, national fire experts reported $733 million in property losses from arson, and State Farm Insurance says its dog program is intended to help reduce that.

Only four of eight dogs the insurance company trained for Missouri agencies are still active, a company spokesman said, and all six dogs it trained for Kansas have now retired or died.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also has a training program that has put out 488 bomb dogs and 188 arson dogs since 1991. Arson dogs are rare, an ATF spokesman said, and the bureau has about four of them in all of Missouri and Kansas.

In 2004, Henson bought an 8-week-old chocolate Lab named Remee and trained him to sniff explosives. He trained Remee by play reward.

The dog gets to play with a tennis ball every day after he finds hidden explosives. For this, a strongbox in Henson's truck holds a stick of dynamite and a bag of plastic explosives.

Each dog is different. Play reward was right for Remee but would not have worked for Doogie.

"Doogie wouldn't chase a tennis ball," Henson said. "He liked to swim, and he liked to sit and be petted."

In 2006, he was asked to take Don, a German shepherd attack dog also trained to sniff explosives. Don was about 4 years old and had served in the Middle East and on bomb checks for political visitors in various states, but the military was dumping him.

He had developed a slight vision problem, and he would be put to sleep unless someone took him.

"They didn't want a dog that didn't see straight," Henson said. "I didn't care if he could see straight. I just wanted him to smell."

He called Leisa. Take Don, she said.

Things evolved nicely. Doogie slept on the couch. Remee slept in bed with the humans, and Don slept on the bedroom floor. In the morning, Remee rode to work in the passenger seat of Henson's truck, while Doogie and Don shared a compartment in back.

A sad transition

In early January, the always healthy Doogie started showing signs of what Henson thought was arthritis and slight dementia.

"We retired him to give him time to enjoy his old age," he said. Doogie was about 13 years old.

Before long, however, he had trouble walking, and it seemed an operation might be needed. But on Jan. 22, the vet's staff called Henson.

An inoperable tumor had grown into Doogie's spine. Chemo or radiation might give him only another few weeks.

"I found all this out in a matter of about 10 minutes," Henson said.

There was only one thing to do.

"I kind of toughed it up and filled my pockets full of Kleenex," he said, and he held the unconscious dog's paw as Doogie was put to rest.

Since then, he said, the two other dogs have sensed that something is missing. They sometimes lie down where Doogie used to go. Doogie's collar hangs from the rearview mirror of Henson's truck, and Remee sometimes sniffs it.

"It's kind of neat. I know he's remembering what the smell is."

Henson has started training Remee to signal accelerants and thinks he will learn easily. Then Henson will take the dog through burned property to get him used to that.

On the Olathe fire station lawn last week, Henson gave Remee an early test. He poured some accelerant from a tube container, brought out the dog and yelled, "Seek!"

Remee searched, found the scent, sat down and looked at Henson in giddy expectation.

The handler threw a tennis ball. Remee bounded after it and romped back. They did it over and over until the green ball glistened with dog slobber.

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Bomb detection task force is on the job

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has dispatched special officers to help prepare for a safe Super Bowl XLIII. Those called to service include ATF K-9 explosives detection teams. The K-9 units have been sent to Tampa from around the country.

ATF has used its explosives detecting canines at other special events including the Republican and Democratic National Conventions and the recent Presidential Inauguration or Barack Obama.

Dog teams are vital to local law enforcement officers and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have teams of military working dogs (MWD) that are used for patrol, drug and explosive detection, and specialized missions.

Give your working dog a pat on the head today and enjoy the Super Bowl!

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President-elect Barack Obama and family are said to be in the market for a dog to liven up the White House.

But there are already dogs in their near future: four Army dogs are being detached to the Secret Service to do crowd control duties before, during and after the Jan. 20 inauguration.

The dogs, from Fort Myer, Va., are experts in sniffing out bombs and taking down bad guys. Among them is Mike, a six-year-old Belgian Malinois.

Mike and his handler, Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Konrardy, have done presidential duty before. They spent Christmas at Camp David when President Bush was there.

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Fox Lake's American Legion Post has a new member with four legs, a bite of about 1,200 pounds of pressure per square inch and a willingness to eat meat on a floor.

Dexter became the first military working dog to receive a membership card for American Legion Post 703 at a ceremony Wednesday. Post 703 Cmdr. Jerry Kandziorski said national Legion officials indicated it may well have been a first in the United States.

"He was a tried and true veteran," Kandziorski said. "He took his time in service and performed his duty. We think he deserves the recognition that should come to anybody."

Dexter is a Navy veteran who served in Iraq with his handler, Petty Officer 1st Class Kathleen Ellison. One of the 10-year-old German shepherd's heroic actions occurred in July 2004, when he detected explosives on the gas tank of a garbage truck that would have targeted a mess hall for U.S. troops at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.

About 75 guests watched Dexter's membership ceremony at the Fox Lake American Legion hall, which was complete with an honor guard and invocation by Post 703 chaplain Bill Gordon.

Legion members came bearing gifts for Dexter as well. The canine was a little cool toward a giant bone with a "Welcome Home Dexter" note on it, but he went to town on a 2-pound steak he removed from a platter and ate on the floor.

Ellison, 45, an upstate New York native, said she was in Afghanistan when she recently received word her former partner was in jeopardy of being euthanized in Naples, Italy, because of deteriorating health.

"I said, 'Well, that is not going to happen. I'll be there in about three weeks to get him,' " said Ellison, who worked with Dexter until May 2005.

Ellison found the Save-a-Vet organization in Lindenhurst, which found Dexter's new home in Spring Grove. Launched by disabled veteran Danny Scheurer of Round Lake, the group rescues unwanted military and law-enforcement working dogs.

Scheurer said Dexter will live on a property with other retired military and law-enforcement canines where constant care is provided. He said the operation's owner prefers to be anonymous.

Using rest and relaxation time, Ellison left Afghanistan on Christmas Day and picked up Dexter in Naples on Monday. The pair landed Tuesday night in Milwaukee before the war dog's big day in Fox Lake.

Ellison said she hopes to visit Dexter after her service in Afghanistan ends in about a year. She said she knows he'll be in good hands at his new home in Spring Grove.

"You hope and pray that there's going to be a happy ending," Ellison said. "And there absolutely was. I can't ask for anything more."

Source

Not many folks are having a good day when they're down there, save the anxious bride or someone claiming an inheritance.

It's a place of stress and sadness, confrontation and calamity.

But there's one creature, now convalescing from life-saving surgery, who can't wait to get back.

That's Chance, the courthouse dog and a minor celebrity, who had more than three feet of his small intestine removed last month and for whom courthouse figures are raising money for his care.

A bake sale last week raised $860 for the 10-year-old canine, who helps child victims in the most unspeakable circumstances gain the strength to testify in court and, secondarily, helps the courthouse crowd relieve their considerable stress.

Speaking of Chance's body of work was Catherine Babbitt, chief of the Bexar County District Attorney's Office family justice division: "You're (dealing with) kind of the worst things that a human being can do to children," she said. "To have one bright spot in an otherwise dark day is gold."

Or, in this case, a mellow 91-pound kerchief-wearing golden retriever who has been coming around for two years, since he was officially deputized.

Chance's hard luck and convalescence, including a Nov. 12 midnight ride to the vet after suffering a bowel obstruction that began with the consumption of an off-menu T-shirt, was followed closely in an e-mail vigil by the courthouse crew who have come to know him.

Harriett Wells, an assistant district attorney in the family justice division, also knew that his owner, Becky Snodgrass, a Texas Child Protective Services legal liaison, would never think to ask for money to cover the $5,000 or so bill for the veterinary fees. And so Wells helped roust the mountain of baked goods that was sold as a benefit last Wednesday outside the central jury room.

It is not just a feel-good effort, she said.

"This is a working dog," Wells said. "This is not just somebody's pet. He performs a valuable service, and everyone just wants to pitch in and to help out."

CPS supervisor Ada Gomez had helped Snodgrass in the early morning hours take Chance for his emergency surgery.

"We put sheets underneath him," she recalled. "I've never seen a dog in the process of dying, but that's what he looked like."

For his part, lazing on his dog bed at his home in Terrell Hills recently, Chance looks to be regaining his form and, expected to fully recover, Snodgrass said he'd return to regular duty soon.

Delia Carian, an associate judge in the child support court and a former prosecutor, spoke of one prosecution when a girl who had been raped didn't want to enter the courtroom, but for her visit with Chance.

"She said if the dog can do it," Carian said, "I can do it."

Source

He weighs less than 10 pounds and stands about 11 inches high, but make no mistake about Bromley: He is a working dog who impacts the lives of many.
A Maltese, Bromley is registered with the Delta Society, a leading international resource for the human-animal bond.

As part of his on-the-job responsibilities, Bromley and his owner, Joan Blumenfeld of Westport, routinely visit local nursing homes, where "Bromley works the room in grand style," reports Blumenfeld.

"He has kisses and hugs for everyone, he does tricks and he brings joy to a small group of six to eight frail elderly residents," she said. "He also charms the staffs and he absolutely brightens everyone's day."

As a professional geriatric care manager, Blumenfeld advocates for the elderly, coordinates their care and helps their families connect with quality eldercare resources. In addition to her eldercare counseling and consultation services, she has added pet therapy to her practice.

She and Bromley volunteer at a local nursing home and visit private clients at health-care centers, assisted living facilities and in their own homes, brightening the day for people in need of companionship.

The Delta Society evaluates and registers Pet Partner Teams of owners and well-trained pets that volunteer to visit health-care facilities and schools to enhance the quality of life for adults and children.

A registered Pet Partner Team, Bromley and Blumenfeld frequently visit elderly patients at The Carrolton Chronic and Convalescent Hospital in Fairfield.

The impact that Bromley has on the patients is immeasurable, according to Jackie Provost, recreation director and volunteer coordinator at The Carrolton.

"Joan and Bromley offer the residents quality time and continuity," she said. "The folks here really look forward to their visits. During their time here, the dog provides our residents with unconditional love, sensory input and the warmth and affection that petting an animal can provide."

The dog also provides a diversion for the patients, noted Blumenfeld. "Bromley is a bridge to human connection," she explained. "The elderly really connect to him. He is a catalyst in creating a group conversation. Often, the elderly, as a group, will discuss their medications or their aches and pains. Bromley opens the door to entirely new elements in their conversations."

He also triggers fond memories and a sense of nostalgia, added Provost. "The touch of home that the dog provides to our residence has no bounds," she said. "The joy he brings to people here is apparent. Their faces just light up when he enters the room. Bromley's visits make the them forget about their problems and their losses. It's almost like their worries vanish, at least temporarily.

"Often, Bromley's visits will bring up memories of dogs from our residents' pasts," she added. "He creates opportunities for social conversations."

The pint-sized pooch also helps Blumenfeld in her private practice.

"When the elderly connect to him, they will often connect to me," she said. "His presence helps me to introduce topics of discussion, such as 'What is a best friend?' "

His mere presence has a positive affect, she observes. "He calms people down just by being in the room," she said. "He also inspires feelings of acceptance and love."

"Bromley doesn't care if a person is handicapped or if their clothes are stained," she noted. "If you want to reach out and touch him, he's game. He's added loving quality to the work that I do.

"The elderly like him so much," she continued. "Sometimes they compete for his attention. They say things to me like, 'Look, he came up to me first!' or 'He likes me best!' A visit from Bromley really makes their day. It gives them relief from the day-to-day grind."

In addition to visiting hospitals and assisted living facilities, Bromley and Blumenfeld will make house calls. "We visit some patients weekly," she said.

