Search Dog Gear

 Hey Tribe,

Several of you have asked what gear Fly uses for Search and Rescue; while everyone has their own preferences as to what works best for them, I'll share what we have found to work well for us.

I've included links to products I have personally purchased and regularly use - if you shop using my links, I may get a small commission at no additional cost to you, so thank you!

The first item I bought was a harness.  My team was very particular about the style of harness, because many harnesses actually restrict a dog's forward movement.  I hadn't thought about that, but it's true and there is research out there that backs it up: just google "dog harness restrict shoulder video" and you'll find a dog on a treadmill demonstrating what I mean.  So, anyway, I finally selected a harness from Howling Dog and you can see Fly wearing it in this avalanche blog post.

With a harness, comes the need for a long line leash.  Biothane is a very popular dog material right now and this long line is a good choice.  I managed to snag a pink one for Fly!  The only downside to Biothane is that it becomes very inflexible in Alaska's cold (below zero F) weather, but if you don't plan to use it in such cold temps, then I absolutely recommend this lead!  You can see from the Avalanche post that I still use the lead in the cold, it just takes patience to manipulate.

Once Fly got the idea of scent and trailing and she transitioned to full time off lead work, she needed a vest.  She wears a home-made vest right now, but this one on Amazon is pretty close in style - I like that it is attached with Velcro, so if your dog gets snagged on brush, the straps can come off and your dog isn't permanently stuck and has to be rescued. 

Rex wears this super tacti-cool vest for his trailing training and I've been so impressed with it that I already recommended it to a SAR friend and now her puppy is rocking one as well!

In addition to the vest, both KBDs, as well as all the other dogs on my team, wear collars like these with the team name and handler's phone number embroidered on the collar.  They look very professional and are an additional layer of safety for our dogs. 

Fly also wears bells when she's out searching so I can easily know roughly where she is when out of sight.  There are a lot of bell options out there, depending on the sound you like and the size of your dog.  Oddly enough, Bear bells don't seem to have a sound that carries well and can be difficult to hear the further away your dog is.  Medium sized cow bells work well for larger dogs, but the bell part gets easily clogged with snow or other debris.  I like to use Falcon bells and these handmade bells from the UK sound beautiful and produce a ring that can be heard from at least 300 yards away (I know this for a fact).  I absolutely recommend these bells; in fact, I'm placing another order for a second set today!

One last thing Fly wears is her Garmin GPS collar and I have the handheld that accompanies it.  This collar and handheld are so incredibly useful for SAR work, I could (and may) write an entire post about it.  You can track your movements, your dog's movements, navigate, etc, etc, etc.   After seeing how useful mine is, my teammates now have them as well and we've linked devices so we can all track each other and the dogs at once.  If you work wilderness searches and get one of these, I'm sure you won't be disappointed: I tell people it is the best purchase I've ever made. 

While not something Fly wears, I thought I'd mention another gear question that is usually on folks mind: for a day pack, I wear this handy lumbar pack with shoulder straps (sold separately, why???).  It is a bit like a Mary Poppins bag and holds way more than you might think for a day out in the woods or away from your car for extended time.  I'll have to write up a post about what I carry in the pack, but for now, believe me when I say it will help keep you well equipped.  It is also pretty comfortable on the body and my back and shoulders are never sore after wearing it fully loaded all day.

Alright, that's plenty for now; I hope you have some good ideas for your dog's gear.  Stay safe out there!

Best Fall Adventure Locations To Bring Your Dog

 Hey Tribe,

Ah, Fall!  It's a beautiful time of year to get out with your dog for some adventure.  

Depending on your location, adventures with views should be ah, *high,* on your list. Hiking or driving to destinations that have sweeping views of all the Fall colors is one of my favorite seasonal pastimes.

The better to see you, my dear!

Fall is an ideal time to hike trails that are normally thick with vegetation - you and your dog will get to see more of the trail, since it won't be obscured by all the summer leaves and growth.

