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K9 Top Tales

K9 Top Tales

By Sonja Nordstrom

Working K9 case reviews ~ real-life stories of K9 warriors, crime fighters, protectors, and rescuers as told by their Law Enforcement, Military, and Search & Rescue Handlers and Partners. Your host is Sonja Nordstrom, a retired FBI Special Agent and a Handler and Trainer of Search & Rescue/Recovery K9s for 25 years.
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Great K9 Capers with Sgt. MIKE GOOSBY, Chief Trainer LAPD K9 Metro!

K9 Top TalesAug 04, 2020

00:00
01:03:06
The Legend ~ 50 years of K9 Capers with Andy Rebmann

The Legend ~ 50 years of K9 Capers with Andy Rebmann

In this episode, Retired CT State Trooper Andy Rebmann, author of the Cadaver Dog Handbook, shares lots of great training information and fantastic K9 capers with his Patrol K9s, Trailing Bloodhounds, and Cadaver Dogs. Hard to even scratch the surface of someone with 50 years experience but it was a super fun conversation with a legend in the industry. Thanks for the chat Andy!

Andy's bio: Andy has been involved in search work and K-9 training since 1972. He is a retired trainer for Connecticut State Police. During his police career, he trained K-9 teams for patrol, tracking, trailing, narcotics, explosive, arson, wilderness, disaster, water and cadaver work. He developed the State Police training program for cadaver search dogs.

Andy trained and handled bloodhounds from 1973 until 1990. His hounds were responsible for over 200 walk-up “finds.” The Connecticut Supreme Court upheld several cases on appeal. In addition, he has qualified in several states and Scotland as an expert witness regarding scenting dogs. He established the CSP SAR K-9 Team and served as team leader and search coordinator. Since retiring in 1991, he has conducted numerous seminars, schools and workshops throughout the U. S., Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico, Canada and Japan. Seminars and workshops include cadaver, disaster response and urban trailing. He is a consultant to law enforcement agencies.

Andy is the retired past president of Northwest Disaster Search Dogs, Redmond, WA. The unit provides disaster search trained K-9 teams in support of the Puget Sound FEMA Task Force as well as local response. He is a founder of King County Search Dogs, a multi-tasked K-9 search unit that supports King County Police Special Operations for missing person searches. He has been a member and instructor for the National Police Bloodhound Association since 1974.

Andy has participated in over 2000 missions in his career in a variety of roles; Trailing dog handler, cadaver dog handler or in a search management capacity.

He has presented numerous papers at national seminars and is the author of “The Cadaver Dog Handbook,” published August 2000.

Sep 29, 202301:36:18
Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue - North American Land Rover Defender Service Award Finalists

Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue - North American Land Rover Defender Service Award Finalists

CLICK THIS LINK TO VOTE:  VOTE TODAY - VOTE DAILY - PLEASE SHARE:

https://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/events-and-sponsorships/defender-service-awards/vote/search-and-rescue.html

October 21, 2022 – Today, Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue was named a finalist among Search and Rescue organizations in the Land Rover ‘Defender Service Awards’. The Utah charitable organization was recognized for its work in training, certifying, and fielding Search and Rescue canines along with their handlers to help locate missing people. As a finalist, Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue will receive $5,000 from the presenting sponsor, CHASE.

Inspired by endless acts of service across the U.S. and Canada from extraordinary citizens, Land Rover launched the ‘Defender Service Awards’ last year to celebrate U.S. and Canadian-based charitable organizations that are making a positive impact in their local community. To honor the legacy of Defender vehicles aiding organizations who serve their communities, Land Rover will award a specially outfitted Land Rover Defender 130 SUV to the five winning organizations based on Public Vote, to help further their charitable efforts, plus $25,000 from the category sponsor.

Public voting opens October 21, 2022, through November 6, 2022 on LandRoverUSA.com. The winners for all five categories will be announced on November 12, at Destination Defender, a weekend celebration of the Defender lifestyle located in the New York Hudson Valley. For more information about Destination Defender, please visit  LandRoverUSA.com.

“Our sincere gratitude goes out to the over 800 charitable organizations who submitted entries for this year’s Defender Service Awards.” said Joe Eberhardt, President & CEO, Jaguar Land Rover North America. “The twenty-five finalists captured a special spirit of service which is part of the fabric of our brand. We look forward to sharing the finalists’ entries with the public and wish them luck.”

“We, the members of Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue, are deeply honored and humbled to be among the five finalists in the Search and Rescue category of the Land Rover Defender Above and Beyond Service Awards. We are so grateful to Land Rover, Chase, and Pelican, for this opportunity to win the Defender and associated awards to improve our capability to respond to search and rescue/recovery missions throughout Utah and neighboring states. Our mission is to field well-trained Search K-9/Handler teams to best serve our community by bringing missing loved-ones home to their families.”

