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Archive for the ‘K9’ Category

2nd Annual Special Operations Forces K9 Conference Follow Up

Monday, June 24th, 2019

SOF Project’s Krzysztof Puwalski was one of the organizers of the second international conference Special Operations Forces K9 Conference (SOFK9C), which took place from 17 to 21 June near Warsaw.

The theme of this year’s event was: “How can we help you and your dog in achieving and maintaining full operational readiness”.

The conference was attended by SOF operators, dog handlers, trainers, canine specialists and scientists from USA, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden and Poland. This time the main focus was on the operational preparation of both the guide and the combat dog.

The conference was full of interesting lectures, behind-the-scenes conversations and establishing relationships, but above all, practical exercises conducted by leading SOF instructors. The special guest of the conference was James Hatch, a longtime operator and team leader of the K9 Navy SEALs, who had to leave the active service as a result of injuries sustained in a combat operation. James told the participants of the conference about his combat experiences and about the extraordinary bond between the guide and the dog. He also touched on the extremely important issue of coping in everyday life after leaving the service.

The conference was co-organized with the following companies: Silent Technical (Poland) and Norse K9 (Norway).

Special thanks to the event sponsor – Direct Action, producer of high quality tactical equipment.

The next conference is planned for 2021.

Posted in International, K9, SOF | Comments Off on 2nd Annual Special Operations Forces K9 Conference Follow Up

OR Summer Market 19 – Dog-Bed with Canopy from Disc-O-Bed

Friday, June 21st, 2019

We’ve mentioned the Disc-O-Bed 2XL Outfitter Bed in the past, a stackable camp bed for humans, but now they’ve introduced a version for K9s.

The Dog-Bed comes complete with canopy and will accommodate up to 200 lbs, putting your furry best friend 10″ off the ground on a sleeping area that is 44″ x 21″.

www.discobed.com

Posted in K9, Outdoor Retailer | 3 Comments »

One and a Half Tons of Love and Support Delivered for U.S. Veterans and Service Dogs

Monday, June 17th, 2019

3,210 pounds of Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food Arrives to Support Pairing of Veterans with Service Dogs in American Humane’s Pups4Patriots™ Program

STILLWATER, OKLA., June 13, 2019 – Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food has delivered one and a half tons of love and support (3,210 pounds to be exact) in the form of nutritious free pet food to support two of the nation’s most vulnerable populations: America’s vets and America’s pets.

American Humane’s Pups4Patriots™ program in Stillwater rescues qualified animals in need of forever homes and trains them as service dogs for veterans coping with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. While American Humane, which has supported military veterans and animals for more than 100 years, completely covers the cost of the dogs and their expensive training, which can run upwards of $30,000, the cost of food for these large, active service animals can be significant. Today’s donation will help feed the current class of service dogs being paired with veterans for six to eight months.

“By providing this welcome donation, Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food is helping both our brave veterans and animals who otherwise might never have found homes,” says American Humane veterinarian Lesa Staubus, DVM. “We and those who will be benefited by this extraordinary generosity are very grateful for their support.”

The delivery is part of a national effort by American Humane and Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to distribute more than a million meals of premium, all-natural Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to U.S. shelters each year. Last year, Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food also supported Oklahoma City by delivering 13,000 pounds of pet food to the Pet Food Pantry in Oklahoma City.

“This campaign provides help where it is needed most,” said Robin Ganzert, PhD, president and CEO of American Humane, which was also recently involved in the rescue of animals in the devastating Oklahoma floods. “On behalf of all our brave veterans and the life-changing, life-saving animals who work with them, a big thank-you to our friends at Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food’s CEO Chris Mitchell said, “We are honored to play a part in helping our brave veterans and their valiant service animals and thank American Humane for advancing this vitally important work.”

Posted in Charity, K9, Press Release, Veterans | Comments Off on One and a Half Tons of Love and Support Delivered for U.S. Veterans and Service Dogs

SOMSA 19 – K9 Medic’s K9 + Handler IFAK

Thursday, May 9th, 2019

The K9 + Handler IFAK is designed to support both parts of the team.

Handler:
• 1x Tourniquet: Latest GEN 7 Combat-Applied-Tourniquet
• 1x NPA: Rusch Nasopharyngeal Airway with lube
• 1x Custom Human Patient Card: All-weather, tearproof, w/ elastic

Handler and K9:
• 1x Hemostatic Gauze: QuikClot Combat Gauze® LE
• 1x Pressure Dressing: Olaes® Modular 4” Bandage
• 2x Decompression Needle: 14GA x 3.25?
• 1x Chest Seal Combo Pack: SAM® Chest Seals w/ + w/o valve
• 1x Pair Gloves: Black nitrile
• 1x Pencil: #2 mini pencil

K9:
• 1x Thermometer: 10sec digital thermometer
• 1x Back-up Leash: Also improvised muzzle
• 1x Custom K9 Patient Card: All-weather, tearproof, w/ elastic

