First let me start out by introducing myself. My name is Mindy. I am currently an assistant to the trainer at K-9 Kampus. I came to meet Mel around a year ago through a mutual friend. I have always been in love with animals and found Mel’s theories and methods very intriguing. It was not long before the questions started flowing and the answers ,that truly made since to me, started coming. So I began to spend more time with Mel and our friendship became stronger and stronger. I am currently being trained by K-9 Kampus to become a instructor. I have to tell you that it is the most rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life, other than my children and husband.
OK , so Mel and I have these amazing talks almost every day and the knowledge that is obtained throughout these conversations is just out of this world. So the idea is that I am going to try and give you a little in site to what it is like being the person getting the training at K-9 Kampus. I will often talk about topics that Mel and I have discussed on that day, things that I may have seen happen during training, etc.
If you have ever watched a dog truly use its mind to figure things out then you will completely understand my first story. It is about an awesome black lab named Charlie. Charlie arrived at Mel’s and immediately became my buddy. Being that it was early in my decision to become a trainer, I didn’t get to have a lot of hands on in his obedience and things like that but I certainly watched with a close eye. I saw this energetic puppy grow into this awesome, life saving, one to be counted on, johnny on the spot dog. Charlie is a Search and Rescue Dog and he is good at what he does.
I watched as Mel began training him starting out with just getting familiar and comfortable because he was in for a long ride. Over a short period of time his obedience became stronger and stronger. It was almost time to see charlie do what he was meant to do.
It was a very chilly day and we were out at a friends property where there is a lot of wooded property as well as beautiful fields. There were many dogs training there that day all under Mel’s instruction. Finally it was time to see my buddy do his thing. So Mel asks me to go get Charlie out and get him ready to go. So I did with no hesitation. I think I was just as excited to see him find the “victim” as he was. So I am holding him on leash as our “victim” finds his way into the woods and hides. Then its go time. The “victim” is in place and it is time for Charlie to search. I let him go and watched him track the “victims” trail into the woods. It was not long until he came back with a very proud strut and a “victim” following behind him. I was so proud. Then it was my turn to hide. I ran and ducked down into a large pile of brush. I could hear the handler getting him excited and ready to work. It was not seconds later that I heard him coming for me. Next thing I knew he was right there. Awesome! We continued running drills for some time and he never failed to find his “victim”.
Later that month it was time for me to assist Mel with Charlie again. This time we were in a national park area with deep ravines and lots of trees and places to hide. This time I dropped Mel off on one side of a ravine and Charlie and I kept on driving. Mel got herself into position and it was time for me to follow Charlie and truly watch him work. Once again only a few seconds went by and he was at the “victim”, he came back to me and gave me an alert as to say I found her, come see! Good Dog!!! We walked together a little farther down and there she was sitting behind a tree. I had not even seen her but Charlie had no problems finding her. We ran a few more drills that day, every one of them were a success. Once again Good Dog!!!
A few weeks later and Charlie was ready to meet his new partner. Mel had found Charlie and picked him for this gentleman. He had never met Charlie before he arrived on that day. They bonded quickly and Charlie was ready to do what he was meant to do.
That was my first experience of seeing Mel take a dog from Zero to Hero and I was absolutely hooked. I would put my life and even the lives of my children in the paws of a SAR dog trained by Mel any day. There abilities are unmatchable to anything I have ever seen.
So that was one of my first stories. There will be many more to follow as new things are happening every day! It is exciting and amazing to say the least.