Dogs are possibly the most amazing creatures on earth, and that is assuming unicorns are real. Where else will you find an animal so selfless and dedicated that they will do anything to please their human? Dogs are there to greet you at the door when you return like they haven't seen you in months, even if you just went out to get the mail. They curl up at our feet when we are cold. They sit with us when we are sad and they continually bring the toy back when we throw it. Where else will you find unconditional love like that?
The bond between a dog and it's human is something no one can describe. But even stronger is the bond between a working dog and it's handler. Working dogs are a special breed, they have a mission and they strive to please their partner, working hand-in-paw together.
In 2005, my dream came true and I got a White German Shepherd Dog to start training for search. Koda immediately took off with puppy trails and we found the perfect toy as a reward. His purple football has seen so many games of tug and even more games of fetch, we bought a second one just in case the original toy got too worn out. Not to mention the few times it wound up in a tree, with Koda patiently sitting below it pointing it out to us.
Koda quickly caught on to being a search dog. He loved the game of finding people. It was a natural talent for him and he very quickly moved on to harder trails. Before he was two, he was working trails that were several miles long and multiple-subject problems. Every search started out the same, putting on his vest and his bell, grabbing the scent article, and giving him the "Go Find" command. He would be so excited before the trail started, often barking and trying to take the scent article from me. That is a true sign of a dog who loves his job.
Not every search was a success, and some were more successful than others. Koda had a fondness for a few people, and would occasionally forget about his handler (me) and go straight to the missing subject. When he realized he was missing someone, he would retrace his steps and come get me. It never failed, he always found what he was looking for and was ready and waiting for his ball. We had a few "mishaps" where Koda pointed out several times where the subject was, but I didn't quite catch on. They often say a search dog trains its handler, and that is exactly how it works.
His first "true" find on a search mission was like a walk in the park for him; me, on the other hand, I was in such shock I had to be reminded to give him his toy. Believe me, it wasn't that I doubted his skills, I doubted my own. He continued to work search missions and find people. I may be biased, but there is a very good chance he is the best search dog to ever work in the Black Hills. Koda has dedicated several thousand hours over the course of the seven years he has been a search dog. He just does what he knows, and that is working hard to get the reward he so deserved.
A time comes when a search dog becomes a former search dog. There are no more weekends spent finding people or trips to Colorado to work with the best dog teams in the Midwest. The balls are put away and the vests have been washed from their final trip in the field. Most dogs are retired when they get too old to search. Unfortunately, some dogs are retired too early because someone else defines their successes.
A search dog is not just a regular dog. They dedicate their lives to saving people they only know by smell and do it for a small reward. Once a dog has been trained for search, he will always be a search dog, even in retirement. Now, we spend our weekends out exploring the Hills where we once searched for missing people, chasing toys in the park, and wading through the creek, all stuff we did before, but without the task of finding people.
Thank you for seven years of serving your community, Koda. Most importantly, thank you for finding me.
