K9 Search and Rescue. Springfield Township Fire Department.
From Jessica:
You know we love dogs at Trumbull Photography in all shapes and sizes—gentle giants, couch hippos, and working dogs alike. So, when we were discussing blog ideas, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to feature some local search and rescue dogs.
This blog was supposed to be posted in February as part of our Fuff-uary features, but things don’t always go to plan. Unfortunately, we got too busy to get all of our blogs posted on time. Even though this blog is way overdue, I wanted to make sure it got published because these amazing dogs and their owner deserve the recognition.
It’s easy to look at working dogs and say, “That’s cool,” and then move on, but what these dogs do for us is worth a longer pause. A dog’s sense of smell is over 100 times better than a human’s, and search and rescue dogs spend countless hours training to put that incredible ability to good use. These dogs and their handlers work alongside first responders in times of crisis to save lives, bring missing loved ones home, and provide answers to families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Getting to see Darwin and Mando off the job was a great reminder that, despite the important work they do, they’re still dogs who love attention, their people, and the work they do.
Getting to photograph these dogs at the fire station was such a cool experience, and to be honest, there’s nothing more classic than dogs in fire trucks. Continue reading to see their photos and learn more about Darwin, Mando, their owner, and what it takes to be a search and rescue team.
From Shelby:
Tell us a little about yourself, where you work and what you do there?
Hi! My name is Shelbie Flegal, I am 35 years old and a Firefighter/Paramedic and K9 handler for Springfield Township Fire Department.
What made you want to get involved in search and rescue.
I have always love dogs. And when I chose firefighting as a profession it was my dream from the beginning to combine my love of animals with the work that I’ve chose to do. Training these search and rescue dogs has made that dream a reality.
Tell us a little about your search and rescue dogs? (Name, age, breed, and a little about their personalities)
Darwin is a 10 year old Black lab. I brought him home when he was 8 weeks old and we started training right away. He was my first K9 and we learned everything together. He is a hard working, level headed dog that will do anything I ask of him. He is thoughtful and so good at his job. In his off days he spends his time lounging on his dog bed and pretending to be a livestock guardian dog to our herd of dairy goats. His is truly the goodest boy.
Mandalorian aka ‘Mando’ he was named after my boys who LOVE Star Wars. He came to us from Katalyst Kennels. I was looking for a puppy with non stop work ethic and drive. And I found him. He is 55lbs of solid yellow lab energy. He turned a year old in December and with any luck will hopefully earn his first national human remains detection certification this summer. He is happy. Happy all the time, he is the goofball to the always stoic and steady Darwin. (We are excited to announce that Mando has earned his initial certification since this was written!)
What are the training requirements/ certification for your dogs? How many hours of training do they have?
When the dogs are young we train 2-3 times a week, very short sessions. Never hours at a time. The goal is to make the training sessions short and fun. As they get older the sessions get longer the problems more complex. But it all varies. It’s not just odor work, it’s socializing and exposing the dogs to everything you can because you never know what kinds of new things a dog could encounter on a search that could distract or startle them.
We certify our dogs through IPWDA (International Police Work Dog Association) and NSDA (National Search Dog Alliance).
What do you think is important for people to know about working dogs?
I think the biggest thing I’d like people to understand about working dogs is how special they are. These dogs willing do hard work. Hard work that (in the case of human remains detection) can bring closure to families in some of the darkest of times. They are truly incredible with what they can smell and how they work. They give 110% 100% of the time. They never give up. I am so incredibly lucky to get to partner up with these amazing animals.
I also want people to know that they are more than just a work partner, they are my family when they aren’t working they are at home with my family, they love camping and walks and snacks….all of the snacks. Counter Surfing is their favorite hobby.
