SAR question. - Page 3

Auntie I am with you and would be questioning them too.  As you know you have to be able to work a SAR dog on & off lead depending on the terrain, etc.  I could even work my old trailing dog off lead, she would wait for me if she got too far away.  What are people thinking?  LOL  I just turned over two dogs to USDA for their program (finding food in luggage) not because they didn't have their CGC, they did, not because they didn't find cadaver because they did, but because one was bad about crittering and the other was soft in thick terrain making them less accurate and dependable.  They were very obedient, worked well off lead, were great with people and other animals but I needed to be confident in their performance and focus on their job.  No dog is 100% or close to it but a good SAR dog is more reliable than most equipment and other means of finding a cadaver and/or decomposition.  

I will miss my girls horribly but they will be happier working than bored as a pet and as a goverment asset they will be taken excellant care of.  Not every dog is good at the same thing because they have different drives and desires.  Was I a bad handler because I couldn't break them of their quirks, maybe, but instead of beating them into submission or electrifying their brains out to do it my way, I figure this job was better suited for them.  I am NOT opposed to using an e-collar I have a pair & have used it often.  The one female was so stuborn she would squint her eyes and work through it!!!!!   If it isn't fun to them anymore, why play the game????  She is a tough little girl, not afraid of anything and can climb anywhere and has done everything I've asked but would prefer to critter over finding source.  Her new job will be in a controlled environment without any critters and better suited for her.  Now she just has to learn a new target odor.  Someone recently said, "you deserve to have the best dog you can, suited for the type of work you are asking it to do".  I agree 100% and feel like that is a two way street and the dog deserves to be put in an arena where it can be the best it can be.  Not every dog is able to do any kind of work or be dual purpose, we just have to look at the individual dog and see what they are capable of and best suited for, that is OUR part of being their handler.  

Teri