Search & Rescue Dog Award Announced
TFH/Nylabone and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Honor Jib, an Outstanding Search & Rescue Dog
November 2003
Contact: William Allcott
(804) 775-1906
NEPTUNE CITY, NJ - Jib, a nearly all-black Border Collie, distinguished himself as not only a first-rate search-and-rescue dog who helped authorities in several states complete their investigations, but also as the dog in the United States to be successfully trained as a toxic mold detector.
Susan Bulanda and her husband, Larry, of Yorktown, Virginia, owned, handled and trained Jib from the time he was a puppy until his passing just weeks after his 11th birthday. "He started his search and rescue training at 12 weeks of age with search games," she said. "Right away he was a shining star and did his work with great enthusiasm.
"All of his training was done with no-force, reward-based training, clicker methods included," said Bulanda. "He was shown what to do and rewarded for doing it. As a willing worker with a trusting relationship with his handler, that was all that was needed to teach him. He was a wonderful ambassador and did many demonstrations. He also attended many public functions, often providing comfort to the aged, handicapped and young.
"He was a great dog," Bulanda continued, "[and] while he did not respond to high-profile missions like September 11th, he was always in the trenches doing the daily job of keeping the community safe. He worked right up until he died."
TFH and APDT are proud to honor Jib and his lifetime of valuable service.
Nylabone and its affiliate TFH Publications are the sponsors of the APDT Search and Rescue Dog award for 2003. "As the world's largest and most respected producer of premium dog chews, as well as a distinguished publisher of high-quality care and training books, we are proud to honor a dog who was of such service to his and others' communities," said Mark Johnson, Senior Vice President of TFH/Nylabone. "We are also proud to honor a dog whose enthusiasm for his work was built on trust and reward-based training. At TFH/Nylabone, we believe good training, appropriate chew toys and a good chew toy habit can spell the difference between a happy life and a sad ending." For more about how Nylabone saves dogs' lives, click on www.nylabonesaveslives.com.
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) is a professional organization of individual trainers who are committed to becoming better trainers through education. APDT offers individual pet dog trainers a respected and concerted voice in the dog world, promotes professional trainers to the veterinary profession and increases public awareness of dog friendly training techniques. Founded in 1993, it is the largest association of dog trainers in the world with nearly 4,000 members. Visit them on the web at www.apdt.com. |