"I got Bromley when he was only 11 weeks old," Blumenfeld said, "but I put him to work right away. He's calm, he's not aggressive and he is well-mannered. He really has a calling."

Not every dog can make it as a pet therapy dog, points out Sally Sizer, a licensed Delta evaluator and therapy-training instructor at Doggone Smart in Norwalk, where Bromley has taken classes. (His repertoire includes bowing, free-style dancing, spinning, shaking hands, sitting and staying.)

"The dogs in the Delta program have to be well-trained and gentle," Sizer emphasized. "They also have to be willing to be passed from lap to lap."

Source

Jake is just 5 months old, but he already is learning the skills he will need to help improve someone's life.

As he walked through the Decatur east Wal-Mart on Friday, Jake's constant companion, Mike Lawrence, pointed out some Elmo toys on a shelf. With a sniff, Jake dismissed the dolls as an unworthy distraction and plopped down on the floor to wait for Lawrence.

Jake, a German shepherd-Labrador retriever mix, was bred for the Leader Dogs for the Blind program, and when he's finished with his training, he will work as a guide dog for someone who is visually impaired.

It is Lawrence's job as a puppy raiser to see Jake through his puppyhood and get him ready for the situations he might encounter with his permanent owner. Trips to the store with carts whizzing by, animated Halloween displays and the smell of tasty treats wafting through the aisles are crucial in developing Jake's skills as a guide dog.

"We try to give as many experiences as they can, so when they're out with their visually impaired partner -- nothing is a surprise to them," said Janice White, Lawrence's puppy counselor through the program.

White, who lives in Pekin, has been a counselor for 10 years and is available for Lawrence if he has issues or questions. She sees each puppy in the area once a month. The dogs and their raisers go on monthly outings to museums, restaurants and other locations.

"They've (the dogs) got to learn to lie quietly under a table while dinner is being served and not dive for the French fry that the kid just threw," she said.

A puppy raiser must ensure that when the puppy returns to Leader Dogs, it knows everything it needs to proceed to the next level of its training. Each puppy must be comfortable around traffic and understand basic commands, White said.

"With Mike, he's one of those raisers you don't have to worry about," she said of Lawrence, who is on his seventh dog.

The dogs go to museums, restaurants, stores, street festivals and, ideally, almost everywhere with their puppy raisers.

"You're always looking for the opportunity of a good training situation for your puppy," White said.

She recently welcomed Lacy, the golden retriever puppy she raised last year, back into her home to give birth to her first litter. After going through her advanced training, Lacy was selected to breed for the organization because of her positive traits.

Lawrence used to live near the Leader Dogs for the Blind training school in Michigan. He said training puppies for the organization was something he had always wanted to do. Now a Findlay resident, he, his son, Jared, and their 5-year-old boxer named Buddy regularly open their home to the furry students.

After his sixth dog, Lawrence tried to take a break. He sent the puppy off to the school in February and was going to take a year off, but three months later, he called and got Jake.

"He's pretty laid-back," Lawrence said. "He's real interested in everything, but he's pretty laid-back."

At 12 or 13 months old, Jake will return to the school for advanced training. For now, his outings with Lawrence consist of getting used to the sights, smells, sounds and experiences of being out in public. He wears a special collar and a powder blue jacket to signify that he is a working dog in training.

"He works on praise," Lawrence said. "I try not to use treats too much."

Each dog Lawrence has brought into his home has its own personality and quirks, he said.

"He (Jake) tends to be a little shy at times, so we're trying to get him to be a little more comfortable," Lawrence said of the things the puppy still needs to work on. "That and picking up rocks."

White and Lawrence take the training very seriously, as the things they do for their puppies now could mean life-or-death situations for their future owners. One difficulty is trying to get through a trip out in public without having crowds of people asking to pet the puppies, they said.

"You want to educate the public, but yet, you've got to train that puppy, too," White said.

The dogs must remain in work mode so they can understand their future duties.

"You don't want them getting excited about it," Lawrence said. "You don't want them expecting to be petted or anything."

Source

A new $15 million veterinary hospital, complete with operating rooms and intensive care, officially opened here Tuesday, offering an advanced facility to treat military dogs that find bombs and aid patrols on the warfront.

Dogs working for all branches of the military and the Transportation Safety Administration, are trained at Lackland Air Force Base to find explosive devices, drugs and land mines. Some 2,500 are currently working with military units.

Like soldiers and Marines on the battlefront, military dogs suffer war wounds and routine health issues that need to be treated to ensure they can continue working.

Dogs injured in Iraq or Afghanistan get emergency medical treatment on the battlefield and are flown for care to Germany. If necessary, they'll fly on to San Antonio for more advanced treatment - much like wounded human personnel.

"We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world," said Army Col. Bob Vogelsang, hospital director. "If they can make it back here, they can usually go back to the fight" after treatment.

Before the new hospital, veterinarians were treating and rehabilitating dogs in a cramped 40-year-old building that opened in 1968, when the military was training dogs for work in Vietnam.

The hospital was already overstuffed by Sept. 11, 2001, but since then, demand for military working dogs has jumped dramatically. They're so short on the German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and Belgian malinoises that typically make working dogs, Lackland officials have begun breeding puppies at the base.

Lackland has nearly double the number of dogs in training, about 750, as it did before the Sept. 11 attacks, Vogelsang said.

To treat the trainees and injured working dogs, the new hospital includes operating rooms, digital radiography, CT scanning equipment, an intensive care unit and rehab rooms with an underwater treadmill and exercise balls. A row of kennels are marked "Recovery 1," "Recovery 2" and so on, while a behavioral specialist has an office near the lobby.

"This investment made sense ... and somehow, we were able to convince others," said retired Col. Larry Carpenter, who first heard complaints about the poor facilities in 1994 and later helped get the project launched.

Training a military working dog takes about four months. With demand outstripping the number of dogs available, the hospital and veterinary workers are trying to keep them healthy and working as long as possible, Vogelsang said.

Working dogs usually enter training at 1 1/2 - to 3-years-old, and most can work until they're about 10, he said. Then, the military tries to adopt them out, "station them at Fort Living Room," he said.

Source

Rescue dogs are frequently used to aid in finding missing people, whether in avalanche areas or in the forest, since they have such a fine sense of smell. Just one dog can do the work of nearly two dozen rescue workers, by covering the same amount of ground in a fraction of the time and far more thoroughly. But how are these dogs chosen and what type of dog training do they go through?

The Selection Process

Most rescue dogs are chosen as puppies. The first selection is usually done around 2 months of age, but the puppies will be weeded out to select the best candidates again at one year, once they`ve matured a bit. While there are some specific breeds (German Shepherd, bloodhounds, etc.) that work better for this type of training, they still need to meet certain standards.

The qualities looked for in these puppies include the following:

Strong "prey" drive, the ability to hunt something for extended periods of time, which is useful when searching for lost hikers for several hours. A calm temperament. Excitable or nervous dogs rarely do well in the field and are not selected for training. Dog obedience. If a dog isn`t interested in following commands, it won`t be possible to control him in the field, which is essential for tracking. Puppy training begins once the dog has proven to fulfill all the requirements.

Training a Rescue Dog

The first step in training a young dog to track people is to lay the foundation. This basic puppy training is actually very similar to what any working dog would need to learn and once the puppy has mastered the basic skills, he is ready for more specialized training.

The foundation training includes socialization, desensitizing the dog to external distractions, dog obedience classes and barking on demand, among other things. These dogs also learn to follow hand signals, rather than simply voice commands. This makes it easier to direct a dog that is too far from its trainer to receive voice commands and also allows for silent work when needed.

Once the dog is adept at these skills, it`s time for more advanced puppy training that will prepare him for the real world of scents. One of the first things a puppy learns is to track by air, following a scent carried on the wind or simply lingering in the air. This is very important for areas that don`t hold a scent, such as river beds. The dog is also trained to track scents left on the ground.

To help train these dogs, they are often taken on courses where a person has laid a trail on purpose. The dog is given an object or item of clothing with the person`s scent and is allowed to smell it before casting for the scent in a specific area. In these cases, the person laying the trail will purposely cross roads, walk through water and double back, so the dog can learn to distinguish the true trail. Distractions are also provided, including other animals and people walking across the trail.
Since rescue work often requires the collection of evidence, particularly in the case of death, rescue dog training includes learning to point out objects dropped by the person they are tracking and to handle any evidence with care. The most common method of alerting their masters to the fact that they have found something of value is to bark.

These dogs participate in specialized rescue dog training and in most areas, are required to pass a tracking and ability test in order to become a certified rescue dog. They then need to be recertified every couple of years or so, depending on the area. They provide a very valuable service and are instrumental in the recovery of missing people every year.

Source

After 10 years working for the Air Force, Benny didn't need a pension when it came time for him to retire last year from his job sniffing out illegal drugs - just a loving owner and some well-earned rest as a canine senior citizen.

But if not for a lucky telephone call to Langley Air Force Base, Va., on Nov. 29, the final reward for the German shepherd everyone called "the goofball" could have been grim.

Benny was scheduled for euthanasia by Christmas.

Instead, he has his loving new home, thanks to a determined Air Force spouse who is making it her mission to make sure other "Bennys" don't slip through the cracks.

Congress passed a law in 2000 that allows military handlers, law enforcement officers and civilians to adopt the animals after they are declared "excess inventory."

But when Debbie Kandoll, 50, began searching for an adoptable dog last year, it turned out to be much harder than she anticipated.

Kandoll's husband, Capt. Michael Kandoll, is an Air Force Reserve Security Force officer.

"So I knew the name of the units these dogs would be under; I knew how to go through base operators, I knew rank structures and military procedures - and it was still a challenge," Kandoll said.

At first, Kandoll thought her dog would have to be adopted from the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where all military working dogs are trained.

A board from the squadron meets monthly to approve all military dog adoption requests - 268 retired dogs were adopted in 2007, according to disposition coordinator Barbara Stadts.

However, the dogs themselves are adopted directly from the bases where they are retired - important information when it comes to military working dogs stationed at bases overseas, and retired from those posts, Kandoll said.

It took 20 telephone calls before Kandoll reached the kennel master at Langley, who gladly told her Benny was available, she said.

"The people who work with these dogs really care about them," Kandoll said. "But we're at war, and everyone is busy. They have to balance their love for the dogs, with the need to get the mission done."

To help others interested in adopting their own "Benny," Kandoll has launched www.workingdogs.com, which includes phone numbers for 125 military working dog facilities and a step-by-step guide to the adoption application process.

Source

Ned Heasty was supposed to retire three years ago.

Though he enjoyed his job as a Sacramento County sheriff's deputy, he was really looking forward to the next chapter: He and his wife would buy property in Baja, Mexico, and build a house.

For years, that was the plan, but then things changed. Instead of a 2005 retirement, Heasty, 61, will retire Thursday.

His departure was delayed because in 2002, a big dog that seemed to be all business walked into Heasty's life.

Heasty and Tyson, an 85-pound German shepherd, became a team, patrolling the Sacramento International Airport looking for explosive devices.

Tyson was the talent, a genius, really, when it came to subdividing scents. His incredible nose could sniff out the ingredients of a bomb better than any human contraption.

Heasty was simply there with the leash, marveling at his dog's work ethic, his seriousness, the abundance of loyalty, that unconditional love. It was all very humbling.

The two are together 24 hours a day.

"Ned and his dog are really committed to each other. That dog follows Ned around and watches everything he does," said the deputy's mother, Barbara Heasty of Citrus Heights.

