The Smell of Fear
Looking back on it, the kid was rattled — I think that, even through the distortion of hindsight, that’s a valid memory. I was taking a...
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- Jan 24, 2022
Fear Must Remain Secondary
Motivated bold puppy is motivated and bold. Handler *&^%-eating grin is genuine. Chicken hat is awesome. Nobody slags on the chicken hat....
Ken Chiacchia
- Jan 24, 2022
Going Underground
How our training day went at Laurel Caverns, and what we learned...
dparkerseviltwin
- Nov 8, 2021
Join the K9 teams for a day - be a hider!
Being a hider for our K9 teams is a HUGE help. Our dogs need "strangers" to search for, or they get kinda lazy and only want to find us....
Wolf
- Aug 17, 2021
What K9 handlers REALLY do...
It isn't all walking down nice trails on beautiful days, but it is worth every single thorn and drop of sweat.
Wolf
- Aug 17, 2021
The H Word
SAR is a team effort, with no room for people who want glory.
Wolf
- Jul 6, 2021
SAR isn't just about dangling from ropes: there's a job for you, too.
The stories out there are riveting...how the rescue team got down to the hiker perched on the cliff, how the search time found the...
Wolf
- Mar 7, 2021
Bear Etiquette: how to avoid a bear attack
how to deal with bears when hiking and camping.
Ken Chiacchia
- Mar 1, 2021
What died?
One day, in the Before Time, Heather, I, and our beloved Lilly were out taking a walk on the grounds of a certain defunct Massachusetts...
Ken Chiacchia
- Mar 1, 2021
Dancing
No names, dates, places, or gendered pronouns. Dog handlers are a little too quick to talk smack about each other as it is. I will say it...
Ken Chiacchia
- Mar 1, 2021
Hegel, Irony, and Evidence
A couple of days into the search, things were not looking so good for our subject. For one thing, there was his physical condition....
Ken Chiacchia
- Mar 1, 2021
Multitasking
(This article was originally published in Wilderness Medicine Magazine) It was an ugly scenario, I’ll give you that. We’d gotten the call...
Bill Rose, MD, and Lee Fuell, Paramedic
- Feb 17, 2021
Snakes And Snakebites: how to avoid, what to do if you get bit
Unless you are Harry Potter or "He Who Shall Not Be Named", snakes can be scary. They are an important part of our ecosystems, though, so...
Ken Chiacchia
- Feb 8, 2021
The problem with dogs
I don’t remember what I was trying to figure out. But I do recall getting the name of an expert in finding human remains. Somebody who’d...
Ken Chiacchia
- Feb 8, 2021
I Wuzzint Doin' It Right
So my surgeon's partner is yanking on my toe with a great big frown on his face. “There's less flexibility now than there was last time....
Wolf
- Feb 2, 2021
Jan Dzierzak of Cooper's Rock State Park gives us sound advice
Over 13,000 acres and 50 miles of trails, Cooper's Rock is one of the loveliest places to spend a day or a weekend. It's got camping,...
Ken Chiacchia
- Jan 31, 2021
In The Eye Of The Storm
This article appears on the Allegheny Front site. It is a pretty magical bit of writing, and Ken's love of Nature (as well as his...
Wolf
- Jan 31, 2021
Want to be a dog handler? Here's what you need to know upfront.
I had a puppy who needed a job to do. Specifically, THIS work - air-scent search. I hadn't done SAR before, but he needed it, so I was...
Mary Cvetan
- Jan 31, 2021
Volunteer insight: hiding so the noses can practice
I spent Thursday in the woods helping search and rescue dogs, their handlers and other volunteers with training. I was not sure what to...
Wolf
- Jan 31, 2021
What is it like to be found by a dog? (The Find and The Refind explained, with video)
Most people picture a dog running up to them, barking. A person is close behind, and within seconds you know you are safe. That isn't...
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