K9 Top Tales

Paving the Way for Female K9 Officers with Rose Cox

Rose (Rosalie) Cox is a one of a small number of women who paved the way for female handlers in the Patrol and Detection K9 world.
She is one of the hardest working folks in the industry and has walked the walk starting back in 1987 as a Handler for the Utah Department of Corrections.
In 1990, she joined the Salt Lake City Police Department as a Patrol Officer and quickly became a K9 and SWAT Trained Officer. After years working two dual-purpose Narcotics / Patrol K9s, Rose partnered with a single-purpose Explosive Detection K9 that she trained and worked during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Throughout her K9 career with SLCPD, Rose provided training at Utah POST to K9 Handlers and also ran her own kennel, Oquirrhberg Kennel; breeding, training, and selling dogs for Law Enforcement throughout the country.
After retiring from SLCPD, she grew her business and continued teaching, training, and working her own detection K9s at a variety of venues. She has trained 1000’s of K9s and worked with countless Handlers through the decades.
Humble and unassuming, a true blue and respected individual who always puts the well-being of the K9s and the officers they serve first. Rose is an advocate for K9 throughout the state of Utah and has hosted and/or judged the Utah Police Officers Association K9 trials for years.
I hope if you enjoy this episode that you'll take the time to leave a kind review, and share K9 Top Tales with your friends.
Happy Training all!
Sonja Nordstrom
Heimdallr K9 Services - Providers of top tier personal/executive/family protection K9s selected from the best dogs in Europe, delivered personally by Heimdallr K9 to ensure a smooth integration of a protection K9 into your home.
Sonja's Dog Training - Offering Detection/Nosework/SAR Seminars and workshops as well as one-on-one training for your family dog - now also offering remote training via Zoom and telephone consults.
Sonja's Dog Training Blog with lots of Training Tips for the Detection K9 Handler

K9 Rescues on the Southern Border with USBP BORSTAR Agent Roy Lopez (retired)

Roy Lopez has a very impressive and long history of service, starting out as a Navy Seal, a Veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then joining the Border Patrol in 1997 where he became one of the founding members of both the US Border Patrol’s BORSTAR team and the BORSTAR K9 Program.
While working his dogs Malcolm and Alex in tracking and cadaver and amassing nearly 2000 rescues/recoveries, Roy developed a full HRD course for the Border Patrol, the Federal Government’s only complete HRD course. Graduates of the 400 hour course include Border Patrol Agents, State and Local Law Enforcement and many Foreign Law Enforcement Officers.
Roy is a Master Trainer of Cadaver Detection and Tracking and Trailing Teams for the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA). In this role, he has had the opportunity to train and certify volunteers and law enforcement teams from around the country.
Roy retired from the Border Patrol in December 2019 and immediately founded Core Canine Concepts, LLC. corecanineconcepts.com. Through this new venture he desires to impart his vast experience and knowledge to enhance the skills and abilities of K9 Teams throughout the world.
Be sure to listen to the end where Roy shares an important lesson learned after a search in which he and his K9 Alex rescued a kidnapped 3 week old infant (starts at 52:30).
Show Sponsors:
SONJA'S DOG TRAINING: www.sonjasdogtraining.com ~ Offering one-on-one general training and detection/scent work workshops and seminars for the SAR/Human Remains Detection K9 Handlers and Trainers. Sonja brings to training an extensive history and a unique blend of K9 sport, SAR K9 training and field work, investigative field experience, legal and courtroom experience, and a treasure trove of component and precision-based K9 training techniques to address the most challenging aspects and applications of Human Remains Detection K9 training for both Handler and K9. Now also available via Zoom and Facetime!
HEIMDALLR K9 SERVICES: www.heimdallrk9.com ~ Heimdallr Services, is a supplier of top quality K9s for personal, family, and executive protection. Heimdallr conducts hands-on selection from the finest breeders and kennels in Europe to locate top tier dogs selected for their courage, stability, sociability, and health. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding adding a protection dog to your home and look forward to hearing from you.
Please leave a kind review and share this podcast with your friends! Thanks all.