As Heasty's original retirement target date crept nearer, this burly ol' dog was tugging at his heart.

It had been that way since the second week of training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, when Tyson would be looking for Heasty and Heasty couldn't wait to get to the kennel to get his dog. It wouldn't be long before he would put those Baja plans on hold.

Ned Heasty realized that if he retired, he would have to turn Tyson over to another handler when the dog was in its prime. The impeccable pedigree combined with intensive training makes Tyson worth about $50,000.

Besides, his mother and wife and practically everyone else who got to know Tyson were ready to put the kibosh on giving up the dog.

So no one was startled when Heasty one day made an extraordinary announcement. He informed his superiors that he wanted to work three more years and go out when Tyson was ready to call it quits, too.

By then, Tyson would be 8 and ready to slow down.

"Ned told me, 'This dog is so full of energy that I want to see it through,' " recalled Lt. Paul Tassone, a supervisor with the Sheriff's Department's airport division. "He could have retired, and instead he stayed on board."

"I would have been very depressed if I had to send him back to the kennels and he was assigned to someone else," said Heasty, looking over at Tyson as the dog rested under an office desk at the airport. "To have to say goodbye to this dog would have been very tough. I spend more time with him than I do with my wife - and she has pointed that out."

Dena Heasty, a retired elementary schoolteacher, understood right away.

"You're never going to be able to give him back," she said. "It would be like reading a really good book and not having the last chapter."

Turns out, a spinal condition sped the process for Tyson. The dog now works doubly hard to stretch and stoop and stand on his hind legs during his workday.

Heasty and Tyson have scoured the airport and the aircraft for signs of explosive devices. Their ability to get it right every time has been a matter of life and death.

In order to keep the dog sharp, Heasty would routinely hide something that contained the scent of explosives. When Tyson sniffed it out, the dog got to play with his Kong - a big chunk of hard rubber.

"I really enjoyed what I was doing. I got to come to work every day and try to outsmart this dog," Heasty said.

Those who worked around the airport loved to see Tyson. Passengers would stop and watch and point and smile. Heasty noticed that everyone seemed to know Tyson, but few knew the deputy by name.

The first member of the Sheriff's Department's Canine Explosive Detection Team was a mixed-breed dog named Runway. Once a stray, Runway became something of a celebrity and never missed a day from Sept. 10, 2001, her first day, until she retired last May at age 10.

Her handler, Deputy Larry Berwick, was so attached to the dog that he remained in the airport detail but opted not to get another working dog.

By the time Heasty was paired with Tyson, he and his wife already had a dog, an aging Labrador retriever named McGee. Whereas Tyson is a one-man dog, McGee loves everybody. Tyson is fearless. McGee is afraid of his shadow.

Tyson and Heasty didn't hit it off right away. Typical of German shepherds, the dog was aloof to a stranger.

"I was disappointed at first," Heasty said.

In retirement, Tyson will likely go through an adjustment period. Even with his aching back, the dog still loves to work. On walks, he can soon sniff for sniffing's sake. He'll get treats for the first time in his life.

At the farewell gathering Thursday, Tyson will wonder what all the fuss is about and why everyone is scratching his head more than normal, why folks keep telling him how wonderful he is.

Tyson is a product of operant conditioning - when he does something good, he's rewarded. He understands nothing about how Heasty put off retirement.

But he knows they will be together tomorrow and the day after that. To this dog, that's what matters most.

Source

Four Paws is deeply concerned about reports of injuries suffered by some dogs as a result of a manufacturing defect in some of its Pimple Ball with Bell toys. We have stopped shipping the toys to our distributors and asked them to have retailers remove the toys from their shelves immediately and return them at Four Paws expense.

In addition, we have halted shipments of the toys from the manufacturer and we are sending Executive Vice President Barry Askin to personally inspect the manufacturer's facility in order to make sure that the defect has been corrected.

Four Paws is also changing the packaging of its Pimple Balls with Bells to make it easier to inspect them for potential defects and we are individually inspecting every one of the toys in inventory in order to identify any that may be defective.

Consumers who have purchased one of the toys identified by the UPC listed below, should immediately take the toy away from their pet. You may return the Pimple Ball with Bell for replacement to the address listed below. Should you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 1-800-835-0909.

Item Number: 20220
Description: Pimple Ball with Bell, 2"
UPC Code: 0 45663 20220 0

Item Number: 20225
Description: Pimple Ball with Bell, 2 1/2"
UPC Code: 0 45663 20225 5

Item Number: 20227
Description: Pimple Ball with Bell, 2 3/4"
UPC Code: 0 45663 20227 9

Item Number: 20325
Description: Teaser Ball with Bell, 2 1/2"
UPC Code: 0 45663 20325 2

Item Number: 20326
Description: Teaser Ball with Bell, 2 3/4"
UPC Code: 0 45663 20326 9

Item Number: 21317
Description: Dumbbell with Bells, 1 3/4"
UPC Code: 0 45663 21317 6

Item Number: 21325
Description: Dumbbell with Bells, 2 ½"
UPC Code: 0 45663 21325 1

Item Number: 21708
Description: Dental Dumbell
UPC Code: 0 45663 21708 2

Item Number: 21995
Description: Rough and Rugged Fun Bag (3 pieces)
UPC Code: 0 45663 21995 6

Consumer Returns:
Four Paws Products
Pimple Ball with Bell Return
50 Wireless Blvd.
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Sit Stay Read is a program that helps kids improve their reading skills by getting them to read out loud to dogs. They currently operate only in Chicago but would like to spread out to many other cities.

Go to the website to meet the dogs, donate and shop for a good cause.

Indy, the black, curly-coated retriever, has seen it all - it's part of his training.

He and his owner Roger Niccoli frequently find themselves at critical moments in people's lives.

There was a man with multiple amputations, who requested only that Indy sit next to him in his hospital bed while he ate a cheeseburger and fries and watched TV. He wouldn't talk to the dog or pet him - he just wanted Indy there. Every afternoon that they were scheduled to meet, there would be a cheeseburger and fries waiting for Indy, too.

On Saturday, Sept. 13, Niccoli, who lives in Arcadia, brought Indy to the West Covina Library to talk about Niccoli's work as a tester and observer for therapy dogs.

Niccoli works for Therapy Dogs, Inc., a national organization based in Cheyenne, Wyo., that certifies and insures more than 10,000 dogs who visit the sick, the elderly, the young and veterans.

"It's a whole kind of culture," Niccoli said. "Every major hospital has a therapy program."

Niccoli started getting interested in therapy dogs when he was watching footage at Ground Zero in the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He knew then that he wanted to train a working dog - but he wanted to keep his day job as a financial consultant for First Bank.

Niccoli decided then that training a law enforcement dog or a search-and-rescue dog was out. But he became interested in - and maybe obsessed with - therapy dogs.

Niccoli tried to find out everything he could about therapy dogs, and finally he got Indy with the idea of training him as a therapy dog. He stood in front of malls and encouraged Indy to interact with strangers.

"I asked people `Please pet my dog, please pet my dog,"' Niccoli said. "Now he'd rather be with people than with other dogs."

In this way, Indy was able to prepare for his work and get used to all sorts of people - including people in pain or screaming children or children who tug at his ears.

Niccoli became so interested in the work of therapy dogs that he decided to get involved in training and certifying dogs himself.

Now he certifies 10 to 12 dogs per year around the San Gabriel Valley. Niccoli brings them and their owners around hospitals to train the dogs to be calm, consistent and obedient as they visit people in hospital rooms and community centers.

Indy's career has taken off, too. In just six years, he has had a storied career that has taken him beyond the bounds of the average therapy dog. He has visited hospitals and veterans all around Southern California, but he has also acted in the upcoming movie, "The Mechanic." He also has been featured in a book about working dogs called "K9s are Human, Too."

Niccoli said that through it all, he is constantly amazed at the way people respond to his dog, whether they are sick, dying, learning to walk for the first time or regaining motor skills after being injured. There have been patients who have requested Indy's presence at their death.

"Every therapy dog has these kind of stories," Niccoli said. "I'm just the extension of the leash."

Source

An official with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said here on Friday that some delegations and athletes have brought guide dogs to the ongoing Beijing Paralympic Games, and so far there has been no complaint about any inconvenience.

David Grevemberg, IPC executive director of Sport and IF Relations, said at a press conference that the guide dogs brought by the delegations and athletes to the Beijing Paralympics have entered China smoothly, and have received nice care during their stay in the Paralympic Village.

"It is also important and spectacular to see some athletes walking with guide dogs at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games," Grevemberg said, adding that an atmosphere should be fostered to encourage the disabled people to mobilize themselves independently.

Wang Wei, executive vice president and secretary-general of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games, said at the same press conference that the Chinese government has paid much attention to improving accessibility for the disabled, including the guide dog issue.

China amended its law on protection of the people with disabilities in April this year. The newly-amended law stipulates that guide dogs for the disabled people are allowed in public places as long as their owners observe relevant rules.

China's first center to train hearing dogs for deaf people will be set up at Beijing Union University with financial support from Samsung, an official partner of the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, according to a Thursday announcement from the firm.

Hearing dogs are trained to distinguish between different types of sounds, such as telephone rings, a knock at the door or a fire alarm. They then touch a special part of their owner's body to indicate the particular sound.

Source

An organization that trains dogs in Canada to help autistic children is about to get a boost.

The Wag Inc., a London-based Internet company that sells leather accessories for dogs, has launched a campaign to raise money for National Service Dogs, a charity based in Cambridge.

The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in the United States will also benefit from the year-long campaign.

For every item sold, the Wag Inc. will donate $2 to each organization, said Tibor Hattayer, its president.

His love of dogs -- he's an owner and breeder of German shepherds -- and his appreciation for people with autism led him to a similar campaign with National Service Dogs back in 2004, and now this one.

He has worked with children and adults with autism through Community Living London for 17 years and has witnessed first-hand the difference service dogs can make in the lives of autistic children.

Raising money for service-dog organizations through the sale of dog accessories was a natural fit, he said.

Hattayer said he wants to get other businesses involved.

"I can't do that all on my own," he said.

"We intend to inspire companies, especially companies that value that human-dog relationship, to come on board."

Service dogs help autistic children in areas of safety, social bonding and self-control.

To find out more about the company, go to www.thewagcanada.com.

According to its website, National Service Dogs in 1996 became the world's only known facility designed to link service dogs to autistic children as a way of keeping the kids from "bolting into unsafe environments."

The service dogs, the group says, were certified, thus allowing an autistic child to attend school or other public places with the dog. For more, go to www.nsd.on.ca.

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Tyler Wilson met his new best friend Thursday.

Wilson, a 24-year-old retired Army corporal from Denver, Colo., who is paralyzed from the waist down, came to the Northeastern Correctional Center last week to meet his service dog, Antoine, and Edward Chapman, the inmate who trained the 2-year-old golden retriever/poodle mix.

The two men sat and talked, with Antoine lying on the ground, his head resting between four feet.

"Anything you need to know, I will help you with," Chapman told Wilson. "This guy is just so smart; he learns so quick," the inmate said about the dog he said taught him to be a better father and a better person.

The National Education for Assistance Dog Services, known as NEADS, provides assistance dogs to injured veterans through the Canines for Combat Veterans program. NEADS Executive Director Sheila O'Brien said the program is in response to the tens of thousands of wounded veterans returning from the current conflict and changing the demographic of the disabled population.

"This is a new, young disabled population unlike any we have ever known," she said, noting medical advances have helped save lives that would have been lost during one of the World Wars or Vietnam. "They're athletes. They're young, and they don't want canes or wheelchairs. They want dogs."

