Avalanche Dogs

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

I don't know why I never thought of this before.  My favorite things in the whole world are skiing and mountains (especially back country and helicopter skiing) and dogs (especially dog training).  Somehow I turned out to be a big city lawyer,  but I've been doing both of those as long as I can remember and can certainly hold my own and both.  Both skiing/mountains and dog training have always come naturally for me. We we go heli-sking, everyone else would be in the bar drinking and I would be up in the room with the guides learning how they pick the runs for the following day.

I know there are ski patrols and other people out there whose job it is to train and work with avalanche rescue dogs and rescue people .  Does anyone have any ideas on how to get into that line of work? I would drop everything in a minute and move anywhere if somehow it were possible.  I honestly cannot think of anything more fulfilling to do with my time on this planet.  I am 37 so I realize I'm a bit on the old side for a change like that,  but I bet I wouldn't be the first person to do it as a second career.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I just know this is going to happen for you someday! Make it happen when you are ready! Good luck to you!  We took a training class from a guy who breeds Belgian Malinois and I have written several blogs about the class. We had a little bit of a laugh at their expense, but they were very intense, incredible dogs. Also, if you watch Person of Interest, there is a Belgian Malinois now on the show.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/profiles/blogs/vern-and-his-manhood-sli...

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

Laurie - I LOVED your blog entry about the training class.  I literally was LOLing as I read it.

Which reminds me - I think all this DK time is making me start to write like a girl - but oh well, I'm newly single anyway so maybe it can't hurt.  But that's neither here nor there.  If I catch myself saying "OMD" at work then maybe that will be a sign of a problem.

Anyway, it seems to me the two breeds have more in common than one might think.  Both are extremely loyal, intelligent, motivated and highly trainable.  Both are the pretty much as good as it gets at what they were bred for.  One was created for protection, S and R, etc. and the other as a companion animal, and each excels at its respective purpose.  Both are just big enough without being too big to pick up if you have to.  And yes, I have started referring to labradoodles - or at least ALDs - as a breed.  Mainly just for convenience in discussing these things.

I can't imagine why people would use the label "designer" dog like its a slur.  All dogs that were purposefully designed by humans for some purpose are designer dogs.  It seems to me that to call an ALD a designer dog but imagine that a Malinois or some other breed is not is like an American calling other Americans immigrants, just because they came over more recently.

The smartest and best dog trainer I have ever come across is a guy in California named Mike Ellis.  He has a lot of free videos online.  Here is one with a Malinois puppy that I find particularly inspirational.  Thought I would share.

http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php/151/A_Michael_Ellis_School_Stud...

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Jay. I am glad you had a laugh. I laughed at your comment about saying "OMD" at work. My grown daughter's said it means, "Our mom's a dork," if I say it to them. No wonder I love my dogs. This trainer was very kind to Vern, but that class stressed Vern out so much. He was just not himself the entire class. He did what I asked, but with no joy or excitement and I just couldn't stand it. I can't explain it any other way, but eventually we did another group class with much better results. I love all dogs, but I guess there are just some people that prefer one breed only and can't see beyond that in their minds. By the way, our Vern is 100 pounds. He is an F3 Labradoodle. Our Fudge is only 46 pounds and I can pick her up, but we need a crane for Vern :) LOL  Thanks for sharing the training link. What a super, smart pup!

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

I am at the dog park and I saw a standard poodle humping a malnois! Almost a Malidoodle! I tried to get a picture but I was too slow. OMD!

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Love it...considering Bailey's trainer is a Malnois K9 trainer...I would have forwarded that picture to him for sure!! LOL