The kit comes bundled but without a pouch so that the user can use the pouch which is issued or preferred.

www.k9medic.com

Posted in K9, Medical, SOMA | 9 Comments »

AmerisourceBergen Foundation Donates $150,000 to Southeastern Guide Dogs to Support Training and Placing of Guide Dogs and Companion Dogs

Wednesday, April 10th, 2019

The three-year grant will place dogs with Gold Star Families and children affected by blindness and crisis

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (April 2, 2019) – The AmerisourceBergen Foundation, an independent not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on human and animal health solutions, announced today a $150,000 donation to Southeastern Guide Dogs, a nonprofit focused on transforming lives by creating and nurturing extraordinary partnerships between people and dogs. With the support of this multi-year grant, Southeastern Guide Dogs will be able to increase placements of guide and companion dogs with visually impaired teenagers and children, as well as families of fallen service members and with child advocate professionals in courtrooms.

“We are grateful to receive this generous three-year grant from the AmerisourceBergen Foundation,” says Titus Herman, CEO of Southeastern Guide Dogs. “Southeastern Guide Dogs does not charge for its dogs or services and receives no government support. Instead, the charity relies on the generosity of individual donors, corporations and foundations to fund its programs. This grant enables us to expand our services to children and teens, providing them and their families with hope for the future.”

As part of the services to children and teens, which are supported by the Foundation grant, five trained guide dogs will be placed with legally-blind teenagers and 10 companion dogs will be placed with visually impaired children to offer them a new sense of confidence, independence and mobility. Prior to being matched with a guide dog, parents and teens have the opportunity to attend a three-day overnight camp where trainers introduce families to guide dog ownership and instruct them on how to safely navigate with their future companions to ensure success.

Additionally, the program will provide four caring, highly-skilled dogs to Gold Star Families – families who have lost loved ones in service to their country – to promote healing and provide encouragement. The program will also offer one child advocacy dog placement, a service that provides dogs to adults who assist children in crisis, such as those who enter the court system.

“The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is steadfast in our commitment to making a positive, long-lasting impact by enriching the lives of our global community. To achieve our mission, we look for partners that redefine and increase access to care and are working to actively improve the overall wellbeing of both human and animal health populations,” said Gina Clark, President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation. “To that end, we’re proud to work alongside Southeastern Guide Dogs, which operates at the intersection of human and animal health providing unmatched training and care for animals who will serve as a dedicated companion to children and families, and, in turn, will know the comfort of loving homes.”

Through its Human & Animal Grant Program, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation supports organizations at the local and national level who increase access to human and animal healthcare and education.

Posted in Charity, K9, Press Release | Comments Off on AmerisourceBergen Foundation Donates $150,000 to Southeastern Guide Dogs to Support Training and Placing of Guide Dogs and Companion Dogs

US, Philippine Armies Exchange Best Techniques for Training Working Dogs

Sunday, March 17th, 2019

CAMP AQUINO, Philippines — The U.S Army and Soldiers from the Philippine Army’s K9 Battalion trained together on March 6, 2019 during exercise Salaknib to learn each other’s military working dog training techniques. Training together like this allows U.S. forces and host countries to build lasting partnerships and prepare to work together on real missions.

“The Subject Matter Experts allow us to exchange ideas and some best practices as to how the programs are managed,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Ivan Alvira, the plans section Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge with the 8th Military Police Brigade. “We can compare notes on how they manage their programs and how we manage ours and then take back those suggestions and maybe make adjustments in the way that we do things.”

Each team has been open to new ideas and training tools in learning ways to make their programs better. Even with language barriers and time constraints, everyone involved has benefited by working together.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Holmes, the plans NCO with the 520th Military Working Dog Detachment explained how good it has been working with the Philippine military. “I have absorbed their information as well and I’m going to be able to take that back to my counterparts back in the states.”

The Philippine army enjoyed working alongside the U.S. Army and was happy with the lessons they received.

“We are lucky to have Sgt. 1st Class Alvira and Staff Sgt. Holmes conducting lectures pertaining to canine operations,” said Philippine Army Maj. Christopher C. Manimtim with the K9 Battalion. “And also to share some of the best practices not only for the U.S. army but for the Philippine soldiers.”

Sharing ideas and training tools does not just benefit the canine programs, but also the military as a whole. It creates a familiarity with another’s branch of service which helps in times of need. Working together to share tips on how to better military programs, helps everyone by creating and strengthening bonds.

“Anytime that you’re interacting with a partner, your building on readiness; you’re building on interoperability,” Alvira added. “It’s allowing us to build trust and confidence in the abilities of both nations. So anytime that you can interact with another nation in an exercise such as Salakinib or Balikatan, it allows us to get better as a joint force.”

Both sides become strengthened as a team in many ways. Everyone has shared a lot of new concepts and methods; and hope to expand their training and work together for many years.