International Disaster Search K9 Deployments with Sonja Heritage

Well, this is episode #8 (not #7 - apparently I've lost track)!
So many experiences shared in this episode.
Sonja Heritage is likely one of the most experienced FEMA Disaster Response Search and Rescue Dog Handlers and trainers in the United States. As a former member of the FEMA Virginia TF1 and State Department Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance USAID, she has traveled the world for more than two decades with her Disaster SAR K9s, responding to earthquakes, bombings, hurricanes, and mudslides in Turkey, Nairobi, Haiti, Taiwan, and throughout the United States. Currently a FEMA Certified handler with FEMA’s CATF-5, her most recent deployment was the Montecito California Mudslides in 2018. Sonja has deployed with four of her own K9s but also been responsible for the training of many FEMA Disaster response K9's privately and as the Head Trainer for the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation in Southern CA from 2012 – 2018. She has also received numerous awards and commendations for her work and training provided to others.
Sonja Heritage can be located on Facebook at Heritage K9 LLC. Here is a list of Sonja's Disaster Deployments with her K9s:
FEMA and the State Department Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance USAID
Montecito Mudslides 2018
Haiti Earthquake. Port–au- Prince, 2010
Hurricane Earl 2010
Earthquake, Chile 2010
School Collapse, Port–au- Prince Haiti 2008
Hurricane Gustav 2008
Hurricane Ike 2008
Hurricane Ernesto 2006
Hurricane Isabel, Fairfax VA 2005
Hurricane Ophelia 2006
Hurricane Rita, Dallas TX 2005
Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport MS and New Orleans LA 2005
Earthquake, Bam Iran 2003
Space Shuttle Columbia, TX 2003
Pentagon, 2001
Pentagon- Operation Nobel Eagle –Human Remains Recovery 2001
Earthquake, Toliou, Taiwan 1999
Earthquake, Izmit Turkey 1998
US Embassy, Nairobi Kenya 1998
Show Sponsors:
SONJA'S DOG TRAINING: www.sonjasdogtraining.com ~ Offering one-on-one general training and detection/scent work workshops and seminars for the SAR/Human Remains Detection K9 Handlers and Trainers. Sonja brings to training an extensive history and a unique blend of K9 sport, SAR K9 training and field work, investigative field experience, legal and courtroom experience, and a treasure trove of component and precision-based K9 training techniques to address the most challenging aspects and applications of Human Remains Detection K9 training for both Handler and K9. Now also available via Zoom and Facetime!
HEIMDALLR K9 SERVICES: www.heimdallrk9.com ~ Heimdallr Services, is a supplier of top quality K9s for personal, family, and executive protection. Heimdallr conducts hands-on selection from the finest breeders and kennels in Europe to locate top tier dogs selected for their courage, stability, sociability, and health. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding adding a protection dog to your home and look forward to hearing from you.
Please leave a kind review and share this podcast with your friends! Thanks all.

Tracking Monsters with Hounds - Coby Webb, PhD (Riverside Sheriff’s Department - Captain Retired)

Coby Webb, PhD, is a nationally known Police Captain (recently retired) for a Department of more than 4000 sworn and an accomplished Handler of dual-purpose patrol/narcotics K9s and Bloodhounds. She is best known and most highly regarded for her work handling, training, judging and evaluating bloodhounds and is a recognized court expert in scent discrimination. She has consulted on hundreds of high-profile cases regarding tracking evidence. In addition to being a Captain, she obtained her PhD, raised twins (who are both talented dog trainers and handlers in their own right,) and has received several awards to include Officer of the Year, Distinguished Service Medal, California Peace Officers Association’s Officer of Distinction, Hero’s Award.
In this episode, Coby shares details of two cases: one a murder and the other a series of violent rapes, in which her Bloodhound, Maggie Mae, played a crucial role. She also discusses some of her training methodology and closes with information regarding an outstanding and very successful Therapy Dog program that she institued for Riverside Sheriff's Department personnel.
Coby is recently retired and now available to help out with K9 training and program development. She can be reached at Coby2404@aol.com. Coby and Sonja (your K9 Top Tales Host) will be teaching at the Southern California K9 Seminar - Idyllwild ~ November 13-15, 2020 https://www.southerncak9seminar.com/
Show Sponsors:
SONJA'S DOG TRAINING: www.sonjasdogtraining.com ~ Offering one-on-one general training and detection/scent work workshops and seminars for the SAR/Human Remains Detection K9 Handlers and Trainers. Sonja brings to training an extensive history and a unique blend of K9 sport, SAR K9 training and field work, investigative field experience, legal and courtroom experience, and a treasure trove of component and precision-based K9 training techniques to address the most challenging aspects and applications of Human Remains Detection K9 training for both Handler and K9. Now also available via Zoom and Facetime!
HEIMDALLR K9 SERVICES: www.heimdallrk9.com ~ Heimdallr Services, is a supplier of top quality K9s for personal, family, and executive protection. Heimdallr conducts hands-on selection from the finest breeders and kennels in Europe to locate top tier dogs selected for their courage, stability, sociability, and health. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding adding a protection dog to your home and look forward to hearing from you.
Please leave a kind review and share this podcast with your friends! Thanks all.

Great K9 Capers with Sgt. MIKE GOOSBY, Chief Trainer LAPD K9 Metro!