We wouldn't be able to see the riverbed or the mountains very well if the trees had leaves.

Usually not a fall destination, now is a great time to hit the beach, because the sand won't be as hot on your dog's paws and you might just have the place to yourselves with everyone else searching for places with leaves.

Such a perfect day for the beach!

Another often overlooked adventure setting are bike/walking paths: they are easy to stroll along, which is the perfect way to enjoy the colors and cool air.  The fallen leaves on the paths are so picturesque.

All the leafy glory!

You don't have to travel far to have an adventure, it's all about your mindset, and your dog will love it no matter where you go, as long as you're together.

Fly Turns 4

 Hey Tribe,

Fly is 4 years old today!

Vikinghunters Willow's Drum CGCA, CGCU, FDC, TKN, RATCHX

  We spent the day together, doing what we love.  It was wonderful!  I hope we have many more years of smiles in our future together.

CGC, CGCA, CGCU, and FDC

Hey Tribe,

Think I accidentally hit my keyboard and typed a bunch of nonsense?  Nah, all those letters are on purpose!  The dogs and I have been busy training and working on our social and obedience skills and have been rewarded with earning titles from the American Kennel Club.

On a sunny summer afternoon Rex earned his Canine Good Citizen title.  We had to successfully complete 10 skills of basic obedience and temperament.  Karelians, who are naturally standoff-ish/aloof toward people they do not know, are a little challenged by this test that requires them to be approached and touched by strangers; Karelians are also hyper-observant and want to sniff all the things, so training to walk on a loose leash and not sniff all the things is challenging too.  It took time and a lot of practice, but Rex and I trained and passed the test on our first attempt!  Our test location took place in a grassy dog yard that had a female dog in heat and a little bunny freely hopping about the place.  Challenging? Yes, but it was a true test of our abilities.  We will continue to work our our skills, so we are both confident while out in the community.

Fly, who passed her CGC test two years ago, took the Canine Good Citizen Advanced test.  She has been ready for quite awhile, but we didn't have time before now to take the actual test.  The Advanced test has similar components to the basic test, but takes place in the community at a store, Sportsman's Warehouse in our case, and the dog and handler must pass elements such as navigating stairs, different floor surfaces, elevators, and distractions such as crowds of people, food, and other dogs.  Ever the social, yet aloof, butterfly, Fly passed with ease.

Fly posing with her CGC ribbon in 2018

Fly posing with her CGCA ribbon in 2020

The CGC Urban test is similar to the Advanced, but does not require dogs to have previously passed the CGC test.  This test is performed while out walking the dog in the community along public sidewalks and crosswalks and the dog must show confidence and self-control and remain in-tune with the handler.  I decided to give this test a try with Fly as well, and all our time spent out in the community paid off, because she passed this test as well.  Yay!

As an additional test of my dogs' temperament and ability for self-control, I brought both dogs to a Farm Dog Certification test.  This test, which the dogs must pass twice under two different evaluators in order to be certified, is similar to the basic CGC test, but it is performed in a farm setting.  Farm equipment and livestock must be ignored at all times.  A loose leash must be maintained at all times.  Calm manners must be exhibited at all times.  We did have one petulant sheep in the flock that wanted to make trouble, but both Fly and Rex ignored the wooly creature (as well as the chickens and Sand Hill Cranes that freely roamed the area) and both dogs passed their tests after a very hot, very long day of waiting for our turn, and being on the farm.

Photos to be uploaded when we receive our ribbons!!!

So, as soon as the paperwork comes back from the American Kennel Club, my two fluffy black and white rock stars will have more titles added to their names.  So fun!  More importantly, these certifications and titles further emphasize how well rounded my dogs are and highlight the great potential that Karelian Bear Dogs have as a breed.

Monday Blues

 Hey Tribe,

Monday Blues don't have to be bad.

Rex and I kickbiked the Trail of Blue Ice and saw no less than 7 glaciers along our 7 mile route.  That's a lot of blue for one Monday!  

Have a great week.