Operational K9 Teams
Oakley
Breed: German Shepherd
Status: Certified / Operational
Current Certifications: Land Human Remains, AKC Canine Good Citizen Former Certifications: Wilderness Air Scent
Handler: GBK9SAR Treasurer, Tri-State K9 Evaluator, former Non-Commissioned U.S. Army Officer, Operation Enduring Freedom veteran, Wilderness First Aid & CPR/AED, K9 Wilderness Responder certified
Oakley first joined Great Basin K9 Search & Rescue in July of 2014. As a puppy she began foundational tracking training. Oakley is certified as mission ready by Tri-State K9 on Wilderness Air Scent and Land Human Remains. Oakley and her Handler were recognized by the Elko County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the recovery of a pilot who crashed and perished in the very rugged Ruby Mountains of Nevada.
VIGGO
Breed: Dutch Shepherd
Status: Certified / Operational
Current Certifications: Land Human Remains, UT POST K9 Cadaver, AKC Canine Good Citizen
Handler: GBK9SAR President & Lead Trainer, former GBK9SAR Training Officer, UT POST Judge for Cadaver, Explosives, and Narcotics K9s, Tri-State K9 Evaluator, NASAR SARTECH II, First Aid & CPR/AED, AKC CGC Evaluator, AKC/UKC Scentwork Judge, retired FBI Special Agent, former FBI Evidence Response Team member and former FBI Tactical Medic and NREMT
Viggo was imported to the U.S. in November of 2018 from a police K9 training center in Holland at the age of 14 months to become a member of GBK9SAR. He was selected for his balanced drives, sustained hunt, physical agility, and happy social personality. He has proven himself to be a valuable and productive K9 member of the team with a confirmed find to his credit shortly after his first certification. Viggo is his handler's 5th certified SAR K9.
Titus
Breed: German Shepherd
Status: Certified | Operational
Current Certifications: Wilderness Air Scent, Land Human Remains, AKC Canine Good Citizen
Handler: First Aid & CPR/AED
Titus was selected from a litter of working line dogs specifically for Search & Rescue based on a series of aptitude tests performed when he was 7 weeks old. He was brought to Utah and started his training at 8 weeks of age with GBK9SAR. He has grown up to be a handsome, strong, and motivated boy. If you hear something crashing through the brush, it is a bear, a moose, or Titus coming to find you! Titus is a half brother to K9 Envy and from the same kennel.
STRETCH
Breed: Golden Retriever
Status: Certified | Operational Current Certifications: Open Water Human Remains, AKC Canine Good Citizen Former Certifications: Wilderness Air Scent, Land Human Remains, and Shoreline Water
Handler: GBK9SAR Past-President, Tri-State K9 Evaluator, NASAR SARTECH II, former OEC & Ski Patrol, USMC Infantryman Vietnam War Veteran and retired Officer, Backcountry Instructor
Stretch is a working-line Golden Retriever and an accomplished search dog ~ certified in live find, human remains detection, and open water under NASAR with his previous handler who passed away in May of 2020. Stretch was gifted to GBK9SAR in September of 2020 and will be filling the much loved paws of our K9 Gunny. We are very grateful to have this amazing hunting dog on our team and look forward to seeing him in the field with his new handler supporting our search missions.
FLASH
Breed: Golden Retriever
Status: Certified | Operational
Current Certifications: Land Human Remains , AKC Canine Good Citizen
Handler: GBK9SAR Training Officer, Wilderness First Responder and CPR/AED, Former Veterinary Technician, AKC CGC Evaluator
Flash is a working-line Golden Retriever and was certified under his previous handler who passed away in May of 2020. He was previously certified in SARTech HRD Water type I, II, III, and IV, and SARTech HRD Land type III. Flash was gifted to GBK9SAR in October of 2020. We can't express the gratitude we feel for being allowed to form a new partnership with this incredibly driven dog, and we look forward to continue his working career.
PIPER
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Status: Operational Avalanche, In-Training for Land Human Remains Detection
Current Certifications: Certifications: Level-A Avalanche Search and Rescue (Wasatch Backcountry Rescue), Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association Validation (2019). Handler: Avalanche Pro 1 and Pro Rescue, OEC Certified and OEC Instructor, UT POST Judge for Avalanche K9s, Wasatch Backcountry Rescue Avalanche Evaluator.
