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1997 October 01
Dear Sir/Madam, With a staff of
15 trainers/instructors (probably 20 by next Fall), Human Dog Leadership
Inc. has had a very large clientele of dog handlers coming to us to
learn how to train their dogs for practical performance purposes. All
our classes include at least 50% Nosework (starting with tracking - one
of the fundamental - and most efficient - search disciplines) and
prepare both handler and dog for Search and Rescue type work,
culminating with our Elite class. Students in this class (who typically
have close to 2 years training behind them in our lower classes) are not
only capable of passing the BC Governments certification for Search &
Rescue dogs, but learn in addition to that how to work together in team
in order to optimize the integrated performance of all dogs in the
team.
Over the years of educating dog
handlers how to train their dogs to perform reliably and effectively in
search disciplines (the principals of Human Dog Leadership Inc. have
more than 17 years of experience with Search & Rescue dog training in
Europe before coming to Canada in 1990), it necessarily becomes apparent
that some dogs are more apt for this kind of work than others.
Acknowledging the fact that, in
order to get the maximum performance out of any dog, the handler must
possess a personality that matches the dog's need for leadership, we
have no hesitation stating that the Norrbottenspetses in our classes
have proven to be very qualified for Search & Rescue work. Some of the
reasons include the following:
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1. |
They are very social and
bond very strongly with their handler when given correct
imprinting of humans, adequate socialization to human
superiority, and firm leadership; |
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2. |
They are extremely willing
to learn from their "pack leader", and they learn considerably
faster than any other breed traditionally trained for Search &
Rescue work, particularly the breeds used as police dogs and for
hunting; |
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3. |
They are fast, small, and
agile which enables them to gain access to almost any desirable
check-point in a search area; |
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4. |
They are very persistent and
can work tirelessly for hours after most other dogs are
exhausted, both mentally and physically; |
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5. |
They are - without
comparison - the breed of dogs that most easily and effectively
can be taught to bark consistently and reliably for indication
of finds - which is completely paramount for any effective
search! |
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6. |
They are generally very
healthy (extremely few and low vet bills over a lifetime), and
with about 2 - 3 years of training, they can easily be kept
actively working for at least 15 years before old age problems
start to impact their performance - more than twice as much as a
German Shepherd or Golden Retriever! |
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7. |
They cost only a fraction to
feed, compared to more 'traditional' working breeds; |
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8. |
They have a natural 2-layer
coat that gives them great protection against most Canadian
weather conditions, including wet weather and extreme cold, and
the coat needs no grooming by humans; |
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9. |
They do not need any special
facilities to thrive - they just need a membership of a human
family and a lot of opportunities to work! |
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10. |
They are very gentle and
affectionate and are great companion dogs, also for somebody
with children in the family. |
During the past 4 years, we have
had more than 30 Norrbottenspetses bring their handlers to training in
our classes, and at present, three out of the six dogs in our Elite
class are Norrbottenspetses - and they are all performing very well!
It should be noted here that all
the Norrbottenspetses we have seen in our classes have been bred by
Valhallasun Kennels, and we do not have any experience with dogs of this
breed from any other breeders.
Based on our experience, it is
our firm belief that anybody who seriously considers using dogs for
Search & Rescue work - or for any other type of search work where high
endurance and reliable indications of its many advantages compared to
the investment and maintenance, measured in time, money, space and other
responsibilities following a dog ownership.
Sincerely
HUMAN DOG LEADERSHIP INC.
Mogens Eliasen President |
