Operational K9 Teams
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 (former), 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 fifth operational K9 partner.
Titus
Breed: German Shepherd
Status: Certified | Operational
Current Certifications: Land Human Remains, UT POST K9 Cadaver, AKC Canine Good Citizen Former Certifications: Wilderness Air Scent
Handler: GBK9SAR Treasurer, US Army Veteran Non-Commissioned Officer (Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan) First Aid & CPR/AED, Tri-State K-9 Evaluator for Live Find and Cadaver Dogs
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 in October 2018. He is a handsome, strong, and motivated boy, originally trained, certified, and fielded by his human “Mom” and now certified and working with his human “Dad.” Titus is his new Handler’s second operational partner. If you hear something crashing through the brush, it is a bear, a moose, or Titus.
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.
SANTIAGO “SANTO”
Breed: Golden Retriever Status: Certified | Operational Current Certifications: Land Human Remains. In-Training: Wilderness Air Scent 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.
In-Training K9 Teams
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.
VIKA
Breed: Dutch x German Shepherd
Status: In Training for Human Remains Detection 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 (former), 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
Vika is a 3/4 Dutch Shepherd x 1/4 German Shepherd mix that was selected at 8 weeks of age for her boldness and sociability. She has never met a stranger nor an environment or obstacle that she doesn’t tackle with ease. So far, she is loving her training and showing all the signs of becoming a very capable detection K9. Vika will be her handler’s sixth operational K9 partner.
Retired K9 Teams
Huck
Breed: Weimaraner
Status: Medical Retirement (Aug 2023)
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.