In June 2011, SDF canine recruiter Heidi Miller was traveling through California, stopping at shelters to see if they had any dogs that showed promise as search and rescue candidates. At the Central California SPCA in Fresno, Heidi noticed a “quiet, depressed-looking” purebred yellow Labrador named Noah alone in his …
Sweet, lovable Lilly landed herself in shelters more times than we could count. This yellow Lab was adopted and returned numerous times until Ellen Perryess of the San Luis Obispo County Animal Shelter found Lilly’s true calling. She noticed that every time Lilly returned to the shelter, the Dog Owner …
Unlike many of our search dogs, whose high drive and intense toy focus are seen as troublesome traits, Major’s destiny was recognized from the beginning. This handsome Black Labrador was hand-picked as a puppy for just these unique qualities and donated to the Search Dog Foundation in January 2009 by …
Vader, a stocky Black Lab, was originally living at the Rescue Ranch in Yreka, CA. The staff there knew he needed a job but were not quite sure how to get him “hired.” When the Rescue Ranch called SDF, then-Canine Recruitment Manager, Darrell Wilkerson, immediately put them in touch with regional …
In early 2010, George became the second dog to join the Search Dog Foundation (SDF) ranks from Labradors and Friends Rescue in San Diego, CA. This big Black Lab with a carefree attitude, amazing agility and boundless energy just needed to find his calling in life. The traits that helped …
Rebar began life as a service dog trainee with Retrieving Freedom, a nonprofit that places service dogs with disabled veterans and children with autism. (His unique name came from the steel company that sponsored his training at Retrieving Freedom.) While Rebar was still a puppy in a volunteer foster home, …