Wilson was shot three times in May 2005 while serving in Afghanistan. He still has one of the bullets in his back.

"One second, your life is one way, and the next second it is another," said Wilson, who heard about Canines for Combat Veterans though the Army's Wounded Warrior program. "There's nothing you can do about it. You play the cards you are dealt."

Chapman was delighted to provide Wilson with an ace in the hole - Antoine.

"I'm very happy because I know he's serving a good purpose," Chapman said. "I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Wilson said he is essentially independent, except for his sister, who is staying with him while she is in school. He expects Antoine will help him by fetching things and picking up what he has dropped.

"His personality alone is enough to change anyone's life," he said. "Just the little things he can help me with. Opening doors, retrieving objects; things like that because of what has happened to me and stuff."

At Northeastern Correctional Center, a minimum/pre-release security facility in Concord, inmates known for good behavior can become trainers through the NEADS Prison Pup Partnership. The inmates are with the dogs all day, every day.

"It's almost like a newborn child," NCC Superintendent Paul Ruane said.

And Chapman beamed like a proud father as he sat and talked with Wilson.

"I'm happy that [Antoine] has the chance to make a difference. I hope he serves him well," Chapman said.

Fellow inmate dog-trainer Girard Davis did a demonstration of some of the skills his dog, Raison, has learned so far. The young pup sat, stayed, hopped onto a table and turned on the lights as Davis made commands and patted Raison's nose.

"The program has really been a blessing in so many ways," Davis said. "It gives you character. It gives you a chance to be reborn as a better person. It gives you a chance to help your community instead of hurting it."

Antoine is able to turn lights on and off, retrieve things and throw them away, and even remove socks. The training was hard work, but for Chapman, it was worth it.

"It makes us better people," he said of the Prison Pup Partnership. "I'm 55, and like I said, you're never too old to learn."

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All last week humans searched the northern end of Lake Nacogdoches and its shorelines for Torchie Boyd. Monday they returned, but this time with cadaver dogs. Boyd disappeared after her boyfriend's body was found following an apparent suicide.

A couple of Catahoolas, a German Shepherd and a Doberman Pincher jumped out of their kennels. Cadaver dogs come in all breeds. It's the training that makes the difference. More than a year's worth is needed for certification. Dog handler Ja'na Bickel said of her dog, Bella, " She worked the Katrina floods probably four times and found probably ten people there. " The dogs come from K-9's Search and Recovery from the Woodlands.

The search began early this morning to beat the scorching august sun. Nevertheless, precautions are taken. Bickel warns to, " Every 15 minutes break 'em. " Recent rains helped trailing conditions for a parameter that covered about 50 acres in all. Investigator, Bill Ball told the search crew, " Go from the road all the way to the high line. " Attempts were made to follow a trail possibly taken by Ernest Young, the last person Boyd was seen with before her disappearance. His body was found about five miles away near Goodman Bridge. Game warden Jim Yetter said, " We worked the trails where he would have crossed the creek and along the shoreline, those areas, so from the house we've checked 1/2 mile out in the direction of travel, 1/2 mile out and a mile wide. "

After a couple of hours of searching the dogs and handlers returned to J & S Campground. The heat was setting in, but no one was giving up. " We'll let them rest a few minutes and then go back out there," said Bickel. She and others returned dirtier and sweatier after trekking through the the dense brush.

After the rest the handlers took the dogs back to a nearby oil pit. It was a place where the dogs gave an alert. Game wardens dragged the oily water, about three foot deep, but snagged nothing. The dog's scent abilities are so strong they can detect a body even when it's underwater. The handlers are confident in the dogs. "If the woman is out there, the dogs will find her," said Bickel. The dogs were taken back to the area later in the day. They boarded boats to see if they could detect any scents coming from the lake itself, but for now the whereabouts of Torchie Boyd remain a mystery.

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Lyka sits patiently as her handlers fuss over her, drawing the attention of passersby at the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad's building near the police commissionerate. Like most of the sniffer dogs here, she has spent her entire life working with the department, detecting explosives. But when Lyka retires in a couple of years, she will be at the mercy of the police department.

Unlike Kerala and West Bengal which have retirement plans in place for elephants and horses employed by them, Maharashtra has no such plan for police dogs. It is the bond between the sniffer dogs and their handlers in the bomb squad that ensures they are not thrown out on the streets. Such dogs are accommodated in the existing kennels in the building and the expenses on their food and medical treatment is drawn from the budget allocated for working dogs.

"A sniffer dog's life is insured for a mere Rs 10,000. The government has no post-retirement programme for them and the existing kennels would soon fall short of requirements,'' an officer said.

In West Bengal, there's a welfare programme for horses retired from the police training college. It's like an indirect pension from the government where the horses are checked into a shelter outside Kolkata run by Maneka Gandhi's People for Animals. While the police pay for the food, the shelter takes care of the horses.

Earlier this year, the Kerala government opened a retirement home for elderly elephants (used for logging or in temples) over 1,000 acres of woodland in Kottur. The home buys old elephants for a nominal sum from owners who cannot or will not look after them properly. The elephants have their personal pens, are fed, watered, bathed and massaged with pumice stones and coconuts husks by dedicated mahouts.

In the absence of such schemes here, bomb squad officers in Mumbai propose to put the sniffer dogs up for adoption after retirement. "A panel would be formed comprising a bomb squad officer, the deputy commissioner of police (protection) and representatives of animal welfare organisations. They would quiz all applicants on exactly how they intend to look after the dogs. Only those who come up with satisfactory answers will be shortlisted. We want to ensure that the retired dogs are not put to work all over again,'' an officer said.

Police officials say that older sniffer dogs make perfect pets for households as they are trained to follow instructions and are even capable of living alone at times. Besides, they are friendly and can serve as excellent watch dogs for senior citizens.

Colonel J Khanna of the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, however, has a word of caution for the cops. "Police sniffer dogs should ideally be sent to an old-age shelter or to an agricultural farm outside Mumbai . Adoption is not advisable because they would seldom take instructions from anyone except their handler. Besides, they have to be fed a proteinrich diet costing up to Rs 5,000 a month, which an average person may not be able to afford ,'' Khanna said.

"Sniffer dogs have to be fed thrice a day and their diet needs to be rich in protein. For example, Lia and Caesar (two bomb squad dogs) prefer fruit slices, especially apples, for breakfast. Lunch and evening meals comprise 1 kg mutton, milk, bread and chopped vegetables . The dogs are also walked around in an open ground like the police gymkhana at Marine Lines everyday. Adequate rest is equally important,'' an officer said.

While an ordinary dog lives for 15-18 years, the lifespan of sniffer dogs is only 10-12 years due to the nature of their work. Guidelines laid down by the state government prohibit the mating of sniffer dogs. Bomb squad officers also admit that the nature of work takes a greater toll on female dogs as compared to the males.

Health concerns

Rambo, a German Shepherd with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Don, a Labrador retriever with the bomb squad and Rana, a Doberman Pinscher with the crime branch were admitted to the Bai Sakarbai Petit Charitable Trust (BSPCT) veterinary hospital at Parel a month ago after they had health problems.

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When Gillian Lawrence commutes to work in the morning, she is accompanied to the office by a very special dog.

Quincy is a seizure assist dog, trained to get help when Gillian has a seizure.

She can even sense when Gillian is about to have an epileptic attack.

"If I've been standing up somewhere and if she starts to whine or bark or just keep making noise that would get me to sit down," said Lawrence, who suffers from Epilepsy.

For years, debilitating seizures made it impossible for Gillian to work and take part in many activities.

"They were all day everyday, maybe about sixty or seventy a day."

Now she works a full time job with Quincy always by her side.

When they are just puppies these dogs begin the specialized training to assist people with Epilepsy.

"Things like removing dangerous objects from around the person so once they're in their seizure they're not banging their head or body against something sharp or dangerous," said Shawn Laari of the B.C. Epilepsy Society.

"They can block access to a dangerous area like a stairwell," he said.

After a seizure, they can be a calming presence and give peace of mind.

"Family members don't have to be there every waking second to attend to their needs because the dog has proven itself to be equally if not a better predictor and protector of that family member," said Laari.

In the U.S. there are several organizations that train these dogs. But in Canada, there is just the Lions Foundation in Ontario.

"Like any charitable organization, there are cost limitations and that's what we're stuck with right now," said Laari. "It would be good if we could get a training dog organization in western Canada to do that."

Gillian says she hopes more dogs will be trained to help others like her.

"For me to get my life back, she's given me a job, she's helped me in regards to do public speaking, she helped me to start educating people."

The dog also provides Gillian with a unique friendship.

"It's just such a blessing to have her," she said.

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Eight-year-old Cieran Boyle is about to get his first friend, a sturdy pointer assistance dog named Denver.

But Denver won't be helping him cross streets, open doors or turn the lights off, as do many service dogs. He'll be detecting subtle changes in Cieran's body odor that predict he is about to have a seizure.

Denver's training is an example of how today's service dogs are being prepared in new ways to assist people.

Some organizations train dogs to help children who have autism. The dog can be tethered to a child, preventing the child from wandering or getting into harm's way.

Other organizations train seizure response dogs, who get help when someone has had a seizure.

Some dogs, including some hounds and pointers, have very heightened "scent ability," said Liz North, a master instructor at Pawsabilities Unleashed.

"When a child seizes, it stresses the body," said North, a former U.S. Air Force K-9 unit trainer.

North said the onset of a seizure increases a child's adrenaline output and changes the smell of the child's sweat. So she asked the Boyles to save the clothes Cieran was wearing last time he had a seizure, and she used those to train Denver.

Because of a severe form of epilepsy caused by a disorder called Dravet syndrome, Cieran's development stopped at about 18 months. He doesn't talk, is tube-fed, and the right side of his body is impaired.

He can't play games with his brother Teagin, 6, or other children his age. And he spends much of his time in a Cieran-proofed basement room that is a combination bedroom, playroom and family room.

Although Cieran can't say he is lonely, his mother, Jessica Boyle, thinks he must be, and she hopes Denver will be a companion for her son.

"For six years, I've been looking for a service dog for Cieran," she said. "I've literally called every organization that had service dogs for children."

She found that most assistance dog organizations won't train a dog to serve anyone younger than 14. And most dogs trained to help people who have seizure disorders respond only after the seizure has started.

Boyle and her husband, Noel, a Grand Valley State University instructor, want to be alerted before Cieran has a seizure.

In Internet chat rooms for families dealing with Dravet syndrome, the Northeast Grand Rapids couple learned some seizure alert dogs such as Denver are being trained in the nonprofit Pawsabilities Unleashed pet therapy center in Kentucky.

The Boyles have paid the $3,000 dog-training fee and went to Kentucky this month to be trained as Denver's handlers.

A common sight

Assistance dogs are commonplace in West Michigan, where many families have raised puppies to be trained by Moline-based Paws With a Cause. Area residents also are used to seeing dogs assist people who are blind, hearing impaired or have physical challenges.

Grand Rapids resident Josee Slack, 73, who is severely hearing impaired, has a Paws With a Cause dog, a Lab-golden retriever mix dog named Opie. The dog tells her when the phone or doorbell rings, when the smoke alarm goes off and when someone is in her house.

Laura York, of Lowell, got Ladd, her third service dog, from a national organization called Canine Companions. The 36-year-old speech therapist has cerebral palsy and uses a power chair. She needs Ladd, a black Labrador retriever, to open doors for her, turn lights on and off, and pick up things she drops. Ladd also will bark to alert someone if York falls.

