Dogs with Jobs | Outdoor Idaho

I'll be the first to admit. Before I had a dog, I didn't appreciate what they had to offer. I didn't think the wet dog smell, the endless droppings, and the hair were worth it. And then I got one and I was proven wrong. Margo, here. Dogs can bring something to your life. For me, it's company, laughter, and exercise. For others, dogs are more than just pets. They're a necessity. From guarding to guiding, herding to sledding, dogs can make our lives fuller and easier. Whether it's due to their extraordinary sense of smell, their loyalty, or their instinctual drive to work, these creatures will stun you with their smarts. Let's meet just a few of Idaho's Funding for Outdoor Idaho is made possible by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, committed to fulfilling the Moore and Bettis family legacy of building the great state of Idaho, by the Friends of Idaho Public Television, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The history of sled dogs dates back thousands of years. Today, in some remote northern areas, sled dogs are still used to help with hunting, travel, and moving materials. But also, sled dogs are used for racing, with a driver of a dog sled, also called a musher, at the helm of a sled and dog team. So my name is Trevor Warren and I'm a dog sledder. So I'm out here to compete in the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge in their 100-mile 10-dog class. My older brother got interested in the sport after reading Call of the Wild, and then on a way back down from a trip to Alaska, we ended up picking up two sled dogs, and the rest is history. And then my mother got tired of waiting at the trailhead, and pretty soon all three of us were doing it, and we became Team Warren, as we were dubbed for a while. The relationship with your dogs is really cool, and it was a really fun family activity. And then we're all a little competitive, and so the races kind of gave us a focus and a reason to get out and train consistently all winter, and just really strive to do it as well as we could. Despite the 20 below zero temperature, the dogs are eager to go. When we get to a race like this, we'll drop them right away, give them water, give them a chance to go potty, and we put them back in the box, because if we leave them out, they'll just get more and more wound up. The dogs just really pick up a lot of speed when the temperature drops. We got fresh snow a couple days ago, fresh green trails, and cold temperatures, so we couldn't ask for a better race, and clear skies. I have the home turf advantage here, like we train on all these trails, so I'm familiar with probably about 90% of the race trail. Excitement is already mounting as the racers line up at the start, crossing a frozen lake cascade to kick off the journey that will take close to 18 hours to complete. I love to run under a full moon, that's super fun. We can turn our headlamps off, it's so bright out. I put my headphones on, listen to books and music, and I'll talk to the dogs. There's two checkpoints in the 100 mile race, and you have the option to either rest three hours at the first, or wait and tack that three hours onto your mandatory three hours at the second checkpoint. I'm planning on running straight through the first checkpoint, and that's going to be a longer run for my dogs, but knowing my team and the training we put in, I just think they're going to rest better over a six-hour period than two shorter three hours, because what I've seen in the past is even after 50 miles, we'll get into a checkpoint, and not all of them always are ready to rest at that point. They'll be still standing there barking and pulling on the gangway, ready to go some more. At the aid stations, veterinarians are available if there are any issues with the dogs, but the musher cannot accept outside help when it comes to feeding, watering, and providing bedding for their team. Part of being a good musher is being totally in tune with your dogs. I've seen mushers pull into a checkpoint, this checkpoint actually, in two seconds, and they'd say, oh that dog's got a sore foreleg. There's 14 dogs and 12 dogs in front of them running, and in five seconds they can spot the one that's got a problem. They love the dogs, they're part of their family, but they're racing, and so the mushers that understand when to be on the break, and when to let them run, when to feed them, when to rest them, those are the guys that are going to win consistently. If you slow down a little towards the top, but like it wasn't, they didn't, they weren't pooped at all like, like towards the end of last night. As far as steering the sled goes, mushers use the vocal commands gee and haw. Gee is to the right, and haw is to the left, but for Trevor, stopping the sled is all on him. I like to tell people that, you know, we say whoa, but it's just for show. I know some people's dogs do, but my dogs do not stop when I say whoa, no matter how nicely I ask. You have to stand on the break bar on your sled, which has these two metal teeth in it that dig into the, dig in the snow, and actually physically stop the sled. We had dogs coming out for a hundred mile race, and the wheel dog is just leaning into the straps going, let's go. I still want to run. He's barking, he's pulling, they're having to hold him back. I mean, these, these dogs want to run, so it's really, it's really fun to see that energy out of them. The Idaho Sled Dog Challenge hosts one of the only three races in the lower 48 