Page 19 - BRAVO3_ISSUE1_MAY_JUN_2018

I’m adogguy,alwayshavebeensincealitlekid.AlthoughIdidn’thavemanydogsgrowingup,Ialwaysfelt drawntothem.NowdaystheycalitADHDandI’m surethedoctorwouldhavediagnosedmewiththatina heartbeatifmyfatherdidn’tkeepitbeatenoutofmewithhisratherlargeleatherbelt.NotthatIeverwas abused,justsayingIwaspunishedinaproperway.ForeverywhippingthatIgot,IswearthatIdeservedat leasttenmore.Iam thankfulforhowIwasraised,thankfulforamotherandfatherthatdisciplinedme.Ok, b a c k o n tra c k , th a t w h o le A D H D w h a t-h a v e -y o u . I w a s a ls o ra is e d to b e h o n e s t, te l l th e tru th , w h ic h a s a k id
alwaysdo.AsIgrewolder,somewouldsay,Itookthehonestythingabittoofar.Idon’tmixwordsand wilshootyoustraight.WorsethingyoucouldeveraskmeiswhatIrealythinkifyouarenotpreparedtoget theabsolutetruth.Dogsseemedtobetheonlythingthatcouldkeepmyatention.Mostwhoknowmeknow thatIstartedofinthedogworldbyraisingandtrainingbirddogs,afterIboughtaChesapeakeBayRetriever andtrainedmyfirstduckdog.WhenIwasmedicalydischargedfrom theArmyItookajobworkingformy hometownpolicedepartment.AfterashorttimeIwasaskedtobecometheK9Oficer,withthedogtheyhad
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thetime.Thenext13yearswentbyextremelyfastandnowIam luckyenoughtotraindogseveryday.I lovedworkingtheroadwithadogandwasveryluckytohaveafewgoodones.I’vealwaystakenpridein b e in g a K 9 o f fic e r/h a n d le r/tra in e r a n d w h e n I s ta rte d tra in in g n e w te a m s I s triv e to p a s s a lo n g m y s e n s e o f pride.IbelievethatwhenyouareaK9Oficer,ifyourdepartmentdoesitcorectly,youmustbeacutabove therest.Youhavetoknowhowtowritedetailedreports,youhavetoknowhowtomanageyourtime,andyou takeonaresponsibilitythatnoneoftheotheroficershave.Youshouldbeinbetershapethanmostofthe
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oficers.Ifworkingapatroldogyouhavetobeabletotrackthroughhardterainforlongdistances.I putinmycontracts,fordepartments,thatthehandlerintrainingmusthaveacurentphysicalandbeintop shape.IftheyarenotIhavetherightofrefusalonthehandlerandthedepartmentmustprovidemewitha newoficer,suitedfortheroleofaK9handler.Thelasttwoweeksofschoolweaveragebetween6-8miles perdayinthewoodsandurbanwork. Withtheseatributesusualycomestheaggressive,“typeA,” personality.Thesearetheoficersthatareself-motivated,driventosucceedandwanttobethebest.The
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AK9oficerisafultime,24-houradayjob.Ihonestly believe thatwhen Iworked forthe county sherif’s departmentIaveragedabout3hoursofsleepaday.I was working on my trainer’s hours,which required travelingaloverthecountrytoatendworkshopsand schools.IwouldtraveltotheSt.Louisareaafewtimes amonthfortrainingagroup;aswelwehadatraining
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area. Italwaysseemedwehadsomeonecomingto train with us on ournon-training days,court,public demos,calouts,andmoretraining. Justwhenyou wouldgethome,getintobed,closeyoureyesandfal asleep,the phone would ring because someone neededmydogandI.Alofthiswasfinewithme;I
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