Select this class if your dog is new to cadaver. Emphasis will be on developing a solid alert sequence. Dog will be imprinted on a wide variety of sources. Expect a lot of repetitions and guidance.

KATHY NEWMAN:  Kathy has over 50 years of experience training dogs and handlers, including search and rescue, service dogs for the deaf and police K9s. She has trained dogs and handlers in human remains detection, area search (air scenting), trailing, disaster and evidence search. She has evaluated many teams in the Minnesota area and evaluates for the North American Search Dog Network (NASDN).

Kathy has trained and handled six search dogs since 1981 in the areas of air scent, trailing, human remains detection (land and water), evidence search and basic disaster. She has trained two bloodhounds for law enforcement departments. She has worked her dogs on over 400 searches for many different agencies including police, sheriffs, FBI, DEA, BCA, Team Adam and Tribal police. She has taught seminars all over the United States.  

Select this class if your dog has fairly reliable alert sequence and has begun searching for source. Dog and handler should be comfortable working different situations but may need assistance to reinforce alert sequence, debug handler cueing or other specific issues. Team can handle some new situations but will need guidance to remain consistent. May work some blind problems but expect assistance from the instructor if needed.

SU VONDAZAK ANDERSON: I go by Su and I like to keep things light and fun. Training should be a positive motivational event that keeps all of us invested and coming back. There should be purpose to it that promotes learning for the canine and the team and provides challenges that sometimes result in failure. This is where the most growth occurs. Dealing with that in training translates to the real world.

I started in USAR with FEMA in 2003 in California. I have now certified three dogs for Live Find and after getting in on the ground floor of the HRD FEMA program I have certified two dogs in HRD. My LF and HRD dogs and I have been on several deployments to hurricanes starting with Katrina and, most recently, Ian.

Additionally, my HRD dogs have also been to mudslides and wildfires on the West Coast and have been involved in numerous local searches for missing people. We have had some success in both arenas.
After retiring my husband Jeff and I moved to Texas and now reside in Madisonville. I have transferred to the Nevada FEMA team and travel there monthly to train. My most recent deployment was as a part of that team.

I have a small dog training operation in Madisonville focusing on Live Find and HRD for FEMA handlers and task forces. I love to train dogs, especially puppies, and have never lost my enjoyment of watching the lightbulb come on and a dog rise to his potential.

KAREN SCOBBIE: My HRD journey began in 2016 which was also the first year I attended CSAR. I am a member of NWI K9 Search and Recovery where I serve as Vice President and Training Chairperson. My K9 Pippa is certified with AWDA for Wilderness HRD and Shoreline HRD. Prior to that I participated in dog sports with my first Aussie and have experience instructing Obedience, Agility, Barn Hunt, and Scentwork. I currently teach a Scentwork class and Barn Hunt workshops to keep my non-working dogs busy. What I bring to CSAR is the ability to relate to what newer people need. 

Dog and handler should be comfortable working a variety of blind problems. You will have the opportunity to debug existing problems, as well as explore new challenges and varied sources.

KATHLEEN KELSEY:
Kathleen is the online program director for The Center for Forensic Training and Education.
Director – Calvary Canine
Evaluator – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Search Dog Alliance (NSDA),
Alliance of Emergency Response Instructors and Examiners (AERIE).
Instructor – FEMA Canine Search Specialist

Kathleen has been training search and rescue dogs since 2003 and is a Canine Search Specialist for FEMA Missouri Task Force One and McLean County Illinois EMA. She has worked both live find and human remains detection dogs and provides K9 assets for local law enforcement and deploys around the country in response to natural and manmade disasters. Kathleen is an instructor and evaluator for multiple national search dog organizations and provides training instruction and certification for K9 teams. Kathleen is the owner of Working Dog Enterprises which specializes in advancing detection dogs through research and education. She is also the co-founder of the Center for Forensic Training and Education Online, an online course platform providing virtual training for SAR dogs. Kathleen also founded Calvary Canine, a non-profit that provides training scholarships to search and rescue handlers. Kathleen is committed to the education of SAR K9 handlers and their dogs and helping ensure quality canine resources are available to communities in their time of need.

SUSAN VIETH:  Susan has been involved with K9 search and rescue since 2002. Certified K9 Handler since 2006. Trained and certified six K9’s; one for FEMA Live Find Disaster Partner ChicoDog, in the Urban Search and Rescue community under Missouri Task Force One, and later five Human Remains Detection K9 (Nook-N-Cranny, Gabe, Biba, Tulsa and current partner Bosco). She lives in Madison County, Illinois. 

Dog and handler should be comfortable working a variety of blind problems. You will have the opportunity to debug existing problems, as well as explore new challenges and varied sources.

JO HUXEL:  Jo is a professional dog trainer and currently handles her HRD dog Bax and her 2 LF dogs Cassia and Rumo. She is a founding member and on the Board of Northwest Human Remains Detection (NWHRD) and a member and the Training Officer for Northwest Disaster Search Dogs (NDSD) in addition to being a member of WA-TF 1 (FEMA) both as a LF and HRD Canine Search Specialist. She is also an evaluator for FEMA.

Her currently deployable dogs are 3 German Shorthairs: Bax (HRD), Cassia (LF) and Rumo (LF).

Bax and she are working the full spectrum of HRD and are working criminal cases, wilderness searches and disaster scenes for local LE, Federal Agencies and FEMA. Bax is certified in Disaster HRD, Land and Water (Boat/Shoreline) HRD. Rumo and Cassia are FEMA certified LF dogs and also hold Wilderness Area Certifications.

Jo started her SAR career in South Africa where she was a member of K9SARA and is now based in Washington State, USA.

Jo has a masters degree in teaching and runs her own dog training business Wildfang Canine Consulting. She is a certified Absolute Pro Dog Trainer and an AKC CGC evaluator. She is instructing detection/SAR K9s, sport and pet dog classes and private sessions both online and in person.

Besides HRD/LF/Detection her training focus is on Motivation, Shaping, Marker and Reward systems for Performance, Search and Detection Dogs.

When her time allows Jo dapples in multiple dog sports like Obedience, Rally Obedience and Dock Diving.

DENA HANEY: Dena is a K9 Handler and SAR volunteer with her HRD dog Chika and her LF dog Remi. She is a member and on the Board of Northwest Human Remains Detection (NWHRD), Northwest Disaster Search Dogs (NDSD), Kittitas County SAR, and King County Ski Patrol Avalanche Rescue Team (SPART). She is also a member of WA-TF 1 (FEMA). Her current deployable dogs are two Labradors: Chika (HRD) and Remi (LF). Her Cattle Dog, Daisy, is retired from active duty.

Dena and her dogs are working the full spectrum of criminal, wilderness, and disaster scenes for local and federal agencies, as well as FEMA. Chika (HRD) is certified in Disaster, Land and Water (Boat/Shoreline) HRD and Remi (LF) is certified in Disaster, Wilderness, and Avalanche.

Dena is an emergency department trauma nurse and a critical care nurse. She works both as a charge nurse and in direct patient care. The fast-paced and high energy positions match her personality well. When not working with her multiple SAR teams, Dena and her K9s enjoy hiking, running, and skiing in the Pacific Northwest. 

Not sure if you are beginner or advanced? Email us, include your phone number, and we will try to answer your questions.