Search and Rescue Award, Presented by Pelican

Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue, Inc. (Kamas, UT)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gbk9sar

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbk9sar

Oct 31, 202208:47
Death Investigation and the Human Remains Detection K9 with Col. Annette R. GrandPre (ret.)

Death Investigation and the Human Remains Detection K9 with Col. Annette R. GrandPre (ret.)

Renee (Retired Col. Annette Renee GrandPre) has lived a life of service from start to finish. With military deployments to Kosovo in 2006 and to Kandahar in 2018, she rounded out her military career as a full bird Colonel with too many awards and decorations to enumerate, culminating most recently with the Legion of Merit award.

Her civilian work as an ER, Trauma, ICU and Psychiatric care nurse in Los Angeles lead her on a path to pursuing work as a Coroner Investigator for the County of Los Angeles. Among her accomplishments while at the Coroner's Office was starting a Human Remains Detection K9 Program.

This episode is a must listen for HRD Handlers and CSI enthusiasts. It gives a detailed perspective of the inner workings of the largest coroner's office in the United States, the forensic considerations and details for skeletal remains and body recovery, and a handler's journey with a wonderful HRD K9 named "Indiana Bones!" 

Follow this link to a youtube feature with Renee and Indy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1WcZ7sgz48

If you enjoy this podcast, please give it a kind review and check out these links

To learn more your host Sonja Nordstrom and her K9 training, follow these links: 

American Tactical Aggregate K-9 |  Sonja's Dog Training

Email: atak9.team@gmail.com |  sonja@sonjasdogtraining.com

Websites: www.atak9.com | sonjasdogtraining.com

ATAK-9 apparel: www.atak-9.myspreadshop.com/all

www.facebook.com/AggregateK9 | www.facebook.com/sonjasdogtraining2

www.instagram.com/ata.k9 | www.instagram/k9_top_tales

YouTube: ATAK-9


Aug 06, 202251:46
Making the Grade as a US Army Special Mission Unit K9 with Fred Fusco

Making the Grade as a US Army Special Mission Unit K9 with Fred Fusco

Fred "Big Fred" Fusco of Storm Tactical Consulting 

Website: stormtactical.wixsite.com/stormtactical  

IG: www.instagram.com/storm_tactical_consulting/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC0KNW8fzQrOZgCSxQXHoHzA

In this episode, Fred shares his training and deployment mission experiences and what it takes for a dog to make the grade in Special Operations. 

Fred is a retired US Army Special Mission Unit Operator, K9 Handler, and another member of the American Tactical Aggregate K-9 training team. He served more than 20 years in Army Special Operations including 12 years as a Green Beret working as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant and as an Operator from the US Army Special Mission Unit. While assigned there, he served as an Assaulter, Master Breacher, Sniper, Operations Sergeant Major, and completed 10 combat deployments as part of the Global War on Terrorism in both overt and covert roles.

Since retiring, he has worked in the civilian sector as special operations K9 project manager, tactics and shooting instructor, assault climbing instructor, and as a contract trainer for BORTAC team, Naval Special Warfare Training Group 2, 75th Ranger Regiment, and multiple law enforcement agencies.ATAK-9 has a cadre of exceptional K9 and tactical instructors/consultants and offers workshops and full courses.

Follow these links to learn more about American Tactical Aggregate K-9:

Email: atak9.team@gmail.com

Website: www.atak9.com

ATAK-9 apparel: www.atak-9.myspreadshop.com/all

FB: www.facebook.com/AggregateK9

IG: www.instagram.com/ata.k9

YouTube: ATAK-9

Jan 12, 202242:08
The Making of the US Army Special Operations Command K9 ~ Shannon Krieger, USSOCOM Operator, Handler, and K9 Trainer

The Making of the US Army Special Operations Command K9 ~ Shannon Krieger, USSOCOM Operator, Handler, and K9 Trainer

Please enjoy this episode with SHANNON KRIEGER, a person who has served the United States with dedication, sacrifice, and honor. 

From 1999 - 2012, Shannon Krieger was a working K9 handler and trainer for Special Operations Forces (SOF) and a K9 program that would become one of the best practical military initiatives in the last century.  That initiative was the Combat Assault Dog (CAD) program in USSOCOM.

In 1993, Shannon started at the 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment where he became a Rifle Squad Leader.  In 1998, he became a member of a Tier One Unit within the US Army. Shortly following 9/11, Shannon was a member of the Assault team when the US launched a Direct-Action retaliatory strike against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. During follow-on operations, Shannon was injured in a helicopter crash that permanently changed his life and career path but which ultimately led him to a primary position to continue to build the CAD program. 