Kelly McNeela, 37, of Belmont, has multiple sclerosis and uses a power chair. She had to wait two years to get Nori, a yellow Lab-golden retriever, from Paws With A Cause. That's because she and her husband, Brian, and daughter Rylee, 9, have a family dog they didn't want to part with, and service dogs can't be placed in a home with a family dog younger than 10 years old.

Now while the 13-year-old family dog sleeps, Nori helps McNeela.

"She's a really good dog with a great temperament. I get a lot more exercise with her," said McNeela, who can go outside with Nori tethered to her chair. "And if I say 'Help,' she pulls a cord to an alarm and security system that summons help," she said.

Brian McNeela says having Nori has brought him peace of mind.

"It allows me to work and not worry about my wife so much," he said.

'Scent-ability'

"Scent-ability" can be nurtured and groomed, says Joan Skluzacek, of Minnesota, founder of the Idea League, a Web site for Dravet syndrome families such as the Boyles. Her family's 4-year-old Vizsla hound alerts her when her son, Nicholas, 15, is going to have a seizure.

"Ruby sleeps with him and wakes us up at night if he's going to have a seizure. We don't want him to fall and hurt himself," Skluzacek said.

If Denver can do that, it will be a big help to the Boyles, who have been through years of "roller coaster" medical emergencies, Jessica Boyle said.

Their son's seizures, which began when he was 6 months old, were so severe and life-threatening he has had half of his brain surgically removed.

"That has stopped the big, bad seizures that put him in intensive care," Cieran's mother said, but he still has small seizures and needs to be monitored.

That means her husband sleeps with Cieran.

"I am hoping Denver will sleep with Cieran so my husband can come back to my bed," she said.

While most service dog training organizations are nonprofit, it costs a lot to train a dog.

The Boyles had to raise the $3,000 fee for Denver themselves. But Andrew Gommeson, 29, a Howard City man with cerebral palsy, paid nothing for his female golden retriever/Lab mix, Lindy.

"Canine Companions said they put $10,000 into training the dog," Gommeson said. "But for me, it only cost about $100 for the training materials. The rest was absorbed by donations."

Service dogs attract people wherever they go, their owners say.

"Everyone seems to know someone who has raised a Paws With a Cause puppy," McNeela said, adding they often chat with her about their experience.

Gommeson said his dog makes people more likely to approach and talk to him, especially young women.

"When girls ask me, 'Can I have your dog?' I always say, 'It's a package deal. You have to take me, too,'" he said. "One of these days, someone will take me up on it."

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Military working dog teams from throughout Victory Base Complex came out April 13 for a ceremony at the division chapel to honor one of their own. Kevin, a military working dog, passed away due to complications from cancer. His death was unexpected and left the other half of his team, Staff Sgt. Aaron Meier, in limbo and in mourning.

While in theater, military working dogs are not replaced, so Meier will be reassigned to other duties for the remainder of his deployment. As Meier now turns his attention to new job responsibilities, most of his focus still remains on the loyal partner and friend he lost.

"Kevin was the highlight of my day," said Meier, a military dog handler, from Fairmont, Minn., assigned to Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.

For more than four years, Meier and Kevin built an excellent working relationship together. "Kevin was a great patrol explosive detector dog," said Meier. "I could flip his on and off switch easily because of all the training we did together."

During their course of working together, the relationship developed further and formed a powerful, personal bond between them. "I was planning on adopting Kevin after this deployment," said Meier. "This was his last time deploying because of his age."

Though he never got to adopt him, Meier and Kevin still had many unforgettable moments together. "I pampered him a lot because a happy dog works better." Meier recalled the first time he gave Kevin a pillow to rest his head when they were together in a hotel preparing for a Secret Service mission. "Kevin had many human characteristics," Meier added.

Kevin's traits will always stick out in the minds of those who knew him. "He was very protective of Sgt. Meier," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Jasper, kennel master at Camp Liberty, DSTB, 1st Cav. Div. "Besides being a great detection and patrol dog, he was good for law enforcement purposes."

As one of the first dogs to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kevin's achievements were acknowledged during the ceremony. There were poems read in his honor, Taps was played by a 1st Cav. Div. trumpeter and military working dog teams left snacks in Kevin's bowl as a tribute to his service. "It is appropriate to honor their service," said Lt. Col. Barbara Sherer, from Springfield, Mo., 1st Cav. Div. command chaplain and co-coordinator of the ceremony. "Military working dogs are an important part of the military team and sometimes they are taken for granted."

That's a sentiment echoed by Staff Sgt. Jasper, "We consider dogs to be Soldiers too, they are constantly working." The ceremony gives credit to all the dogs and all the work they do here and in the United States, he added.

Military working dog teams are called upon often to perform their duties, so there is rarely a chance for teams from the different camps to see each other. Kevin afforded each team the opportunity to see in each other more of the common ground they share.

As Kevin's life, the attachment Meier had with him and the work they accomplished together were celebrated, new bonds formed among the Soldiers. They realized more the value of their military working dog teams and appreciated the chance for one of their own to be recognized.

Source

Shane doesn't know the classic signs of bipolar disorder.

He has no theory about manic depression, no license to treat schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress.

Yet, like his colleagues - Archie, Boomer, Edward Bear and Ginger - Shane has been known to achieve results any doctor would envy.

"Very often in psychiatry, it takes awhile to see change" in a patient, admitted Dr. John Fromson, chairman of MetroWest Medical Center's psychiatry department. "When these dogs come in with their handlers, you see immediate change. You see people smile. You see people react to another living thing.

"Dogs have an uncanny ability to give love."

Just by being themselves.

Size doesn't matter. They can be as big as Shane, a 125-pound Shiloh shepherd owned by Anne Codman of Medway, or as petite as Framingham resident Jonathan Rankin's pomeranian, Ginger.

Looks count for some people.

Senior citizens open up to Boomer, a black and white Boston terrier. His breed was particularly popular in the late 1930s and 1940s, so his appearance can trigger memories of childhood for those who grew up in that era, said Boomer's owner, Monica Foley of Needham.

Archie, Lisa Lewis' Cavalier King Charles spaniel, has a special appeal for kids, said the Needham resident.

Lewis, a member of Caring Canines, said she likes to tell young patients about the breed's traits, and was particularly touched by a boy "spilling his guts to the dog. 'Archie, you get anxious? I get anxious, too.' "

Of course, kids' complete candor can be a double-edged sword.

After asking if a child thought there was any truth to the adage about dogs and their owners looking alike, Lewis said she was told, "You both have little wrinkles around your eyes."

But looks aren't the most important factor here.

"It has to be the right dog," said Anne Marie Surman, who, along with husband Ned Surman and their Pembroke Welsh corgi Edward Bear, is a regular visitor at the Leonard Morse Behavioral Medicine Unit in Natick.

The Surmans' other dog, Arthur, is the same breed, but "this wouldn't be his thing," said Anne Marie.

Put to the test

Temperament is the key to success, and dogs have to pass specialized tests to receive certification from groups such as Caring Canines and Therapy Dogs International.

The Surmans, who live in Hopkinton, took Edward to MasterPeace Dog Training in Franklin for his TDI-sanctioned test about a year ago.

"They have kids running, screaming," and people with walkers to see how the dog reacts, said Anne Marie Surman. Another challenge is having someone drop a tray of food. The dog can't be spooked by the sound, but the harder part is he can't eat the spilled food if he hopes to get certified.

"The 11th test, where most people fail, is the separation test, where the dog has to be without the owner for three minutes," and have no problem being with a stranger, said Ned Surman. But "the real test is when you come here (to the hospital) and they can make people open up.

"You can train them to pass the (certification) test, but when they get in here, they have to be themselves," said Surman.

Edward passed all tests, and now has an ID card with his name, photo and certification number. Annual renewal through Therapy Dogs International requires proof he's up-to-date on shots and has made a specified number of visits to nursing homes, hospitals or other institutions that use pet therapy.

For Caring Canine membership, "you have to commit to doing 10 visits a year," said Lewis.

A nurse is credited with launching pet therapy in the mid-1970s after seeing how patients reacted to a chaplain's golden retriever.

While some hospital units aren't good matches for visiting animals, the idea became particularly popular at nursing homes, where dogs, cats, even birds are usually welcome.

Shane is a familiar sight at Medway Country Manor and Riverbend in South Natick, and "it's been a nice experience for all," Codman said.

"I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't fun for me," said the retired music teacher.

At MetroWest Medical Center's psychiatric unit, "we started with (Caring Canines) six years ago, with the child development unit," said Sherri Hebert, coordinator of the hospital's pet therapy program. The program was more recently expanded to the geriatric psychiatric and adult locked units, she said.

"Patients who really can't remember when they felt well, (when they see the dogs) they just melt," said Heather Bertone, a clinical social worker in the adult inpatient unit, and so do staff members who have jobs that are often stressful.

"It's win-win for everybody," said Hebert.

The human factor

Patients have the choice to meet the dogs or not.

"It's a self-selective group," said Fromson.

And the dogs have to pass tests to prove they're up for most any challenge.

But what about the human companions?

"You definitely need to prepare people, this is the behavior you could encounter," said Lewis.

Therapy Dogs International sends a DVD to familiarize members with some of the types of patients they're likely to meet in different settings, said Ned Surman, and, at MetroWest Medical, prospective pet therapy teams also must go through orientation with Volunteer Services.

Canine Companions has a mentor accompany newbies on the first few visits, said Lewis.

The bottom line is it's pretty much the same for the handlers as it is for the dogs. If they're not temperamentally suited for the task, they're not likely to be drawn to the program.

"These are beautiful dogs, but the volunteers are lovely," said Beverly Presson, coordinator for the child development unit. "Special people with special dogs."

Ned Surman said he was impressed with dogs who visited Spaulding Rehabilitation Center when his father was a patient there.

"We felt if (those dogs) could do it, why couldn't Edward? We felt he had the personality. ... We wanted to give back."

"I think it starts out, you just love the dog, you want to show it off," said Lewis. "After the first visit, it's completely different."

After you see patients' response, said Anne Marie Surman, you think "How could I not do this?"

It's a pretty simple diagnosis, really.

Just ask Shane.

Source

Passengers boarding trains to Beijing are being greeted these days by three sniffer dogs searching for explosives at the railway in this Olympic Games soccer co-host city.

Jia Li, an English Springer Spaniel, and her Labrador Retriever partners Duo Duo and Seven, comprise a canine brigade under Shenyang's railway police department.

After training for three months here, the youthful trio -- all under the age of three -- began to patrol the waiting rooms, platforms and six high-speed trains that head for the capital every day.

If they detect dangerous articles such as bullets, detonators, TNT or sulphur, they immediately alert officers by sitting down or pawing at the suspicious bags.

"They have learned never to bark or move the bags, which could trigger a bomb," canine officer Ma Anhui explained.

Usually, the canine detectors can sniff out something suspicious in no more than a minute, according to Ma.

The dogs have become quite popular among passengers, who always want to pet the smart guards or take a picture with them.

Another 160 sniffer dogs from local public security bureaus will work alongside their 44 Beijing counterparts at key facilities including event venues, logistics centers, airports and VIP residences before and during the Olympics and Paralympics until September.

The capital city has been using sniffer dogs to detect drugs in public places, such as the airport, subway and railway stations and shopping malls, since June 2007.

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart is donating bulletproof, stab-proof vests to police dogs in Indiana and four other states.