LAPD Sgt. Mike Goosby - With more than 750 criminal apprehensions walking behind a K9, Mike Goosby is one of the nation's authorities regarding tactical K9 deployment. In this episode, Mike shares some fun stories about his K9s Thunder and Luca and some great gems re deployment, living with a police K9, and LAPD K9 command and control. A couple of Goosby originals: "You can't expect your K9 team to have Porsche performance when you only offer them minivan maintenance." "They are police dogs, not debutantes."
07:50 - K9 Thunder
25:00 - K9 Luca
33:00 - Living with a K9
39:05 - LACPCA
48:00 - A Day in the Life
Mike is also the President of the Los Angeles County Police Canine Association (www.lacpca.com) a charitable organization which represents the law enforcement communities of the most populous county in the United States. Nearly 60 Law Enforcement agencies protect and serve 22 million citizens in an area of over 3500 square miles. Mike graciously offers himself up to help Handlers from departments across the country.
I hope you enjoy the episode and will take the time to leave a kind review and share K9 Top Tales with your friends.
Happy Training all!
Sonja Nordstrom
Sonja's Dog Training - offering Detection/Nosework/SAR Seminars and workshops as well as one-on-one training for your family dog - now also offering remote training via Zoom and Facetime.
Sonja's Dog Training Blog with lots of Training Tips for the Detection K9 Handler
Heimdallr K9 Services - Expert hand selection from the best dogs in Europe and personalized service to locate and integrate a personal/executive/family protection K9 into your home.

Gunny the Search and Rescue/Recovery K9 - with Handler Joe Jennings

Sometimes the unsung heroes of the working K9 Community are the Search dogs that locate those who have passed before they could be rescued. This episode highlights my Great Basin K-9 SAR teammates, Joe Jennings and his Golden Retriever Gunny https://greatbasink-9sar.org/ Gunny was certified as a live find wilderness K9, an Avalanche Dog, but also as a dog that would hunt for and locate human remains both on land and in water. One very difficult search was for a young 21-year-old woman, Annie Schmidt, lost in the Columbia River Gorge area in Oregon. In this episode, Joe shares with us his experiences on that search.
Joe is also the author of 4 books which can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ECiGjQ The first two books Ghosts of Iwo Jima and Ghosts of the Buffalo Wheel tell of the adventures of Sam Weber and his trusted K9 Gunny - Interestingly, these two characters bear a striking resemblance to Joe and Gunny!
We on Great Basin K-9 SAR are heartbroken by the passing of Gunny just last Saturday at the age of 13 due to cancer. He lives on in our hearts with only fond memories and gratitude for a lifetime of service and a job well done. Rest easy Gunny.

K9 TV Heroes with Sue Chipperton

When watching animals working on TV, did you ever ask yourself, "How did they get the dog to do that?" Well, my guest Sue Chipperton has decades of Studio Animal work and knows all the tricks of the trade. She will share with us the story of Eddie, the Labrador Retriever that performs all sorts of heroic deeds while cast on Hawaii 5-0, some history regarding her work with Gidget the Taco Bell Dog, and also her work with the puppies in the iconic Budweiser Superbowl commercials. Sue is the Author of "A Famous Dog's Life" and owner of a movie animal company on Oahu Hawaii, Check the Gate. You can find lots of great photos of Eddie, Sue, and "the Lads" from Magnum PI , and Sue's up and coming German Shepherd/Malinois cross Brock on Eddie's IG page. If you live in Hawaii, you can also look Sue up to get a professional portrait of your dog www.chipperton.com
Eddies IG @h50eddie;
The Lads IG @the_magnum_lads;
Me @tailsticks;
Pet Photography @chipperton_photography.
Here's the show breakdown:
Intro
02:50. Eddie gets the role on 5-0;
07:40 The tasking for the first episode with tricks of the trade;
21:30 Handling new scripts;
26:30 Eddie loves everyone;
31:25 Sue's Animal Training History;
36:00 Career highlights and Gidget the Taco Bell Dog;
46:30 Working the Budweiser Superbowl Ad puppies;
52:30 Teaching the "Mark";
57:00. Keep learning.
Your host, Sonja Nordstrom, is the Owner of Heimdallr K9 Services (https://heimdallrk9.com) a provider of top level personal, executive, and family protection K9s and the Owner/Trainer of Sonja's Dog Training (https://sonjasdogtraining.com) providing SAR/Detection and Nosework/Scentwork workshops and seminars, remote training and coaching via Zoom, as well as one-on-one personalized pet dog training in the Park City area of Utah.

