The K9 Unit is one of several specialized resource units of TSAR. The canine resource increases search capabilities beyond the scope of human sensory perception. Canines can discern the scent of one particle in one million. Most humans have approximately 8 million cells inside their nose dedicated to smell. Canines have approximately 120–200 million cells dedicated to smell.
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS: The TSAR K9 Unit trains one day every week to keep this resource at ready and in peak condition. Even with this dedication, it takes 1.5 to 2 years to fully train a mission-ready canine and canine handler. Besides training with the K9 Unit a minimum of one day each week in the search modality, handlers are required to do additional training in obedience, agility, problem-solving, and behavioral shaping.
TYPE OF SEARCH: Our dogs are often cross-trained in more than one canine search modality: air scent (which also may include generic or scent specific and live find or human remains specialties) and track/trailing (which is live find, scent specific specialty only). Canines and canine handlers must undergo a series of evaluations in each modality before reaching mission readiness in that specialty. As wilderness search dogs, proficiency in multiple disciplines can be of significant benefit to the mission at hand and enables the dog to use whatever discipline is required to reach the person in need with the most expediency.
AREA SEARCH: Air scent is generated from wind/air currents blowing past a person, carrying scent across the landscape for up to several miles, thus enabling the dog to search large areas of terrain quickly. The dog works with his head held high hunting for scent on the wind. This search modality may be conducted through generic search (dog hunts for any human scent in the area) or through scent-specific search (dog hunts for a specific scent from a given scent article). Area search is also the modality utilized to find human remains, so HRD (Human Remains Detection) dogs are also area search dogs.
TRACK/TRAIL SEARCH: This type of search is done when the dog works the ground scent left either by direct footprints or scent deposited near the footprint as the person walks through the terrain. The dog works with the head held close to or on the ground or low plants/bushes/brush. This modality requires a scent article, and so is scent specific, focusing the dog only on the track the subject actually took. Track dogs help establish a direction of travel, which can help narrow the scope of the search containment area to focus vital resources and save time.
Joining the K9 Unit is a substantial commitment over and above being a member of the primary TSAR team. The K9 Unit trains one full day/week with additional trainings and meetings from time to time. It may take 1.5 to 2 years of training until a dog and handler are ready to respond to a search mission as a K9 resource. Training resumes the dog's entire working life. It takes not only the right dog candidate but also the right person to become a finely-tuned and trained mission-ready K9 team.
To learn more about working in the K9 Unit, download the K9 Unit Guidelines below. See the Join Us page for more information about joining Taos Search & Rescue.
Delinda VanneBrightyn/K9-1 – K9 Unit Leader, Unit Search Training Officer, Handler for K9 AkioYodasan, Full TSAR Member, K9 Search Specialist, Mission-Ready K9 Team, NMFC
Malia Reeves/K9-2– K9 Unit Safety & Medical Officer, Handler for K9 KonaYuki, Full TSAR Member, In Training, Pre-Eval 1 complete, Taos Valley Ski Patrol Mission-Ready Avalanche
Henrik Krarup/K9-3 – Handler for K9 Cooper, TSAR Trainee
Sam Coffman/K9-4 - Handler for K9 Lucy, TSAR Trainee.
MacLaren Scott/K9-5 – Handler for K9 Moki, Full TSAR Member.
Nicole Ponte/K9-6 – K9 Support, Handler in Training, Full TSAR Member, NMFC.
Adonis Trujillo/K9-7 – K9 Unit Support, TSAR Trainee, In Training, Pre-Eval 1 Handler Level
Rob Goldfarb/K9-9 – Handler for K9 Lyra, TSAR Auxiliary Member, K9 Search Specialist, In Training with a new pup.
The dogs represented here lived their lives in service to our community. It is our honor to remember them always...
K9 ZATOICHI
K9 ZATOICHI
K9 Zatoichi's service with Taos Search & Rescue began with his training at 7.5 weeks of age and ended with his retirement at 12 years. He was born June 4, 2003, and became Mission Ready with his handler, Delinda VanneBrightyn, in Area Search at 1.5 years of age. He also went on to become Mission Ready in Human Remains Detection, Track/Trail, and Scent Specific Area Search.
Zatoichi was affectionately and aptly nicknamed by his teammates both as “Einstein” and “Captain Quirk”, first because the unit relished trying to set up scent problems he could not solve, but he could not be fooled, and secondly because he was one of the weirdest, quirkiest dogs you might ever meet, which gave us all a plethora of laughs! He lived to search, and these were his happiest, most gratified moments in life, well, besides the occasional herding of large groups of cows, which he could not resist from driving into a small manageable clump. He also loved to swim and could spend hours in the water no matter the season.
Zatoichi’s favorite toy was a stick, no, a downed tree, really….the larger, the better. He was known to pick up entire trees or giant logs that he could barely manage and carry them for long distances. It was always prudent to stay out of his way and have him walk in front of you, not behind.
Besides being a wonderful search dog, Zatoichi also helped his handler and trainer, Delinda, to help dogs in his community. He demonstrated for a multitude of dog classes, from obedience and agility to Canine Good Citizen and behavior modification. Zatoichi was especially adept at assisting with dogs who were scared or aggressive. Although he was large, 103 lbs, a true Alpha dog with a lion-like presence, aloof, calm, and confident, and could be intimidating in size, he knew just how to set other dogs at ease. Zatoichi was often the first dog that these dogs met and with whom they would begin to form a friendship.
Zatoichi passed away of natural causes in his handler’s arms on February 13, 2015. He served us long and well. RIP Zatoichi!
K9 RUBY
K9 RUBY
Ruby K9 Ruby trained for 2 years and then became certified in Area Search with her handler, Larry McConnell. Ruby served for a brief time with TSAR until her handler was unable to continue with the team.
Ruby was an excellent search dog and loved to do her job. She also loved to eat everything in sight and was once known to have eaten an entire garbage bag. We will withhold the details of its natural extraction, but it gave us a lot to talk and laugh about for a while.
Ruby also loved to swim and was always happy and full of energy and vitality for life and search. Her handler, Larry, is a retired sea fisherman from Alaska and was a great teammate. We miss them both and always wish them every happiness.