Stewart, a Columbus native, donated the money to provide 30 vests for the Indiana State Police K-9 unit and 10 for police dogs waiting for vests in Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina and Minnesota.

Susie Jean of Socorro, N.M., requested a grant from the Tony Stewart Foundation for vests for the 14 dogs currently in the Indiana State Police unit. Stewart upped the amount to cover more vests upon learning the state police unit was expanding to 30 dogs. The vests cost $695 each, according to Jean's Web site, meaning 40 vests would total nearly $28,000.

Jean founded Vest 'N P.D.P. (Police Dog Protection) Inc., a nonprofit that collects donations to purchase bullet- and stab-proof vests for police dogs. So far, the nonprofit has provided 169 vests to police dogs in 22 states, not including the Stewart donation.

"Police work dogs give everything they have in the service of mankind. How nice it is to be able to give them something in return," state police Superintendent Paul Whitesell said in a statement issued jointly Monday by the Tony Stewart Foundation and state police.

Stewart will present the vests to state police Thursday at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Clermont.

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A team of traveling cadaver dogs has been enlisted to help locate the body of a northcentral Idaho fisherman missing since May 16 and presumed drowned.

Gary L. Thompson is believed by authorities to have fallen into the Clearwater River while trying to lift his boat's anchor. The 66-year-old Thompson's boat was found anchored adjacent to U.S. Highway 12, just north of the Nez Perce National Historical Park at Spalding, a historic Presbyterian missionary town dating back to 1836.

Kris Brock, one of the handlers for the non-profit < a href=http://www.highcountryk9.org/search_dog_teams.htm target=blank>High Counry Search Dogs,/a> team from Avon, Mont., says the nine dogs brought to Idaho are an important tool in bringing closure to loved ones desperate to learn the fate of the disappeared. Brock said the drive of the dog, and not its breed, is the real motivating factor that sends the animals searching.

"They do it for the reward of finding the person at the end," she told the Lewiston Tribune, adding the dogs will get a treat when they find what they're looking for.

At least one of the dogs did latch on to an area of interest in the river, said Nez Perce County Sheriff's Sgt. Bill Madison, prompting searchers to send the dogs back for another pass.

Still, divers who entered the water later in the day didn't find anything; Madison said they would focus on that area again, as well as the upstream shoreline, as the search continues later this week.

High Country Search Dogs has a 24-hour emergency number, so volunteers on the team can be dispatched quickly should someone be lost. Teams affiliated with the group hail from Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. Dogs start training as early as 8 weeks and it takes hours and hours of work before they can be certified.

"It takes about a year of some pretty intense training," said Joe Manley, a deputy with the Fremont County Sheriff's Office in eastern Idaho who brought his bloodhound along for the search.

The dogs include a variety of breeds, including German shepherds.

Not all searches are for bodies; for instance, dogs from High Country in 2005 successfully located a 75-year-old truck driver who had gotten lost on a drive between Arizona and Washington state and wandered away from his vehicle.

Often, however, the outcome of their work results in the confirmation of bad news.

For instance, the dogs on the hunt for Thompson's scent may move up the Snake River to aid in the search for a missing swimmer at Lower Granite Dam in nearby Washington state. Jordan Bloom, 23, is believed to have drowned there Monday afternoon, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.

When a potentially injured bear was reported near the Klahanie Shopping Center in Issaquah recently, Fish and Wildlife officers responded within about 10 minutes.

A short 15 minutes after arriving, Officer Bruce Richards was able to give the all-clear. The bear had been in the greenbelt not far from the stores and daycare, but was no longer in the immediate area. Richards felt comfortable making that declaration so quickly because of the help of Mishka, a wildlife service dog.

Trained from birth to track and "shepherd" bears, Karelian bear dogs like 5-year-old Mishka are an unquestioned boon to wildlife enforcement, officers say.

"That dog is gold," Officer Chris Moszeter said. "In the bear world, having a dog like that can let us know where the bear is before we ever see it."

The case at the Issaquah QFC, when Mishka quickly determined that the bear had left the area, is just one of countless examples of the dog effectively tracking bears throughout the Eastside and South King County in recent years. Tracking away from the shopping center, Mishka helped the officers eventually spot the bear a few blocks away, but it got away and hasn't caused any further problems. The department has had about three bear cases per week for the past month or so, most recently including several up near Mount Baker, one in Preston/Fall City, two in Issaquah and Sammamish, two in the Maple Valley area, and five in the Covington area.

While hounds have been used by the department of Fish and Wildlife for years on a volunteer basis - more so on cougar cases than for bears - most officers still don't have regular access to wildlife service dogs trained specifically for use in enforcement. Before Mishka's time, Richards would occasionally even use his family's yellow lab, usually referred to simply as "Yellow Dog," to track bear and cougars.

"It became very evident that having a dog would be a clear plus," Richards said. And so, even without specialized training, Yellow Dog was able to assist on a number of cases.

When Fish and Wildlife biologist and large carnivore specialist Rocky Spencer heard about Karelian bear dogs being used successfully in Montana and Alberta, Canada, he was immediately interested in bringing one to Western Washington.

"It's so efficient to have a dog that you could carry with you," Richards explained. "Rocky saw the advantage. We both did."

So, Spencer went out and solicited donations to cover the cost of purchasing Mishka, then raised him at home and on the job. Mishka helped out on whatever Spencer was studying, tracking or trapping - primarily cougar but some bears as well.

"When Rocky got Mishka, it turned him from an incredible biologist into an incredible team, because Rocky knew everything that you needed to know about cougars and bears," said Chris Felstad, who recently retired as a commander with the Issaquah Police Department and had known Spencer for about 25 years both professionally and as a friend.

"He was 10 times better when Mishka was with him," Felstad said. "I think we as police and law enforcement are just realizing that dogs are not just an attack tool."

He recounted a tale about Mishka facing off with a very large bear in the Issaquah Highlands while he and Spencer looked on.

"Mishka was warning the bear off from Rocky, and Rocky was standing very calmly loading his dart gun, knowing that Mishka would protect him," Felstad said. "It was incredible watching the two of them together. They worked together to solve the problem."

Last fall, Spencer was accidentally killed by the rotating blades of a helicopter during a relocation project. He not only worked closely with Mishka and Richards, he was known by animal lovers, researchers, police and many others throughout the state.

"After Rocky's tragic death, 'What are we gonna do with Mishka?' was a big question," said Capt. Bill Hebner, a regional supervisor in the department's Mill Creek office. The problem was that Spencer was one of only two carnivore specialists in Fish and Wildlife's biology arm, and Spencer's counterpart on the east side of the mountains began working with another Karelian bear dog shortly after Spencer got Mishka. So, officials in the enforcement program here decided to take Mishka on in a pilot-project capacity, and Richards became the dog's new handler.

"We said, let's see what happens after a year and if it works well, make it permanent and even look at expanding it," Hebner said. "He's been such a benefit, I couldn't imagine anyone saying we should give him back."

In a time when all types of government budgets are tight - Fish and Wildlife has not been able to fill Spencer's position, Hebner said - Mishka has earned his keep many times over.

"Mishka brings a lot to the table," he said. "He's saved us countless hours in finding bears and helped with heard releases."

Bear dogs are another 'tool' in the toolbox

While trapping and relocating a bear is not ideal - officers would prefer to leave the animals in their natural habitat if they can - it is sometimes necessary. Together, Richards and Spencer pioneered the department's methods for trapping and relocating bears and cougars. They developed a net that can be placed at the base of a tree to catch a bear or cougar that is treed and needs to be caught. Richards recently came up with a new kind of bear trap similar to the wire cages used to trap raccoons, which has already been used with great success on bears that won't go into the culvert-style traps.

Mishka is yet another tool available to the officers.

Fish and Wildlife officers are skilled at tracking bears, but can still sometimes search for hours and not find a bear.

"The bear dog is nice because it's more of a surgical process. You can use the dog to track it, trap it or tree it," Moszeter said. "It's just more precise."

Historically, Karelian bear dogs are a primitive breed that were bred in Finland and Russia for hunting moose, bear, geese, lynx and other big game. In 1982, wildlife biologist Carrie Hunt became interested in finding a type of dog to assist in her work with bears. In 1995, she founded the Wind River Bear Institute in Montana, and began breeding and training the dogs. The institute offers public education about bears, because Hunt believes preventing conflicts between bears and humans will be the key to success for future generations. The institute also teaches the handlers of their dogs a technique that Hunt developed called "Bear Shepherding" to safely and effectively handle bears. They raise one litter of pups each year, and only a few dogs from each litter have the right mix to stand up to a bear and be trained for use as wildlife service dogs. Hunt said she places them very meticulously and carefully, "like diamonds." Although she has a waiting list of prospective owners, Hunt wants to see the Washington program expanded and has offered state officials two pups from this fall's litter.

"It doesn't get much better than working with another species to communicate with an animal that is in trouble," she said. "The dogs themselves act as ambassadors."

The program is funded one-third through government contracts and two-thirds through private donations. Each year, they hang on by a thread.

"Together, we have been able to work 200 to 300 bear actions per year for 13 years - mostly grizzlies and many females with young," said Hunt, who works throughout Glacier National Park and the North Cascades National Park, among other places. "We have never, ever had a dog hurt, bear hurt or a person hurt."

In addition to Mishka and other Karelian bear dogs used by officials, ranchers and others in the United States and Canada, Hunt has placed dogs throughout the country and as far away as Japan.

"These dogs are paving the way for a nonlethal way for working with wildlife," Hunt said. "Talk about canine heros."

Watching Mishka at work

After trapping a bear in Fall City last week that had busted into a garage to get to some garbage, officers tranquilized the estimated 9-year-old, 200-pound female bear and gave her a check-up. Then, before taking the bear for a long drive up into the Cascade Mountains, officers gave the bear a shot of reversal so that she would be awake and ready for release into the wild when they arrived.

The older a bear is, the more homing instinct they seem to have.

"This bear, no matter where we put it, is going to try to find its way home," Richards said. "If I really want to do it, I have to do it right. We'll do it for the bear."

The officers arranged the trap so that the bear would come out and see their trucks, a fire pit, Mishka and the officers. The idea is to show the bear a few things she may associate with humans, and hopefully re-instill a fear of humans and dogs.

While they prepared to release the bear, Mishka barked relentlessly outside the large, steel trap. When he didn't get enough response from the bear inside, he jumped up to bark louder and closer to the grate-covered window in the trap door. Feeling a bit groggy from the tranquilizer and reversal drug, the bear eventually snarled back at Mishka.

"Get that bear, Mishka!" Richards encouraged him.

As soon as Moszeter opened the trap door, the bear poked her nose out, jumped down and, in a flurry of confusion, yelling, barking and beanbag shots, lumbered quickly out and away into the dense forest. After giving the bear a moment's head start, Richards unclipped Mishka from his leash and let him give chase. Within seconds, he could tell from Mishka's bark that the dog was facing off with the bear. He quickly whistled Mishka back.

"Good dog, Mishka," Richards and Moszeter praised him.

As hard releases go, that one was picture-perfect, the officers said.

"I figure this is what the people of the state of Washington would want," Richards said. "Do it once, and do it right. I think that's what we did today. No

A few years back, John Malcolm, the Motion Picture Association of America's anti-piracy director, was brainstorming new ways to combat piracy. Fresh on the job after serving as a federal prosecutor and a Justice Department attorney, Malcolm wanted to expand the group's efforts beyond public relations campaigns and federal lawsuits.

That's when it occurred to him: Why not enlist man's best friend in the war on piracy?

