Cody wasn’t destined to be a laid-back couch dog. Sure, he was everything a family dog should be: friendly, loyal, handsome and smart. But while he loved his family, he seemed to want more out of life. He honed his skill as an escape artist, sometimes using paws, nose and rump at the same time to release latches and outsmart any attempt to contain him.
Unfortunately, Cody’s “creativity” was too much for most families to handle. By the time he was 18 months old, Cody had lived in seven homes! He tried hard to fit in, but Cody simply had no Off switch, so one after another, his families gave up on him.
Eventually he ended up with Golden Retriever Rescue of Wisconsin (GRRoW). They took one look at Cody and saw he had Working Dog written all over him. GRRoW had learned of SDF through our involvement with search efforts at Ground Zero after 9/11. They contacted SDF and a screening test was arranged. With his exuberance, strength, and exceedingly high play/prey drive, Cody passed with flying colors!
Next stop: Sundowners Kennels in Gilroy, CA, where all SDF dogs trained at the time. Though Cody was ready, willing and able, he posed a real challenge to his trainers. He wanted it “his way or the highway!”
Then one day, lead trainer Pluis Davern finally made real eye contact with Cody. She told us, “He seemed to realize, at that moment, that he had just landed the job of his dreams.” From that point on, Cody became a star pupil at Sundowners, mentoring rookie dogs during tough training assignments.
Upon graduating training on October 11, 2002, Cody was partnered with Linda D’Orsi, a firefighter from Chula Vista, CA. He quickly settled in with Linda and her family at home and went to work with Linda, where he had a second family in her crew at the firehouse.
Linda said Cody couldn’t wait to get out of his crate when he arrived at a training site and he performed his job joyfully, with determination, focus and endless energy. When Linda was called out to a fire, Cody would sit patiently in the fire truck with his seatbelt on – recognizing the difference between his search job and Linda’s other responsibilities as a firefighter.
When those who knew him best described Cody, the words that came to mind were: fearless, all business, a dynamo, and a source of boundless energy. Cody carried his tail up high for his breed. It signaled like a flag waving when he was on the rubble. He also had a terrific “bark alert” – the signal that he’s found what he’s looking for – critical in search-and-rescue. He mustered up a continuous, loud, and deep bark that could be heard over the noise and commotion at a disaster site.
As a team, Linda and Cody achieved FEMA Certification in September of 2004, Re-Certified in June of 2007, and a third time in April of 2010 in Las Vegas, NV.
In February of 2012, Linda made the decision to retire Cody. The team enjoyed a long and successful partnership and we were pleased that Cody was able to spend his retirement years comfortably with Linda and her family.
On January 6, 2013, at 12 years of age, Cody’s body began to give out. He enjoyed one last raw steak bone before crossing the Rainbow Bridge at the vet’s office with Linda, his partner of 10 years, at his side.
Career Deployments with Handler Linda D’Orsi:
- September 2009 – Building collapse, San Diego, CA
- September 2008 – Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike
- October 2007 – Soledad Mountain Road landslide, La Jolla, CA
- August 2006 – Hurricane Ernesto, Atlanta, GA
- August 2005 – Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, LA
- December 2004 – Torey Pines bluff collapse, San Diego, CA