Anti-Poaching Dogs of Africa with Trainer Linda Porter

Linda Porter of the Canine Training Academy in Cañon City, Colorado, tells of hers and her husband John Lutenberg's unique experiences training tracking bloodhounds and Ivory and Weapons Detection K9s for the Rangers of the Mara Conservancy in Kenya, Africa, to combat poaching. Linda and John offer tracking/trailing K9 training of the highest quality at their facility - https://www.caninetrainingacademy.com/
You can learn more about the Mara Triangle and the work of Linda and John via these links:
https://www.maratriangle.org/about-us/work-projects/tracker-dog-unit
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/africa/in-kenya-anti-poaching-dogs-are-wildlifes-best-friends
Your host, Sonja Nordstrom, is the owner and trainer of Sonja's Dog Training (https://sonjasdogtraining.com) providing SAR/Detection and Nosework/Scentwork workshops and seminars as well as one-on-one personalized pet dog training and Heimdallr K9 Services (https://heimdallrk9.com) a provider of top level personal, executive, and family protection K9s.

K9 Search and Rescue - The Early Days with Bill Dotson

Bill Dotson is well known throughout the Search and Rescue (SAR) community as a Search Manager and Trainer/Instructor. In this episode, however, we'll chat with Bill about his early days in SAR with his Belgian Shepherd Lys, traveling for testing to Switzerland, and forming CARDA (California Rescue Dog Association.) With deployments close to home in Northern California and also throughout the world responding to disasters, Bill shares his stories of searches with his dogs, the relationships he had with his dogs, and a wealth of knowledge gleaned during 42 years involved in K9 SAR.
Introduction
02:00 Starting the K9 journey, obedience, and Schutzhund
06:20 Who wants to do SAR?
17:40 Lys's first find
22:20 Starting CARDA (California Rescue Dog Association - www.carda.org)
24:40 Working with Davis City PD and the Golden State Rapist/Killer
32:40 Yosemite Rockslide of 1980 (https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Chronicle-Covers-The-deadly-Yosemite-rock-slide-10592494.php)
34:40 Water find with Lys
39:00 International Deployments
47:40 Moving to Virginia/Dogs East
58:20 Best Advice
1:01:00 Best piece of Gear - Get the right DOG!
1:02:00 SDONA (Search Dog Organization of North America - www.sdona.org)
1:06:00 Dedication to K9 Handler Cindy MacArthur
Your host, Sonja Nordstrom, is the owner and trainer of Sonja's Dog Training (https://sonjasdogtraining.com) providing SAR/Detection and Nosework/Scentwork workshops and seminars as well as one-on-one personalized pet dog training and Heimdallr K9 Services (https://heimdallrk9.com) a provider of top level personal, executive, and family protection K9s.

Working the Patrol/Sheriff’s/SWAT K9 with KEVIN SHELDAHL

In this episode, Kevin Sheldahl shares his decades of experience as a K9 Handler and Trainer for the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department in New Mexico and now as owner and trainer for K-9 Services (www.k-9services.com).
During the episode, Kevin uses some terms which may not be familiar to some listeners so the definitions are provided:
DM - Degenerative Myelopathy/disc disease | FTO - Field Training Officer | Clever Hans - the horse that could do math or could he? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clever_Hans | Schutzhund/IPO/IGP - a dog sport involving Tracking Obedience and Protection work http://www.schutzhund-training.com/ | WUSV - World Competition for Schutzhund/IPO/IGP German Shepherds https://www.wusv.org/en | KNPV - Royal Dutch Police Dog Competition https://leerburg.com/knpvbob1.htm | SWGDOG - Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal Detector Guidelines https://ifri.fiu.edu/research/detector-dogs/swgdog/
Here is the episode outline:
1:35 - Kevin's Start in K9
10:15 - Breed of Choice and Selection
16:30 - K9 LIability
25:30 - Bernalillo County Sheriff's K9s
27:30 - First Capture with K9 Dolph
37:00 Getting Fellow Officers On Board with K9
39:00 The SWAT Mission
45:20 National Forest Search Mission
56:30 Use of Markers for Detection Training
1:07:00 - Advice for the new or aspiring Handler
1:12:00 - Best Gear - ECollar
1:16:13 - Compulsion in Patrol K9 Training
1:17:00 K-9 Services Info
1:22:00 K-9 Services Facebook Page as a resource
1:24:00 The Last Dog and closing remarks.
I hope you enjoy the episode and will take the time to leave a kind review and share K9 Top Tales with your friends.
Happy Training all!
Sonja Nordstrom
www.sonjasdogtraining.com - for your personal training needs both in person and remote as well as Detection/Nosework/SAR Seminars
www.heimdallrk9.com - for your personal/executive/family protection K9 needs.