that qualifies mushers for Alaska's 1,000-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Now, when it comes to grazing livestock, dogs play two major roles, herding and guarding. The smaller dogs, usually border collies or a similar mixed breed called an Idaho shag, help shepherds move hundreds of sheep more than 100 miles across public and private lands as the animals graze. These dogs are smart, fast, athletic, and intuitive to a shepherd's needs. While they are often smaller than the sheep, they're known for being fearless with a strong herding instinct and near-endless energy. The sheep dogs are important in moving the sheep because these sheep are constantly moving up through the mountains as the grass gets greener at higher elevations. Much of the area the sheep graze on is inaccessible by truck or ATV, so without the herding dogs, ranchers would need to use more men on horseback. Kind of like tugboats bumping a ship, you got the sheep, you just migrate and gathering them at night. The guys have to bring the sheep all together, put them on a bed ground, and the morning the sheep get off the bed ground, they graze usually downhill into where there's some water. There's no way the shepherds could move all the animals without the dogs. With a signal from the shepherd, the dogs are able to move the sheep across the rangeland, some using their speed, others with just their eyes. I've had a dog that could eye a sheep till you could walk up and grab it. There's dogs that are so strong-eyed that they can hold an animal. They can stare down a sheep or a cow, some of them. There's dogs that say they're strong-eyed dogs, others not so much, but we don't know what Tilly will be here yet. Tilly, whose full name is Matilda, was just a puppy when we visited Peterson's ranch outside Emmett. She's still in training, but will eventually be used for herding and breeding new herding dogs. The big dogs, commonly called white dogs, are usually Great Pyrenees, Akbosh, Anatolian Shepherds, or Kongal Shepherds, and their livestock guard dogs. They protect the band of sheep from wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions. Their fluffy white coats help them blend in amongst the sheep, but also keep them warm living outside. Sheep are not known for their intelligence and can easily become prey on the rangeland without their guardians. And the guard dogs are the first line of defense. So if there's, if they sense or smell or hear anything that makes them nervous about the safety of their herd, they're going to alert the herder. They're going to bark. They're going to go out and try and find whatever it is that they're hearing or smelling. And then once they do that, then the herder knows, okay, I've got to put in some of these other methods that we have to keep the sheep safe because the dogs have told me that something isn't quite right. They're different. We raise them with the sheep. They bond with the sheep. They don't know any commands really. They're not a dog you'd send to an obedience trial. You know, they're bonded with the sheep. They live with the sheep and they instinctually protect them. And that's the two breeds we use. And we couldn't probably do this without them. You know, that's just the way it works out. In lambing season, the guard dogs stay with the ewes to protect them before they move on to graze on the rangeland. Starting usually around April 1st, we turn out onto our grass pastures and the sheep start grazing and the herder is with them. And then throughout the season until December, the sheep just walk up through the mountains and then back down to the main ranch. And so the dogs are a really vital part of that side of our operation because they're with the sheep constantly to protect them. We've lost sheep to cats, cougars to bears. Since the reintroduction of the wolves, they were reintroduced in 95. Our first contact with them was 2003. They are the biggest threat to the sheep now and the biggest threat to the dogs. Over the years, we've lost six of the white guarding dogs to the wolves and one border collie that they killed. So the wolves are probably the biggest problem we have, but coyotes would be number two. The dogs also alert the shepherds who can use non-lethal means to scare them away from the herd. Bean's operation uses loud noises, music and lights to deter the predator once the shepherd knows they're nearby. If you don't have dogs to help move your herd along and protect them, that is going to take a toll on the natural landscape. And then also these dogs are a form of non-lethal predator control. And if you take the dogs out of the equation, you're going to have more predation and therefore more killing of predators. And that also takes its toll on the environment. You have all of these different species that are living together and coexisting and there is a natural food chain to things. So if you're taking a species out of an environment, it's going to have drastic consequences on the whole rest of that food chain. The livestock guard dogs are sometimes spotted on public lands where recreators might encounter them. If you're out hiking or biking and you see a guard dog, you should never run. Trying to flee will only encourage the dog to chase you. Instead, speak to the dog, letting them know you're a human and dismount from your bike until you pass the dog. Even if you don't see sheep, never assume the guard dog is lost. The sheep and shepherd are likely nearby. In general, the dog is just doing its job. They might run