Step One: Level One

Trying for once to keep my goal, I normally write these posts a few weeks in advance.  Just means I can keep more things going and write when I have more time. However it means if you happen to know me in person or online you may have heard about the news already.   

Today we had our Search and Rescue's team training.  It's a day where everyone across the state meets up to train and catch up.   Now the team has standards, like every team does, that you have to meet before you are able to be deployed on a search.  For Trailing dogs, you have 3 different tests you have to pass which are refered to as level one, level two, and level three.  Level one is the lowest and level three is the highest.  At level three you are considered a team that can be deployed and used on a search.  Each team must go through all three tests.

Now, Today was hot, I'm not talking about warm, I mean HOT. We haven't had this type of heat here in roughly two years.  In fact, last year it only hit 80 once!  Today it was 83*, which isn't horrible but there was no wind and the humidity was at 87%.  You couldn't even walk a few feet without breaking into a sweat so bad it was dripping down your face.  So now imagine Peanut who is black working in this heat and you'll realize how much harder and amazing the feat is.

Today Ms. Peanut and I passed our Level One trailing test!!!!

It's an amazing feat for us.  First of all, Many people have told us "You can't do it" and this just proves, yes we can.  Second, we are one the only non-hound team on our trailing team.  I am just so proud of us and where we are.  Next up is our level two!  Lets go TEAM PEANUT!

Oh My! Flying Pit Bulls!

As part of our Search and Rescue training, we sometimes may have to do some "strange" things.  This month we had a specialized training which involved: ropes, harnesses, heights, and anxiety.  Any guesses??  If you said rappelling, then you would be CORRECT!

Not many dogs get to add rappelling to their resume but now Peanut can!

So some common questions I've been asked about our latest adventure:

Why would you ever need to know how to do that?
In the world for SAR, you never know what you may need to expect.  Tomorrow I could be called to a place like up in the Upper Peninsula (Slim chance but it could happen) and might need to get to a place at the bottom of a rock feature or the bottom of a deep hole.  The only safe way to get there is by rope, so by learning now that something I won't have to worry about then and won't have to worry about how my dog will react.

How did Peanut do?  Was she scared?
She did FANTASTIC!  Once she was in the harness, she just relaxed, and took it all in stride.  She was never scared and fully trusted us humans to not put her in harms way.  I've actually always thought this was something that we would have to do so from the time she was a puppy I've taught her that when she was off the ground, she needed to relax her body.

I had someone else take Peanut for me since, well I've never rappelled before and I wanted to make sure she was as safe as possible.  The person in the photo has a lot of experience with rappelling so I knew she was in much safer hands.  My girl's safety is my number one concern.

Now since I don't have permission, I blurred out the humans faces.  Gotta be careful you know, but ENJOY!

Can't wait until our next adventure!

Up Up and AWAY!!!

Ok, not really.  This time of year is really when summer kicks off around here.  Heat kicks in, grass dies, the loud roar of jets going over the house, and most of all, all the color of the balloons in the sky.

Some things people never think of doing is socializing their dogs with such things like Hot Air Balloons or even Jets.  You know, always prepare for the unexpected right?  I'm lucky with both Nubs and Peanut that neither of them are noise sensitive and neither of them care about things going overhead.  Makes for great photo ops!

Best Friends

What's going on over there???

Hurry up lady!  There's grass to pee on!

Hope everyone, two and four legged had a safe holiday!  Enjoy the time in the sun and warmth while you can!!

Happy Gotcha Day Peanut!

Can you believe that it has been 4 years since Peanut joined my home?  I sure can't.

She brought pure chaos to my house but made it complete at the same time.  She once was a terror puppy who grew up to be my shadow, my cuddler, my princess. She became more then I ever thought possible.

Happy Gotcha Day Peanut.  Thank you for choosing me as a partner in crime!!!