Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Miss Aggie

Here is the esteemed Miss Aggie, my faithful K-9 Search and Rescue partner. Her full name is Agape of Love, she's a full-blooded Border Collie and she fits her name to a tee. She loves anyone she meets, or finds, and will love on you until your wore out. She does mainly wilderness live find but is also accustomed to doing building searches and some limited urban searches. She is not a disaster K-9 like the Oklahoma or Twin Towers events. She just works the woods and rural areas looking for your lost a$$. She will find the first human scent she comes across, so if there's 10 people in that sector of woods she'll alert on all 10. She's not scent specific like a bloodhound and thank God too...bloodhounds slobber so damn much.

Here she is finding the person in a building during a cold December day, 2005.


Her she is posing for a glamour shot in November 2005.

We have been participating in Search and Rescue within Indiana since September 2002. It's a lot of hard work both physical and mentally. The classes one must attend to reach the ranks of "worthy" is astounding in both topic and time required. The group I'm a member of is strictly volunteer...meaning we pay for everything from our own pockets. We also train our dogs from puppies and own them outright. A very daunting task for a beginner and sometimes even the seasoned trainer. We train in all types of conditons, both environmentally and meteorlogically. A lost person is still lost regardless of weather...rain, sleet, snow, rain and sunshine; we are there.

We were hoping to certify with a nationally accredited organization back in October. But that damn heart attack has probably set us back a year. She's ready to certify but the handler still needs his strength and endurance back. So it's looking like April of 2008 hopefully.

Now to something a little more serious. this is a dangerous job folks. Lots of things can happen out there. Hit the Read More button to view the memorial for a dear friend whose loss is felt around the Search and Rescue community. His demise was untimely and horrendous for anyone to witness or endure. We can only hope that his tragic event was quick and painless.




Just Kidding....hahaha You seriously thought I could write a post and NOT throw some humor in there?

4 comments:

DNR said...

Nice... I hope the missus serves you broccoli and cauliflower mixed together while Aggie licks your toes.

cmk said...

Gorgeous pup! Despite the 'slobbering,' I still love the bloodhounds!

Jodi said...

You're a rat, you know that!!!

And to think I nominated you for something nice.....

J.

Anonymous said...

Shoulda known...

What a great dog!