By SPC Elizabeth Johnson

Posted in Guest Post, International, K9 | 3 Comments »

Freeze! International Working Dog Conference- For Military, LE & Rescue K9s

Wednesday, March 13th, 2019

On 5th and 6th December 2019 in Warsaw (Poland) the first FREEZE! International Working Dog Conference will be held. If you work with K9s you probably know what “freeze” means. It’s the very moment when your dog is extremely focused just before letting you know that he found something. The moment of your satisfaction that you and your K9 partner did a good job.

The conference will be focusing on working/serive gods issues and is designed especially for military, law enforcement and rescue services. If you are a handler, trainer, breeder, vet or you a person responsible for managing and developing K9 capabilities in your institution this event might be interesting for you.

Among speakers invited to FREEZE! are top world-class experts in K9 industry: scientists and practitioners:

* Pat Nolan – with 30+ years of exprience in training K9s, including 10+ years working with FBI HRT, US Army Special Forces, German GSG9 and Polish GROM,

* Stephen Lee – US Army Research Office Chief Scientist who specializes in MWDs

* Paul Hammond – with 28+ experience, including 20 years in the field (Afganistan, Iraq, Northern Ireland), specializing in K9 EOD and counterterrorism; responsible for Vapor Wake technology development

* Alison Simon from US Naval Research Labolatory, specializing in forensic and odor chemistry (among others – – worked on FBI Forensic K9 Program)

* Peterm M. Scheifele – Executive Director of FETCHLAB™ USA, US Army Special Forces and DoD subject matter expert on MWDs audiology and K9 PTSI

* Ole Kristian Auten – with 33+ experience serving with MWDs, including 13 years as CO of Norwegian Joint School of Dog Training where he developed training and selection program for K9s in all Norwegian military units

* Jens Frank from Scandinavian Working Dog Institute, an experienced dog trainer specializing in non line of sight K9 directional and remote control, used for detection and recon,

* Paola A. Prada – chemist renowned for her research regarding K9s by Director of National Intelligence; has worked with number police/government agencies to help develop better instrumental and training techniques in various areas of odor detection

* Adee Schoon – member of Interpol European Working Group on the use of Dogs for Criminal Investigation, the FBI funded SWGDOG and the European Union working group on explosive detection dogs

* Tom Schoupi – former GIGN operator, MWD trainer and instructor, spezializing in EOD, laser-guided K9 explosive detection and reconnaissance/assault; lead designer of the K9visionsystem

* Miriam Go??bioewska – an experienced working dogs trainer and breeder; among other has worked with special forces’ MWDs.

The topics covered during FREEZE! will incude modern training methods, selection programs, technologies supporting service dogs work and training and broad area of odor detection issues.

Check all the details on www.freezeiwdc.com website.

Posted in K9, Press Release | 1 Comment »

5th Annual International Police K-9 Conference & Vendor Show

Friday, February 8th, 2019

Choose from 48 K-9 training classes in Las Vegas, NV, March 5, 6, 7 – 2019.

Police K-9 Magazine is hosting their 5th Annual International Police K-9 Conference for Police & Military Working Dog Handlers next month. The Police K-9 Conference brings together world-class K-9 instructors, top-notch vendors, and over 800 attendees from all over the world over a three-day period. The conference features 48 K-9 courses, including seminars and interactive K-9 demonstrations. Topics include tracking, scent training, bitework, K-9 nutrition, narcotics detection, and integrated search strategies.

Courses include:
• Hard Surface Tracking Dogs with Tobias Gustavsson of Scandinavian Working Dog Institute
• High Risk K-9 Patrol Operations and K-9 SWAT Deployment – S.K.I.D.D.S./CATS with Brad Smith of Canine Tactical Operations
• Protecting our Profession with Lt. Scott Klappenback of Special Investigations Bureau’s Highway Interdiction Team
• K–9 Stress Inoculation Prior to Deployments with Rodney Spicer of Gold Coast K9
• Terms, Data, & Concepts that Every Explosives Detection Canine Handler Should Know with Kevin Good of Battelle
• And many more!
• For a comprehensive look at the schedule, visit the Police K-9 Conference Full Line-Up.

The vendor hall will house 62 top-notch vendors over a two-day period featuring the latest in K-9 technology and equipment, including apparel, communications and nutrition. See a list of 2019 Exhibitors here.

Our host hotel suites are available for only $67/night at the Tuscany Suites & Casinos. Book your room by Monday, Feb. 11 for the $67/night group rate. Hotel information here.

For more information on Police K-9 Cop Magazine, visit www.policek9magazine.com or call (270) 534-0500. Register today and receive 16 hours of continuing law enforcement K-9 education.

Posted in Advertiser, K9, Press Release, Training | Comments Off on 5th Annual International Police K-9 Conference & Vendor Show