I washed Jeb out after having him from a pup to a 1 1/2 year old. So I sent him to the search dog foundation www.searchdogfoundation.org to see if he would be suitable for training as a search and rescue dog and boy did he shine. The article is not quite right about why he was washed out as he had never seen a quad but his marking was not the best. He was only in training at sundowner for 2 months when normally it would be 6 months of training before being paired with a handler and the day he was tested to become FEMA-certified he was the only dog out of 7 to pass.
Here is his story.
Not every dog that is "Part of the Search" started with that career in mind. Take Jeb for instance. This black Labrador started life training to be a "field dog."
When he was working on marking he watched and tried to remember where the four birds were thrown and then go back and retrieve them without help from his person but he didn't always remember where that last bird was. And, as reported by his trainer, Jerry Roellchen of Train-Rite, Jeb didn't have an aversion for water but it was not his favorite place to be. Jerry found Jeb in Ohio when the puppy was 7 weeks old and then, with the dream of having Jeb compete in field trials, had trained with Jeb for over a year. After little success, it was clear that another career had to be found for this high energy canine.
Jerry chose to donate Jeb to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF). The decision was the right one. After six months of training at Sundowners Kennels, Jeb was ready to be partnered with a firefighter. They graduated in March of 2007.
Today, Jeb and his partner Jonathan Barnes ("JB") are non-stop workmates and friends. Jeb really enjoys "hanging out" with the firemen at the Salinas Fire Department where JB works. He is calm and laid back with people and other dogs. At JB's home, Jeb, Amy (JB's girlfriend), and Jack, Amy's dog, get along famously.
Last year JB and Jeb took part in SDF's 3-day Irondog 2006 advanced training exercise in Irwindale. JB found it to be an awesome experience. "I was able to take advantage of being a "shadow" to an advanced canine-handler team. It gave him great insight as to what additional training Jeb will need in order to reach the next level. One challenge for Jeb at Irondog 2006 was wearing a harness so he could be lifted into a helicopter by hoist. He didn't care for the harness but dealt with it and made it into the helicopter in good fashion."
Jeb has proven himself to be a search dog par excellence. Searching is the high point in the lesson. According to JB, when the other dogs are taking their turn searching Jeb is like a dog possessed, having to wait his turn while the other dogs search. He shows a great deal of drive and a high degree of enthusiasm for searching, especially in large rubble sites.
"Jeb has learned to introduce himself to people without jumping on them. He still has moments when his high energy gets the best of him and then he hears, 'Jeb, down, stay.' That's the hardest command to obey, but he must master it for his own safety. If he is put in a down/stay he must stay right there until I release him." In order to become FEMA-certified, Jeb must stay in a down/stay for at least 5 minutes with JB totally out of his sight for the entire time.
In a message to Jerry Roellchen, who worked with Jeb for the first year or so, JB said, "I can't thank you enough for donating Jeb to the foundation, and I can't imagine my life without him."
Before they can be deployed, JB and Jeb have to pass a number of tests. The Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) is a test put on by a task force when they have a number of teams ready to test. It takes a small group of people to set up the areas where the teams test, and there is usually a number of people there to observe. The test includes obedience, bark alert, agility, directionals, and rubble search, and takes many hours to complete. On September 30, 2007, they passed the FSA in California.
In November of 2007, JB and Jeb attained their DHS/FEMA Certification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This means on a moment's notice, they are ready to serve the nation in the event of a disaster.
Researched & Written by Roberta Hendry, California
Here is his story.
Not every dog that is "Part of the Search" started with that career in mind. Take Jeb for instance. This black Labrador started life training to be a "field dog."
When he was working on marking he watched and tried to remember where the four birds were thrown and then go back and retrieve them without help from his person but he didn't always remember where that last bird was. And, as reported by his trainer, Jerry Roellchen of Train-Rite, Jeb didn't have an aversion for water but it was not his favorite place to be. Jerry found Jeb in Ohio when the puppy was 7 weeks old and then, with the dream of having Jeb compete in field trials, had trained with Jeb for over a year. After little success, it was clear that another career had to be found for this high energy canine.
Jerry chose to donate Jeb to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF). The decision was the right one. After six months of training at Sundowners Kennels, Jeb was ready to be partnered with a firefighter. They graduated in March of 2007.
Today, Jeb and his partner Jonathan Barnes ("JB") are non-stop workmates and friends. Jeb really enjoys "hanging out" with the firemen at the Salinas Fire Department where JB works. He is calm and laid back with people and other dogs. At JB's home, Jeb, Amy (JB's girlfriend), and Jack, Amy's dog, get along famously.
Last year JB and Jeb took part in SDF's 3-day Irondog 2006 advanced training exercise in Irwindale. JB found it to be an awesome experience. "I was able to take advantage of being a "shadow" to an advanced canine-handler team. It gave him great insight as to what additional training Jeb will need in order to reach the next level. One challenge for Jeb at Irondog 2006 was wearing a harness so he could be lifted into a helicopter by hoist. He didn't care for the harness but dealt with it and made it into the helicopter in good fashion."
Jeb has proven himself to be a search dog par excellence. Searching is the high point in the lesson. According to JB, when the other dogs are taking their turn searching Jeb is like a dog possessed, having to wait his turn while the other dogs search. He shows a great deal of drive and a high degree of enthusiasm for searching, especially in large rubble sites.
"Jeb has learned to introduce himself to people without jumping on them. He still has moments when his high energy gets the best of him and then he hears, 'Jeb, down, stay.' That's the hardest command to obey, but he must master it for his own safety. If he is put in a down/stay he must stay right there until I release him." In order to become FEMA-certified, Jeb must stay in a down/stay for at least 5 minutes with JB totally out of his sight for the entire time.
In a message to Jerry Roellchen, who worked with Jeb for the first year or so, JB said, "I can't thank you enough for donating Jeb to the foundation, and I can't imagine my life without him."
Before they can be deployed, JB and Jeb have to pass a number of tests. The Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) is a test put on by a task force when they have a number of teams ready to test. It takes a small group of people to set up the areas where the teams test, and there is usually a number of people there to observe. The test includes obedience, bark alert, agility, directionals, and rubble search, and takes many hours to complete. On September 30, 2007, they passed the FSA in California.
In November of 2007, JB and Jeb attained their DHS/FEMA Certification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This means on a moment's notice, they are ready to serve the nation in the event of a disaster.
Researched & Written by Roberta Hendry, California
