K9 Brice

☀️ Hot cars can become deadly in minutes.

Children and pets should never be left unattended inside a vehicle—even for a short time.

Our K9 unit uses a temperature monitoring system to help keep K9 Brice safe by continuously monitoring the temperature inside our vehicle.

The 120°F reading shown is a reminder of how quickly a vehicle can reach dangerous temperatures.

Brice was not inside the vehicle when this reading was taken.

If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for them. Help protect the ones who can't protect themselves.

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗞𝟵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝟮𝟰-𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹?

It’s a question that’s been debated in the K9 tracking world for years.

Many organizations certify dogs on aged trails—sometimes claiming they can successfully trail people 24 hours or even days after the track was laid.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲...

For nearly 20 years, Jeff Schettler, founder of GAK9, has offered a simple, objective test:

🐾 A 24-hour-old trail (originally 48 hours)
🐾 Approximately 2 miles long
🐾 Completely double-blind—no one on the K9 team knows the route
🐾 The subject remains at the end of the trail the entire time
🐾 One-hour time limit
🐾 $2,000 prize for success

Despite countless claims about what dogs can accomplish, no one has successfully completed the challenge.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?

Because certifications and real-world performance aren’t always the same thing.

It’s easy to believe a dog can do something when handlers know part of the route, receive subtle clues, or work under less controlled conditions. Double-blind testing removes those influences and asks one simple question:

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲?

As a scent-specific trailing team trained under Jeff Schettler and the GAK9 methodology, we believe realistic, objective testing is essential to understanding the true capabilities—and limitations—of our dogs.

We have tremendous respect for every handler willing to step up and put their training to the test. This challenge isn’t about proving someone wrong; it’s about pursuing truth, improving our craft, and advancing the science of scent trailing.

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

That’s how we improve training.
That’s how we build credibility.
And ultimately, that’s how we better serve the people depending on us when lives are on the line.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Should more K9 certifications incorporate true double-blind testing?

Image: K9 Brice

K9 Brice had a fantastic time Wednesday evening at the Owasippe Scout Reservation during Week 2 of the Owasippe County Fair!

With approximately 400 Blackhawk campers, 300 Wolverine campers, 60 Reneker families, and 150 staff in attendance, Brice and her handler enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many Scouts, families, and staff members.

Visitors stopped by to learn about Search and Rescue (SAR), how working canines are trained, the science of scent detection, and the differences between tracking and trailing, along with many other aspects of K9 operations. It was a great opportunity to share how K9 teams help locate missing and vulnerable individuals and answer questions from an engaged audience.

Thank you to Owasippe Scout Reservation for the invitation and for hosting such a wonderful community event. We appreciate everyone who stopped by to visit K9 Brice and learn more about the important work of Search and Rescue!