at you barking. They might try and chase your truck. That is their natural instinct. They are trying to get any threat they might perceive away from their livestock. But like I said, they're not aggressive by nature. They're just protective. They're not going to hurt you. They just don't want you by their animals. Knock it off. Lie down. For some people, it's about the competition. Herding trials bring together dogs and their people to engage in a little good-spirited rivalry. So today we're having an AKC trial and AKC is the American Kennel Club. Herding trials are basically a form of portraying the job of herding in a sport format for competition. Today we have dogs herding ducks, sheep, goats and cattle. There's three different levels, started, intermediate and advanced. The dog and herder are judged on how smoothly they can move the livestock to the designated area. Sometimes that means going to a gate. Other times it's around a cone or into a pen. The smoother the flow and straighter the line, the higher the score will be. Walk. Slow down. Callie. So I think ducks are the hardest. It takes very little movement to be able to make them move. So we want them to walk in a straight line. You have to be very careful when you're maneuvering them. They're not as forgiving as cattle, say. Whether it's dogs moving ducks or ducks moving dogs, what's apparent at Carol Gerken's ranch in Payette, Idaho is that this sport is not just about the dogs. It's also about the community. If anybody has any questions, concerns, problems, and that's secretary related. Where's my secretary? He's hiding. I love hosting events. It's a lot of work. It's really hectic, but it's really fun to see people enjoying their dogs and having fun with them. And it's fun to meet people from all around the country that you wouldn't have met otherwise. So I love it. So show me what your dog can do. Don't try to do something your dog can't do. Do what you and your dog does best. Go by, walk up, lie down. I really think that herding is the most rewarding sport with your dog that you could do when you put in the time and you've developed a relationship with your dog and you go out there and you can accomplish the job that you want. And guess what? They never show up with a hangover. They never call in sick. They never tell you that, you know, they got a hot date. They want to leave early. They're there to work and they show up with you. I have a dog with me all the time, attached to the hip. It's just like putting your shoes on. I put my gloves on, I come to the door, I take my dog and we go do what we have to get done. It is never a perfect world, but when you can do the job with your dog, it's a great partnership. I think it's very rewarding. Pearl. Yes, that's a good girl. Come on, Gage. Let's go on a walk. Come on, buddy. Come on. Get the door. Good boy. As much as dogs are lovable companions, it's clear they also serve as a tool for delivery, movement, protection, and even guidance. The guide dog story begins during World War I, when thousands of soldiers were returning home blind. In 1929, America's first guide dog school for the blind opened in New Jersey. Since then, thousands of schools have opened around the world, which have changed the lives of people like Crystal White. I'm with Gage and that's my guide dog. We've been together three years and we like to walk, hike. The only thing we don't do yet is snowshoe. I haven't taught him how to do that yet, but we go out all the time all year round. I went blind about 17 years ago. Yeah, about 2008. I have diabetic retinopathy, so my diabetes wasn't taken care of for a little while and probably wasn't doing the best of things in my life, but I went blind in my left eye first, and now it's not a real eye. It's fake. Then my right eye went about six months later, and I had a couple surgeries. In fact, I had 10 of them to try to save it, but it didn't work, so I gave up. I didn't want to do any more surgeries. It was too much for me. So I just accepted that I was going to be blind and went to ICBVI, and then got married, had a baby, and had a dog. ICBVI is the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. They offer job training for people who have lost their sight. It was there Crystal was inspired to get a guide dog of her own. There was a lady there that had a guide dog, and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, and I love walking, and I love animals, so I thought what best to do but get a guide dog, and I got so much independence. I'd say his purpose is to just be my partner and to make sure I'm safe. That's the biggest thing is safety. That's what they teach you in school, safety, safety, safety. Yep, good boy. Up the step. Good boy. Let's go to the counter. Let's go to the counter. Good boy. You made it to the counter. Good boy. They get us around obstacles too. Like if we were to come up to a barrier, they're smart enough to go around. If we were to come up to something on sidewalk that's like a sign for a business, and they have it like five feet away or maybe even just three feet away from the door, he'll stop and see what the best way around that is before we proceed because it's a barrier. Just like us, guide dogs require constant practice in order to maintain their skills, and even then, no one's perfect. Some people see him like sniffing or like walk up to another dog, and that is a bad distraction. He's not supposed to do that, but then again, you got to say, okay, he's still a dog. Or like when he was sniffing