Okie and Blue Turning 15
Hi Terrie,
In just a few days my beautiful boy, Okie, will be 15, and 10 days after, his side kick, the lovely Mys Blue, will join him in turning 15.
Where have the years gone? Both Okie and Blue served PA well as top notch search and rescue dogs, with several working finds to our credit. Always joyful in their work and a quick study at any task. Both dogs served until 10 years of age, although in later years only in high priority smaller areas. Their skills and noses never quit, only age took its toll on their joints and all three of us retired together the year they where to turn 10.
In the last five years, we have done many long walks, much swimming and enjoying just being together. In June of 2017 Blue had an emergency splenectomy, which turned out benign. Okie had ultrasound and a splenectomy in July of this year, his biopsy was not as good. But as of this writing he is doing well and is under the care of a great homeopathic doctor.
I know the time will come, surely more quickly than I will ever be prepared for, that they will go to the bridge; but I would not give up one moment I have had with either of my friends. Yes, they have been much more than dogs to me and I can’t imagine my days without them.
Thank you for reaching out to me as I looked for the perfect search pup candidate all those years ago, and again suggesting Blue, even though she was already 2 years old, as a good second candidate. They are bonded friends, so much so that Blue has been included in Okie’s homeopathic vet visits. These last 15 years have been rich in adventure, fun and love because of my Frontier Retrievers!
Warmest Regards,
Bren Richards
We had a great end of summer /early fall here on the east coast. Okie really came into his own as a confident, well adjusted young male. Everyone loves Okie and he knows it! He has become the canine representative to the public for our team. He easily runs controlled demos of his skills in front of interested onlookers and works a crowd of people like nobody's business!!
We have a search presentation and demo scheduled for next weekend at Cabela's. We have been there about 3 our 4 times now for different events to demo search work...even once last year during the DOCK DOGS competition held at Cabela's, at which Okie got some jumping in himself. He just loved it! This is truly a well rounded dog.
He is especially in demand at "How to Stay Safe" presentations given for children. He fits right in with the gang and helps teach the kids how not to get lost and what to do if they should become lost. One group of Scouts had such a great time learning with Okie at a safety presentation that they made him and Honorary Weeblo and invited him to their Blue and Gold Banquet during which he lead the boys across the bridge, symbolizing their passage from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. Gee Terrie, did you ever think one of your dogs would become a Boy Scout??
Okie and I took an advanced training break over the fall and winter due to an illness in our K9 family. We worked on maintaining current skills and were involved in 4 searches during that period of time. Late winter/ early spring we dove back in to advanced training. We are resuming our water search skill training thanks to the help of a local water rescue team and are practicing advance wilderness skills with raised subjects, moving subjects, concealed subjects and up to 120 acre areas. We have already responded to three actual searches this spring.
Okie has developed the reputation as a thorough, quick and well ranging search dog. If the subject is in our task area and I work him through the area correctly there is not one doubt he will find his subject. At the PA Search and Rescue Council EXPO this spring a call actually came in for a task force of 5 K9 teams to head out for a search 100 miles away. An elderly hunter was over due coming home and his family felt he may be hurt or in danger. Of all the k9 teams present that week, a collection of some of the best dogs and handler's in the state, Okie and I were chosen as one of the 5 teams for the task force. I was so honored to accept this assignment for my boy and I.
That same week I was asked to serve on the PA Search and Rescue Council committee to update and improve the Canine Search and Rescue Standards. I must admit I really pushed this dog hard, a lesser dog would have probably crumbled. But at just 2 years 7 month old Okie is a solid, well rounded, fun loving dog that still loves the search "game" as much as he did when he was just a pup. When I get out certain gear or start to dress in my team uniform...or he hears the bear bells jiggling on his vest as I pack it to travel, he smiles from ear to ear and follows me around anxiously awaiting the new adventure!! Thanks, again, for the best K9 partner ever!
Just thought I would drop you a quick line to let you know how the pup is doing. AKC name, Frontier Oklahoma Resq Rebel... our "little yellow dog, Okie" is not so little anymore. He had his 5 month birthday a couple days ago and weighs in at a lanky 47lbs.
He is calm, cool and collected; with an outstanding work ethic for a pup. He has begun working on complex adult search problems already. He quarters with determination and covers ground quickly and methodically. He has never missed the location of a subject so far. I'm sure you are not surprised!! He has also begun cadaver detection work, learning to recognize and mark the location of the scent.
He will attend his first Search and Rescue Expo at the end of April, where we hope to begin learning high line rope work together and water detection work. We also will complete his K9 GC, the minimum obedience for SAR dogs.I could not ask for a better partner...he makes training fun and exciting!! The photo attached shows Okie winding up for a FIND send out with or K9 team leader.
