Tag: Search Dog

KCSD Dog Wins AKC Excellence Award on National Television

Wow: We are so proud to report that our very own K9 Lincoln has won the 2022 Search & Rescue Award for Canine Excellence (ACE) from the American Kennel Club Humane Fund. Winners were announced last Sunday on an hour long ESPN2 special that included video profiles and commentary on Lincoln and the winners in the uniform services, support, therapy and companion categories. Lincoln is an energetic flatcoated retriever certified in wilderness airscent and human remains detection and was recognized for finding at-risk Alzheimer’s subjects twice in the last eighteen months. Lincoln’s handler Jon noted that it is a tribute […]

Commander Riker is ready for duty!

Join us in congratulating K9 Riker and his handler Brian for becoming the newest certified King County Search Dog airscent team after passing their field test today! Riker, a black German Shepherd known for boldly going where no dog has gone before, bounded through 40 acres of forest and found both his “lost” subjects well within the two hour limit. It takes years of training, practice and patience to certify a search dog and we are very proud of Brian and Riker’s accomplishment. Look for them at the next KCSD mission where they will be seeking out new subjects and […]

Search Dogs Save Lives!

GOOD DOG LINCOLN! On June 21, 2022 five KCSD dog teams responded to a search for an 87 year old with Alzheimers missing overnight in thick woods northeast of Seattle. After working less than 45 minutes K9 Lincoln, Brenna O’Leary and Lincoln’s handler Jon found the subject in steep terrain less than half a mile from their house. While we give our dogs the headlines, the full story is that a great outcome like this results from the teamwork of over twenty five volunteers from several King County Search and Rescue Units: Searchers from ESAR and 4×4 in addition to […]

Search Dogs Really Do Save Lives

In the early hours of April 30th KCSD was deployed to look for a missing 87 year old with dementia. At 2:30 AM, after working less than 15 minutes, K9 Lincoln found the subject who was reunited with their family. Please join us in congratulating Lincoln, his handler Jon and support team Brian and Katherine on Lincoln’s first ‘find’ as well as in thanking all the volunteers from KCSD and King County Search and Rescue who responded to the late night call out from the King County Sheriff’s Office and Bellevue, WA Police Department. KCSD dogs and handlers each spend […]

Tune in to KCSD!

Listen to “The American Canine” podcast to hear Josh Gerstman and Heather Jo Cutting discuss their 20+ years of search dog experience with host Tony McFee. The conversation covers their first exposure to search dogs through to search and rescue becoming their lifestyle. They also describe finding suitable puppies and the training required to become certified search dog team. A great listen!

Happy New Year!

Max, Zula, Natick, Jack, Coulee, Tika, Fritz, Artoo, and all the rest of the KCSD dog noses wish everyone and their dog a happy and healthy 2021. King County Search Dogs deployed on 51 missions last year including a number of multi-day operations involving units from surrounding counties. Despite all the challenges everyone faced in 2020, community support for KCSD remained strong including the largest single gift we have ever received which helped us to replace aging radios. Thank you to all our donors as well as to everyone we meet who wishes us well. It makes a real difference! […]

Go Jet Go !

Faster than a speeding bullet, It’s Jet the Search Dog! Join us in congratulating K9 Jet and Handler Mathew on successfully completing their airscent pretest. True to her name Jet raced through 40 acres of forest and found her ‘lost’ search subjects in half the allotted time. Look for them zooming around at the next King County Search and Rescue mission.

Who’s a good dog?

Congratulations to K9 Cleo and her handler Chad for passing their airscent certification evaluation yesterday! They found both their test subjects in 40 acres of dense forest within two hours despite the classic northwest mix of cold April snow and rain.

Want to be a Search Dog?

Come to one of the 2019 King County Search Dogs membership information sessions to learn more about the application process, training process and volunteer commitment. Each session will feature a presentation and a chance to talk with current members. Times and dates are: April 25th – 7:30PM, May 5th – 3:30PM, and May 14th – 7:30PM. All sessions are at the north Mercer Island Fire Station; 3030 78th Ave. SE 98040. It is helpful, though not required, if you let us know you are coming at membership@kcsearchdogs.org

Meet the Crew: German Shepherd Edition!

K9 Gilly – certified in trailing and training in HRD, K9 Shiloh – training in airscent, K9 Jack – certified in airscent and HRD, K9 Raven – certified in HRD, K9 Myka – training in HRD. 🐾

K9 Carlo 6/23/2007 – 2/2/2019

With heavy hearts we say goodbye to K9 Carlo after nearly ten years with KCSD. Carlo was certified in trailing and human remains detection and was unit co-founder Andy Rebmann’s 11th working dog and 7th German Shepherd partner. Carlo had a larger than life personality and was unwavering in his adoration for the human on the other end of the leash. Carlo assisted on dozens of evidence and missing persons searches, and kept Andy on his toes both at home and in the field. And while we continue to feel the loss of Carlo, the legacy this partnership leaves behind […]

Gilly’s first find 🐾

Congratulations to K9 Gilly and handler Kris for locating a missing individual (alive and well!) this afternoon in Issaquah. It was Kris and Gilly’s first find as members of King County Search Dogs. Well done! 🐾♥️