"I spent a lot of my career as a prosecutor. I had worked with agents, the DEA, the ATF. I was familiar with dogs that sniffed out drugs and bombs and cadaver dogs," Malcolm said. "I knew dogs were remarkably talented, that they could sniff out all kinds of things. Dogs have a sense of smell that is roughly 40 times that of a human being."

Fast-forward to today. Malcolm's late-2004 vision has become reality, and the movie industry's specially trained dogs, Lucky and Flo, are ferreting out counterfeit DVDs in piracy hotspots around the globe. Trained to sniff out the polycarbonate used in DVDs, the two black Labrador retrievers have recovered millions of pirated discs, and collared dozens of counterfeiters in the United States, the Czech Republic, Malaysia and elsewhere. In Malaysia, professional counterfeiters are believed to have placed a cash bounty on the heads of the disc-sniffing canines.

The dogs illustrate the lengths to which the MPAA is going in search of new and less-controversial tools to combat piracy, which the movie studios' lobbying arm claims costs them billions in lost revenue every year. The MPAA's previous efforts to battle copyright infringement have raised eyebrows. In 2005, the Los Angeles-based group paid a hacker $15,000 for stolen internal records about TorrentSpy, a BitTorrent search engine that went defunct under the weight of an MPAA lawsuit. And tricks like poisoning BitTorrent tracker sites with fake seeds have been likened to denial-of-service attacks by critics.

But who doesn't like dogs?

"This is one effort that very few people will take umbrage at for what we're doing," Malcolm said. "This certainly has been one of our more successful ventures."

The MPAA has toured Lucky and Flo around the world as part of a public relations campaign to bring attention to piracy. The local and international press has lapped up the traveling dog shows. Meanwhile, the tangible results produced by the canine copyright cops have sparked the interest of international law enforcement agencies. On Wednesday, the Portuguese government announced it had just trained a dog to find DVDs. South Africa is expected soon to announce its own disc-sniffing K-9 unit. The MPAA anticipates more governments will follow.

"We undertook this just as an experiment," Malcolm said. "We didn't know if it would work. Lo-and-behold, it did."

The dogs are most-often trotted out when authorities already suspect a warehouse or storefront is hiding an underground disc-duplication operation or large caches of discs. One of the dogs -- accompanied by his MPAA handler -- tags along when police raid the location, then guides the investigators to back rooms and hidden compartments where pirated discs are hiding. The canines have also helped police find duplication labs in the first place, sniffing around a suspect neighborhood for the scent of DVDs.

In Malaysia, the world's first two disc-sniffing pooches, Lucky and Flo, have assisted in at least 35 raids, leading to the arrest of 26 people and the discovery of about 1.9 million pirated discs and 97 burner towers, the MPAA said. Last year, three alleged pirates in New York were arrested after Lucky and Flo were alerted to dozens of boxes holding unauthorized discs at retail outlets in the Jamaica section of Queens.

A yellow Labrador retriever named Manny, an MPAA-trained disc-sniffer, died last month in Malaysia at the age of 1. The MPAA is awaiting an autopsy report, but suspects the dog might have been murdered.

"Word on the streets," Malcolm said, was that disc-counterfeiting groups had put out a hit on the disc-sniffing pooches.

"We heard from enough people, we took it as a threat," Malcolm said. "We are very interested in getting the autopsy report. We are very concerned. I'm not looking to cast aspersions. But Manny all of a sudden died."

To train the dogs for their mission, the MPAA turned to respected dog-whisperer Nial Powell, chairman of the Search and Rescue Dog Association of Ireland North. His research on how to train dogs to recover underwater drowning victims is the protocol of choice for the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers.

Powell, of Newcastle, Ireland, has taught dogs to find luckless, dead climbers on mountaintops, and to recover those killed in airline disasters, earthquakes and fires.

Training dogs to find DVDs required some creativity.

"I thought, 'Well, there's a challenge,'" Powell said in a recent telephone interview "The long and the short of it is that I discovered the dogs could detect the odor of DVDs. I tested to make sure it wasn't the packaging or the stickers. It was the actual polycarbonate material."

"I love the challenge of trying to teach a dog something different," he said.

Powell's experience with canines has left him with an abiding faith in their sleuthing ability. Following the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 air disaster -- when the plane was bombed and its remains rained down on Lockerbie, in southern Scotland -- Powell went there with a border collie named Pepper.

"Pepper disappeared under this wall and came out with an arm in his mouth. I thought 'Holy mother of God,'" Powell said. "We spent five days there doing that." Before he was done, Pepper had uncovered the remains of 16 people, he said.

Powell has had similar experiences searching for the dead in the aftermath of earthquakes in Algiers and Turkey. With the right dog, he said, "you can teach it to do anything, within reason."

"I would select a dog on the basis of its desire to play," he said. "Obviously, the dog needs to be safe around people,".

He said it took about six months to train Lucky and Flo, the world's first disc-sniffing dogs. The MPAA estimates it paid about $18,000 for both dogs.

The key to success is to get the dog to believe its task at hand equates with recovering a tennis ball, Powell said.

"What makes a dog work for me is a tennis ball. If the dog does what I want it to do, it gets a tennis ball," he said. "If it doesn't do what I want it to do, it doesn't get a tennis ball."

For underwater retrievals, the dog "thinks the victim has got a tennis ball and wants to bring it back from underneath the boat," Powell said. "It's all because the guy underwater has got a ball."

The same applies to DVDs, he said.

"You teach the dog to associate the odor of a DVD with a reward," he said. "Once the dog associates that odor for that reward, he's willing to search for that odor anywhere. "

Most important, he said, "The dog must not know where the reward is coming from. If it knows it's coming from you, the dog won't work for it. The ball must appear by magic to the dog."

For all their skill, the canines suffer some serious limitations. For one, the dogs cannot decipher the difference between pirated and authentic DVDs. So far, at least, there have been no reports of innocent movie fans being fingered by the pooches, but the possibility lingers over the whole operation.

Powell thinks he can solve that problem. Some day, he might be able to train his dogs to alert on subtle chemical differences between authorized DVDs and the cheaper knockoffs produced by crooks. "I wouldn't dismiss the possibility," he said.

Another obvious problem: The canines are great at locating physical discs, but are of little help in catching pirated downloads. Until a dog comes along that can sniff out a BitTorrent transfer of the latest Hollywood blockbuster, the MPAA says it won't be abandoning its controversial programs of litigation and peer-to-peer sabotage -- even if those efforts are less warm-and-fuzzy.

Dogs have long been used to find drugs in prisons, but the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services has found a new use for them: sniffing out cell phones.

Three canines were specially trained by Division of Correction K-9 Unit officers to detect cell phones as part of stepped-up efforts to stop contraband from getting into state prisons. In the past few years, Maryland inmates have increasingly been caught with cell phones, which in some cases have been used to arrange drug deals or even killings from behind bars.

The new unit is part of a larger plan to find contraband. Other efforts include increased intelligence staff and technology at prison gate entries.

The efforts are "about change in the way we think and in the way we do business," said Division of Correction Commissioner J. Michael Stouffer during a news conference yesterday. He said prison gates aren't only intended to keep prisoners in, but also "to keep things out."

The dogs have been on the job only about six weeks, but overall the number of cell phones confiscated behind bars is on the rise this year. In the first six months of last year, prison officials confiscated 396 phones, but this year they have found 456, a 15 percent increase. The largest number, 259, were confiscated in the old Maryland Penitentiary in Baltimore. Officers found 111 in a minimum-security pre-release facility on Greenmount Avenue in the city, and they confiscated 12 from inmates at Supermax, the state's most secure prison.

The phones have been getting through security with visitors, volunteers and corrections employees, officials said, enabling inmates to keep in contact with the outside world - and sometimes to commit crimes.

In February, 28 people who police said were gang members were charged with making calls from prison, including one who is accused of running the Bloods over the phone while locked up. Last July, a murder-for-hire scheme in Baltimore County was ordered by an inmate using a cell phone from state prison.

Cell phones in prison are dangerous not only to the public but also to employees, said Gary D. Maynard, secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. He said that there is a "zero tolerance" policy when it comes to staff who smuggle in phones.

"We want to find [contraband] as it comes in, not once it's in," Stouffer said.

Possession of a cell phone behind bars is a misdemeanor, but Maynard said he will lobby the General Assembly to make it a felony.

Cell phones have become a hot commodity behind bars, but officials said information about the going rate for them was not immediately available. In February, a corrections department source knowledgeable about the smuggling of contraband into state prisons said they were fetching $350 to $400 apiece or $500 for two. Chargers cost as much as $150 at the time.

The department got the idea for search dogs from Virginia. Because trained dogs are expensive, Maryland's corrections department began training them in-house.

"I didn't think it could be done," said Canine Unit Commander Major Peter Anderson. However, two Belgian Malinois and a springer spaniel proved otherwise.

During yesterday's demonstration at the shuttered Maryland House of Correction in Jessup, a black-and-white springer spaniel named Taz searched a prison cell made up to look like it was in use. After a few minutes, Taz discovered a cell phone in a carved-out book, which Anderson said is a typical hiding place.

"It's a matter of teaching association," he said. When the dog smells a certain odor, it is then rewarded and remembers the scent, he said.

It took Taz, and colleagues Alba and Rudd, the Belgian Malinois, a few weeks' training in a Hagerstown facility. Normally the process would take about 10 weeks, but Taz, a veteran at finding drugs, learned the new odor in a little over a month, Anderson said.

In addition to phones and chargers, officers often find separate electronic cards that store the personal information from a phone, such as numbers and text messages. The unit will typically act on information from intelligence units but also does random searches.

Anderson said his unit is the only one in the country that specifically trains dogs to find phones, but a few other states use dogs for that purpose.

"I think every state will do this in a short time," he said.

Source

Police sniffer dogs will have to wear bootees when searching the homes of Muslims so as not to cause offence.

Guidelines being drawn up by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) urge awareness of religious sensitivities when using dogs to search for drugs and explosives. The guidelines, to be published this year, were designed to cover mosques but have been extended to include other buildings.

Where Muslims object, officers will be obliged to use sniffer dogs only in exceptional cases. Where dogs are used, they will have to wear bootees with rubber soles. "We are trying to ensure that police forces are aware of sensitivities that people can have with the dogs to make sure they are not going against any religious or cultural element within people's homes. It is being addressed and forces are working towards doing it," Acpo said.

Problems faced by the use of sniffer dogs were highlighted last week when Tayside police were forced to apologise for a crime prevention poster featuring a german shepherd puppy, in response to a complaint by a Muslim councillor.

Islamic injunctions warn Muslims against contact with dogs, which are regarded as "unclean".

Police dogs at present are issued with footwear only at scenes of explosions to prevent them injuring their paws on broken glass.

Ibrahim Mogra, one of Britain's leading imams, said the measures were unnecessary: "In Islamic law the dog is not regarded as impure, only its saliva is. Most Islamic schools of law agree on that. If security measures require to send a dog into a house, then it has to be done. I think Acpo needs to consult better and more widely.

"I know in the Muslim community there is a hang-up against dogs, but this is cultural. Also, we know the British like dogs; we Muslims should do our bit to change our attitudes."

John Midgley, co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "The police are in effect being overly sensitive to potential criminals and not being sensitive enough to the public at large who need to be protected. These sort of things have a counter-productive effect because they cause huge friction between different communities."

Caroline Kisko, of the Kennel Club, said: "We would not condone any attempt to make search dogs wear special clothing, which could cause them distress."

Source

Some dogs smell death. Others smell heroin or dynamite. Sadie, a dog found tied to a barn in Illinois, smells the stuff arsons are made of.

