Tuck has participated this week in a Search and Rescue Seminar, thus
expanding his exposure to new skills.

We have practiced many tracking/trailing scenarios, and he's done quite
well. His point of weakness is that he needs stronger victim loyalty. He
indicates articles strongly. But his identification of his victims are to
walk up to them and stop, simply looking at them. In a crowd of people, a
better indication is warranted.

Other than that, he was exposed to a rubble pile, and identified victims
quickly, and readily, and was very sure footed as he climbed the pile.

We Searched a faux Iraqi Village and market place at Muskatatuck and he
located subjects in two separate building searches. He searched the
grounds, indicated the buildings, and once permitted access, went directly
to the rooms, and hiding locations (one was in a concealed spot under the
floor, the other in the attic) without ceremony, or hesitation. He had
never done a building search before, so I was delighted.

He excelled at wilderness search techniques. He was the first to find his
victim in a rabbit run scenario. And was honest and true to his track in
each scenario with scent provided, or finding the location of point last
scene, and eliminating subjects from the search scene.

He accomplished everything we asked him to do efficiently and without
error.

He had no problems with multiple terrain changes.

But unfortunately, I removed him from training last night. There was a dog
that was dog aggressive and people aggressive. The handler teaches
shutzhund dogs and prey drive/bite work.

She handled a 130 pound bloodhound that was dog/people aggressive. She was
inept at handling the dog, and repeatedly pulled a very nice working dog
off it's track to failure. She never followed directions, and while at
Camp Atterbury, when into a live fire zone after being told NOT to. We were
given perimeters where we were allowed to be, and told that we were
absolutely NOT allowed to go there, because we had a high risk of being
killed. As troops were training to deploy to Afghanistan at the time, and
the surrounding area resonated with high powered artillery explosions, it
was evident that we did NOT want to go there!

Yet, she and her dog got lost in the forbidden zone. The instructors had
to call in and have the army halt fire, while we conducted a search of this
idiot handler.

She never followed instructions. And she released her dog, and he attacked
Tuck. (ANY of these offenses were cause for dismissal!)

The following day, This same dog somehow got loose, and attacked Tuck
AGAIN. Again, Tuck did not respond, and stood passively and motionless
while I extracted the attacking dog from him.

Finally on Friday, I was out in the field doing a tracking exercise, when a
scream of "LOOSE DOG!" rang out, and sure enough, there was this same
bloodhound running streaking across the field on a dead run towards Tuck.

I turned Tuck loose and intercepted the dog. He grabbed Tuck by the tail,
and I wrestled it off, biting it, kicking it and finally sitting on it,
beating it in the head, until someone came to relieve me and take the dog.

Tuck was non-plussed and acted as if this was an everyday occurrence and no
big deal. He was always a gentleman, well mannered, and took everything in
stride.

Last night, I was so upset, I just quit, and brought him home. Many dogs
become aggressive after being attacked. Tuck us not, and I cherish those
qualities. As much as we were getting out of that training, I decided
since they did not throw the dangerous dog and handler out, I was not going
to put my dog at risk for yet another day and another attack. Taking care
of my dog's safety was my priority. I was greatly disappointed to miss out
on the rest of the training. Today was helicopter training day. I am
thinking of what I am missing and really wanted to do, while I sit at home
with my very good dog, who conducted himself perfectly.

When I asked them about Bite dogs and Search and Rescue suitability, I was
told, Bite dogs are acceptable as long as they have a good "OUT" (Meaning
they spit their victim out as soon as they are told to)

I was horrified that biting a victim was considered acceptable. That fact
blew my mind worse than the trauma that Tuck had already endured this week.

The training and facilities were incredible. SOME of the instructors were
a well of information. It was a fantastic experience.

I was very disappointed in the management. Mad as %$#% at a certain
handler, and relieved to be home safe with Tuck, but wishing I was still
there for what I missed.