As a dog handler, trainer and program manager, Shannon travelled the world in search of the best training and canines for the SOF mission, pulling the best training techniques from KNPV, Schutzhund and Ring Sports and melding them into practical techniques that are combat proven.

For more information about ATAK-9 cadre of exceptional instructors/consultants, workshops and full courses, follow these links:

Email: atak9.team@gmail.com

>> Website: www.atak9.com

>> ATAK-9 apparel: www.atak-9.myspreadshop.com/all

>> FB: www.facebook.com/AggregateK9

>> IG: www.instagram.com/ata.k9

>> YouTube: ATAK-9

If you enjoyed this podcast, please drop us a kind review!

Also, please check out these links for more info from your K9 Top Tales host:

Heimdallr K9 Services - Personal Family Executive K9s - heimdallrk9.com

Sonja's Dog Training - Behavior, Scentwork, and Detection K9 Training - sonjasdogtraining.com



Oct 12, 202157:16
The Evolution of a Tactical "Dog Man" - Steve "Zane" Stoops
Oct 04, 202157:14
Q&A re FEMA K9 Teams and the Surfside Condo Collapse

Q&A re FEMA K9 Teams and the Surfside Condo Collapse

In light of the recent and very tragic Condominium Collapse disaster in Surfside, Florida, I called on a long-time Search and Rescue K9 colleague and friend, Deresa Kenney (Teller,) who is a one of the original FEMA Disaster K9 Handlers. In this episode, Deresa not only tells of her experiences while working large scale disasters such as the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11 World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina, and other disaster sites, but also shares her knowledge and insights regarding the work of FEMA Disaster Response K9 teams and the requirements to become a Certified and Deployable FEMA K9 team. 

Minute 29:05 Discussion re Surfside Condominium Collapse

Deresa is retired from Los Angeles City Fire Department where she served the majority of her 35 years as a paramedic. She now owns and operates a dog training business, Bella's K9 Babies (https://bellask9babies.com), specializing in puppy socialization and the scentwork/nosework. 

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!

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.

Jun 30, 202101:05:05
Paving the Way for Female K9 Officers with Rose Cox

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

Jan 21, 202135:15
K9 Rescues on the Southern Border with USBP BORSTAR Agent Roy Lopez (retired)

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.

Nov 03, 202001:04:28
International Disaster Search K9 Deployments with Sonja Heritage

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.

Nov 01, 202001:10:59
Tracking Monsters with Hounds - Coby Webb, PhD (Riverside Sheriff's Department - Captain Retired)

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.

Aug 18, 202001:05:38
Great K9 Capers with Sgt. MIKE GOOSBY, Chief Trainer LAPD K9 Metro!

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.


Aug 04, 202001:03:06
Gunny the Search and Rescue/Recovery K9 - with Handler Joe Jennings

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.

Jul 07, 202039:51
K9 TV Heroes with Sue Chipperton

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.


Jun 23, 202001:00:56
Anti-Poaching Dogs of Africa with Trainer Linda Porter
Jun 09, 202046:03
K9 Search and Rescue - The Early Days with Bill Dotson

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.

Jun 09, 202001:07:33
Working the Patrol/Sheriff's/SWAT K9 with KEVIN SHELDAHL

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.




May 28, 202001:26:38
Welcome to K9 Top Tales!

Welcome to K9 Top Tales!

Welcome to the K9 Top Tales podcast where you will hear exciting, interesting, and at times heart-wrenching stories of these K9 warriors, protectors, rescuers, and crime fighters directly from their K9 handlers and partners. This Podcast trailer includes an introduction to your host, retired FBI Special Agent and K9 Handler/Trainer of 25 years, Sonja Nordstrom. You can learn more about Sonja and her K9 training and protection K9 sales services at the following websites:

Heimdallr K9 Services: Providing trained dogs of the highest quality for executive, family, and personal protection. Top tier dogs | hands-on selection, | personalized delivery and training | continued support | professional team | ethics and experience you can trust.  www.heimdallrk9.com

Sonja's Dog Training: Customized Training for your one of a kind dog. Specializing in behavior, relationship, trust, and precision communication. Now offering virtual online Zoom and Facetime sessions or telephone consults. Also offering Nosework/Scentwork workshops, virtual private sessions, and SAR/Detection seminars. www.sonjasdogtraining.com

Great Basin K-9 Search and Rescue: GBK9SAR is a non-profit 501(c)(3) volunteer organization with operational members in Summit, Utah, Weber, Morgan, and Salt Lake Counties. Our mission is to train K9/Handler SAR teams and certify them to the highest standards in order to provide K9 SAR services— at no cost — to public safety organizations throughout the Intermountain West. www.greatbasink-9sar.org

May 05, 202003:16