At a small fire in Buckeye, Sadie sniffed a flammable liquid on socks in the bedroom and on a blue T-shirt out of the washing machine. She sniffed it on clothing in almost every room of the house and on crumpled paper towels near the burned area on the living-room floor.

In northeast Phoenix, Sadie sniffed inside a burned shell of a custom home under construction. The man who admitted starting the fire claimed it was an accident. But Sadie's nose showed otherwise. Pointing with her nose to the floor, she showed an investigator where lighter fluid was poured. Samples of the charred wood with traces of lighter fluid later indicated it was an arson.

And near a vehicle fire in south Phoenix, Sadie walked around three men sitting on the curb of the sidewalk, hands in cuffs behind their backs. She was sniffing for a familiar scent: traces of gas found on a scorched car seat. She sniffed near their feet, along their pants and finally their hands. Then Sadie stopped at the third man and sat. Authorities say the man later admitted to torching the vehicle, and he was arrested.

"As soon as people see the dog, they confess," said Phoenix fire Capt. Fred Andes, who's in charge of Sadie, a 2-year-old brown Labrador retriever and one of only three arson dogs in Arizona. "You can't lie to the dog when she sits down in front of you because she smells gasoline on your hands."

Trained arson dogs such as Sadie can hasten investigations and save thousands of taxpayer dollars. In some cases, property owners can clear up their insurance claims sooner, or if evidence of arson is found, the dogs save the insurance companies money, too.

A dog's nose is "a thousand times more sensitive than a human," said Rick Jones, a board member of the International Association of Arson Investigators. "They speed up the process for us to find the best location to find a sample with the best results."

Hit-or-miss without dogs

Since joining the Phoenix Fire Department last year, Sadie has helped in most of the department's arson investigations. Her job is to help determine if gas, lighter fluid or some similar accelerant was used to start or spread a fire. Without Sadie, gathering evidence is "a hit-or-miss deal," Andes said. "It cuts down on a lot of the guess work."

Sadie is the department's third arson dog since 1993. The previous two dogs, Sharky and Zeus, retired when their handlers were promoted or retired.

Since 1997, the department has had as few as 171 arson fires to as many as 321 per year. Last year, the Phoenix Fire Department investigated 847 fires, classified 286 as arson and arrested 57 people.

In the first six months of 2008, investigators looked into 350 suspicious fires. Seventy were classified arson, said Fire Investigations Director Jack Ballentine. Total property loss to date is approximately $2.5 million.

Saves time and resources

Since January, Phoenix fire investigators have arrested 40 people tied to arson fires, some of them thanks to Sadie's help. This past year fire investigators became certified criminal detectives and graduated from fire-investigators school. Previously, they didn't have standard training on crime-scene investigations. Their work is easier because Sadie is one of many tools at their disposal.

Ballentine said a fire investigator's job is to determine where a fire originated and what caused it. Not all fires are started by lighter fluid or gasoline, but if they are, a trained dog tramping around at fire scenes can locate the petroleum-based accelerant earlier, saving valuable time and resources.

But a dog isn't going to prevent arson fires, even if her work helps lead to arrests.

"We had a situation where a captain made an arrest where a guy was getting back at an ex-wife. When things are emotionally motivated, it's difficult to stop that," Ballentine said.

State Farm Insurance Co. paid more than $20,000 to train and certify Sadie and Andes. The company has provided more than 200 dogs to agencies across North America. Andes, who volunteered for the job, trains Sadie every day, takes her everywhere and makes sure a fire scene is safe for her to do her work. The Fire Department pays for her food, regular checkups and transportation costs for annual certification. In her short life, she's gone from an abandoned puppy tied to a barn to arson-dog-in-training to valuable Fire Department colleague.

Floppy, friendly breed

Labradors are popular because the floppy, friendly dogs can walk through crowds without drawing attention, the whole time sniffing for accelerants, said Rick Jones, a fire investigator and certified K9 handler in Louisiana.

Each state has at least two dogs, which agencies share within their region. The Tucson Fire Department has Keda, a yellow Labrador. The Globe Fire Department has Frank, a black Labrador. Sadie is on the road a couple of times a week at fire scenes across the Valley, Andes said.

When she is working, Sadie is nose to the ground, tugging on her leash. Off the clock, she's a happy pile of fur on the floor with Andes at his office at Station 8, near Van Buren and 11th streets, in his truck or at his Mesa home.

When Andes gets to his office, he reviews fire reports and takes Sadie to fire scenes to keep her on top of her game.

She doesn't have a meal schedule and must earn her food by locating fire accelerants.

Andes said he splatters weathered gasoline from a crime lab on samples of burnt carpet or clothing and stashes them in cans. Andes hides the cans around his house or the fire station. When she identifies the right can, she gets a handful of dog food.

Arson dogs, generally Labrador or Labrador-mixes, typically work seven or eight years until one day, they stop locating accelerants, Andes said. The dogs "retire," eat their meals out of a bowl, and the department applies to State Farm to get a new dog.

"They show up at the scene one day, and they'll show no interest," Andes said. "You'll think it's a bad day, but it happens again and the dog is done. Then they become pets."

Source

Over the last decade a new kind of service animal has emerged. Seizure alert dogs warn people with epilepsy of an oncoming attack minutes-sometimes hours-before it occurs. This allows the person time to take seizure blocking medication, get to a safe place, or call for assistance.

How dogs detect an oncoming seizure in a human is a mystery. Some trainers and researchers think they detect subtle changes in human behavior or scent before an episode occurs. There are no scientific studies, however, to prove these theories. Trainers also believe the behavior is not breed, age or gender specific in dogs.

Seizure alert dogs are born with this remarkable ability. This sets them apart from other types of service animals.

"I can train a dog to sit, lay down and fetch," says Sharon Hermansen of Canine Seizure Assist Society of North Carolina, "but I can't teach a dog to alert."

Since 1996, the nonprofit organization has produced well over 25 seizure alert dogs that warn 15 minutes to 12 hours before an attack. The dogs exhibit attention-getting behaviors such as whining, pawing, or anxious barking.

The dogs came from a variety of sources. Some were from breeders or animal shelters; others were pets that showed an alerting ability. Hermansen said she encourages the alerting behavior with food rewards, then trains the dogs to do other tasks. Dogs can be trained to stay with the person during a seizure or to press a button on the phone that dials 911. When selecting a potential seizure alert dog to work with, she performs a trainability test. Hermansen says she "prays that God will show her the one that best fulfills the needs of the person with epilepsy."

"Every dog that I have chosen reliably alerts to pre-seizure activity," she said.

About 2.3 million Americans suffer from epileptic seizures. Episodes can last from a few seconds to a few minutes, and may cause unconsciousness. Some epileptics avoid normal activities because they fear the consequences of having seizures in public. "It's sad, but some people have been robbed while having a seizure," said Deborah Dalziel, a research coordinator for a University of Florida Office of Veterinary Medicine study on seizure alert dogs.

The 1998 study involved questionnaires completed by 29 dog owners who had seizures at least once a month. Of the 29 subjects, nine reported that their dog responded to a seizure. These dogs remained close to their human companions either standing or lying alongside them, sometimes licking the person's face or hands during and immediately after the seizure. Of the nine dogs reported to respond, three were said to also alert their owners to an impending seizure about three minutes in advance.

The number of dogs with this ability is unknown. The lack of standardized training and certification of service dogs, and the variety of individuals who have themselves trained their pet to sound an alert, makes it difficult to determine how many seizure alert dogs there are in the United States, Dalziel says.

Second Chance at Life

The dogs that can provide seizure alerts give people the courage and independence to live normal lives. After Donna Jacobs suffered a stroke at age 42, she began having seizures. The unpredictability of when one would strike forced the Jefferson City, Missouri, woman to give up her job. She stopped doing simple tasks like driving to the grocery store.

"I lived as a recluse for almost four years, afraid to go anywhere," said Jacobs.

That all changed when she adopted a seven-week-old puppy, named Patra, from the local animal shelter. The Rottweiler/German shepherd mix canine started alerting about Jacobs' seizures when it was six months old. The dog head-butts Jacobs behind the knees about 20 minutes before a seizure episode. This gives Jacobs time to find a safe place to lay down and wait for the episode to pass, usually within 5 to 15 minutes. During a seizure Patra stays with Jacobs, giving her a sense of confidence and safety.

Jacobs believes Patra picks up a chemical change that occurs in her body. The dog is now six years old, she said, and also alerted Jacobs to her low blood sugar level, migraines and pulmonary heart valve infection.

Just how accurate is Patra's alerting ability?

"It's 100 percent, when I listen," Jacobs says with a laugh.

Thanks to her service dog, Jacobs feels she has been given a second chance at life. She now works as a marketing director for a computer company and is an advocate for people with disabilities.

In 1998, she started Service Dogs Today. The nonprofit organization works on antidiscrimination legislation, promotes service dogs as medically necessary, and encourages individuals to become service dog trainers.

No Guarantees

In the United States there are about 120 service dog training organizations. Fewer than 20 work with seizure assist dogs, according to researcher Deborah Dalziel of Gainesville, Florida, who also co-authored the booklet "Service Dogs For People with Seizure Disorders."

Most trainers will not guarantee that a dog will alert. For that reason, the terms "seizure-response" or "seizure-assist" dog are often used.

Training can take up to two years to complete and can cost between $10,000 and $25,000. Health insurance companies do not cover the cost.

Montana is currently the only state with a Medicaid program that pays for the purchase of a service animal. Some service dog training organizations provide the animals for free or offer financial assistance. For example, the Canine Seizure Assist Society of North Carolina, Inc. based in Mooresville, North Carolina, gives trained seizure assist dogs without charge to qualified applicants.

The requirements to obtain a seizure assist dog vary among training centers but the one constant is the applicant's ability and willingness to give the animal proper care and follow-up training.

Source

Among the distinguished guests at the King County Superior Courthouse Thursday was one with a special gift for encouraging frightened witnesses to testify in court.

There was another who's helped hundreds of hospital patients recover. And another who's responsible for sniffing out more than $23 million in illegal drugs.

The 18 honorees were dogs used for a variety of tasks in the region's law-enforcement and social-welfare systems. The gathering, dubbed the "First Annual Pawtograph Party," was a chance for the dogs who work with the Police Department, prosecutor's office and hospitals to meet one another, show off a little and call attention to a once-radical idea that's gaining acceptance.

It was also a chance to pay tribute to the late King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng, who was the first in the nation to approve the use of service dogs in a prosecutor's office.

Snohomish County quickly followed the lead, and now dozens of prosecutors' offices across the country look to King County as a model. Maleng's widow, Judy Maleng, said the pilot program was one of which her husband was very proud.

"He was always asking, 'What more can we do to help crime victims?' " she said of her husband, who died unexpectedly May 24 after 28 years as prosecuting attorney.

The dogs' duties include attending drug-court graduation ceremonies and providing comfort to young victims.

"They're all about unconditional love and acceptance," said Ellen O'Neill-Stephens, a deputy prosecutor who sparked the program when she began bringing her son's service dog, Jeeter, to the Juvenile Detention Center and the Drug Court, where she was working.

Jeeter was such a natural at befriending the young and the troubled that word of his abilities spread, and prosecutors began asking if he could sit in on interviews with frightened or reluctant young witnesses.

Eventually, O'Neill-Stephens proposed that the office get a service dog of its own.

Maleng was initially opposed to the idea, she said, but "all it took in the end was Jeeter putting his head on Norm's lap."

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