Piper began training for avalanche search and rescue in 2016 when she was 7 months old. Selected from a lineage with generations of Avalanche Rescue Dogs, Piper is a mission-ready member of WBR with a confirmed find in 2021. Piper is just starting her training in wilderness air scenting with Great Basin K9 SAR and is eager to learn another search discipline. Her methodical approach to pinpointing odor and her exuberance for playing tug-o-war makes her a joy to work with. Her handler is excited to watch Piper's search career develop and transform with Great Basin!
In-Training K9 Teams
SANTIAGO “SANTO”
Breed: Golden Retriever Status: In-Training for Wilderness Air Scent and Land Human Remains Handler: GBK9SAR Secretary, Wilderness First Aid & CPR/AED, ICS Planning Section Chief for SAR, HAZWOPER, Training in Lost Person Behavior.
Santo is bred from a line of field-trial Golden Retrievers. He has been raised by experienced breeders who exposed him and his littermates to all sorts of surfaces, puzzles, and experiences. This boy is already showing a happy and open temperament, enthusiasm to learn, and an affinity for target odor. Santo’s handler has been involved in Wilderness SAR for 16 years and deployed on >40 missions. We anticipate yet another “spasm of joy” working partner.
AMIGO
Breed: Maliherder (Malinois x GSD) Status: In-Training for Land Human Remains Handler: EMT, Professional Dog Trainer with outdoor experience
Amigo is a very big handsome social boy who loves the game and loves to hunt. He follows in the big pawprints of his dad who was a police K9. He has worked as a trained studio dog on movies, live shows, and short films. In addition, he has served as a demo dog showing the important role of service dogs and has a Novice Trick Dog Title.
JINX
Breed: Dutch Shepherd Status: In-Training for Land Human Remains Handler: EMT, Professional Dog Trainer with outdoor experience
Jinx is still a young puppy but is showing great aptitude for the searching game. Her sire’s sire is a successful police K-9 and we expect Jinx to carry on the legacy of great working dogs.
Retired K9 Teams
Huck
Breed: Weimaraner
Status: Medical Retirement
Certifications: Land Human Remains, Wilderness Air Scent (former)
Handler: First Aid & CPR/AED
Huck started training for Search & Rescue at 5 months of age in May of 2015. He and his handler are certified as mission ready by Tri-State K9 on Wilderness Air Scent and Land Human Remains. Huck has exceptional hunting skills, covers ground like the best of upland bird dogs, and is very loyal to the mission. Huck's owner/handler lives, works, and plays in Park City.
Tiago
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Status: Retired
Certifications: Wilderness Air Scent, AKC Canine Good Citizen
Handler: NASAR SARTECH II, First Aid & CPR/AED, Retired U.S. Air Force Officer
Tiago began training with Great Basin K9 Search & Rescue in May of 2019 and is focusing on Wilderness Air Scent. Tiago’s parents and lineage come from the old French and Belgian working lines. He was whelped near Boston and has litter-mates working as Police K9s in the Boston area. He has a foundation in obedience and agility has unleashed his natural hunt and work drives as for the SAR game.
Letti
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Status: Retired
Certifications: Wilderness Air Scent, Land Human Remains
Handler: Former GBK9SAR Secretary, Wilderness First Aid & CPR/AED, Former Non-Commissioned U.S. Air Force Officer, Operation Enduring Freedom veteran, Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran
Letti is a working line Belgian Malinois that started training for SAR at 11 months of age in March 2015. Letti is exceptionally agile, has strong work ethic, loves the search game, and covers ground like a gazelle. She is certified as mission ready by Tri-State K9 on Wilderness Air Scent and Land Human Remains. Letti also serves as her Handler’s Ultra Marathon training buddy.
Taylor
Breed: Golden Retriever
Status: Retired
Certifications: Open Water Human Remains, AKC Canine Good Citizen, Wilderness Airscent, Land & Shoreline Human Remains & Avalanche. Handler: Avalanche 1 / 2 / 3 certified, OEC, former GBK9SAR Vice President
Taylor was rescued at 18 months of age in September 2012. She is from strong working lines and loves to hunt. Taylor has deployed on missing persons and criminal cases on land and water. Taylor is especially talented at water search and has contributed to locating drowning victims. Taylor's handler has trained retrievers for hunting and successfully campaigned them in AKC licensed field trials. He is an avid outdoors man and skis and whitewater rafts in the Intermountain West.