that trail, he probably smelled another dog's pee. Watching Crystal engage, the connection is clear, not just as co-workers, but as friends too. He's my best friend. I mean, my husband's my best friend, but he's my team member, so he's my best friend, and he protects me just as much as my husband does, but I can go out with nobody, all by myself. I don't need my husband. I can just use my dog. Dad, they're everything. They're my team. I like to be able to get out and know that I'm safer than with my cane. I feel safer, and I take him everywhere. I take him to all my doctors. Everybody knows him. I take him everywhere. When people see us outside, and it's a good thing for guide dogs to get out, and it's a good thing for people to see us out in public so that they know that we're just as capable of doing everything that they can. Dogs have tremendous nose power. A dog's sense of smell is reported to be 10,000 to 100,000 times more powerful than a human's. With 40 times the number of scent receptors, dogs are able to detect everything from bombs to buried mushrooms and drugs to diseases. Our nose is this long. The dog's nose is usually this long, and the dogs have between two and three hundred million olfactory cells. The brain mass of the dog that's devoted to their sense of smell compared to ours is it's about two to three times of their brain compared to ours. Julie Gibson is the president and founder of Mountain States Detection Dogs, a non-profit that trains and certifies dogs to aid in finding missing people both alive and deceased. It's not a dog club. It's not a dog game. These dogs are highly trained. Their temperaments have to be solid, 100 percent solid, in order to do this, and they have to be able to go out and work in all conditions for hours and hours. This one works for food. Today we had out Yanni and Yodi. Yodi is a three-and-a-half-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, and so she's certified in land human remains detection and water. And Yanni is a 14-month-old Belgian Malinois, and he is a bundle of energy. I've been doing this lots of years, so I have an innate ability to read the dogs, for one. That ability to, you know, select the right dog is very important, and the, you know, ability also to know if your dog's gonna cut it for the work or not is important. Today we placed the source. One was right on the shoreline. The other one was about 10 feet out in about 8 feet of water, so the scent comes to the surface, and the scent moves based on wind, current, and so they go in, they find it. A lot of times they'll have to kind of go around, because the scent's blowing up, and around, and then kind of pinpoint, you know, it ends here, it starts here, and then go where the strongest scent is. You saw with Yodi, she did her trained final response. Lay down, it's here, you know, it stares at you and gets very adamant that she's got it, where Yanni had to think about it a little bit more. He knew exactly where it was, and I was able to read that and reward him. The dogs are training off real human tissue, much of which is donated from people who have undergone procedures like a knee replacement, liposuction, or even tooth removal. We're made up of organic matter, and there's a difference between a human decomposition and an animal decomposition, and that's what the dogs are picking up on, and they will, you know, alert on. We train them only to alert on the human remains, nothing else, and that's all they get rewarded for, and all they will pick up on. His breathing's changed a little, he started to pick up a little scent there, even though it's quite a ways away. Mountain States Detection Dogs has traveled across the state and the country helping people in times of need, and while training is certainly fun, when Julie gets a call that she's needed on a search, it's time to put those skills into real-life situations. I mean, it's definitely hard, but every time you do a search, whether you find something or not, it adds a little more answers to what that family's going through, and if we can help, that's our whole goal. They are definitely my dogs. They are, I mean, they are working dogs, and they have certain rules. They have to work for their rewards, but they are in the house. Yanni's got a ball in her face at the TV. He's, you know, Yodi, when she wants something, she'll tell you, and she's a very, very loving dog. She likes to be on your lap. She's very, you know, she's a cuddle dog, so they're definitely my dogs, whereas some of the law enforcement dogs are, they're just strictly kennel dogs, but with Search and Rescue and our Detection Dogs, they're our dogs, our pets, as well as our working dogs. The work dogs do can make a world of difference to the people in their lives. In hundreds of ways, dogs make human lives easier, and we've only scratched the surface here. Veterans use service dogs for PTSD. Drug dogs prevent smuggling. Bird dogs point and retrieve for hunters. Agility dogs perform incredible tricks. There are even dogs that sniff out diseases in Idaho's many potato fields. All that to say, as much as we humans think dogs need us, the truth is we need them too. For Outdoor Idaho is made possible by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, committed to fulfilling the Moore and Bettis family legacy of building the great state of Idaho, by the Friends of Idaho Public Television, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. To find more information about these shows, visit us at IdahoPTV.org.