The breeds that comprise the VHD group possess many skills beyond the pointing, tracking and retrieving tested by NAVHDA in its sanctioned events. Anyone who owns one of these versatile dogs will attest to their true adaptability and sincere willingness to work hard at whatever they're asked to do.

Drahthaars from our chapter compete in VDD tests that include a greater variety of field and hunting events than NAVHDA Tests do.

Some of our dogs compete in field trials and tests conducted by the Arctic Bird Dog Association, the National Hunt to Retrieve Association, the Midnight Sun Gun Dog Club and others.

Several handler/dog teams are part of the Alaska Game Search group that provides blood tracking services to game management officials across the state in locating "shot-lost" game animals.

One particularly special dog is registered with the Delta Society's Pet Partners program. Taig's owner, Peg Brawner, rescued him en route to an uncertain future and in less than a year, qualified him for Pet Partners and ran him in our local NAVHDA sanctioned Natural Ability test where he scored a Prize III at 16 months.

Pet Partners (click for link to the Delta Society)

"The Pet Partners program is a service program of the Delta Society. Registered Pet Partners bring the physical and emotional benefits of human-animal interaction to people in a variety of settings. A person and his or her animal can register as Pet Partners when the person has completed the volunteer training requirements, the animal has completed a health screening, and the person and animal have passed the skills and aptitude screening together. The requirements set by this program assure health and human service providers that the volunteers who enter their facilities are well prepared and that the animals have been carefully screened."

- from the Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual

Peg's description of her experience

The first step to becoming a Pet Partner team is to complete the training course. This can be accomplished in two ways. Workshops are taught at Alyeska Canine Trainers, here in Anchorage, by licensed Delta Instructor, Mary Troll. She can be contacted at 279-2926. The second option is to order the home study course directly from Delta Society. I highly recommend the workshops. They give you "hands on" opportunities to work with your dog and participate in mock visits.

The second step is to have the health screening form completed by your veterinarian. A complete physical exam of your animal is required. This form is included in your training manual, part of the registration packet.

Step three is the evaluation of the animal and handler. Faith White and I are the two licensed Delta Pet Partners evaluators for the state of Alaska. We hold evaluation dates 3-4 times per year. The evaluation has two parts. First, are the skills requirements ... an evaluation of the animals obedience training and how the handler interacts with the animal to achieve the desired behavior. Just basic good household manners are required. The dogs must sit on command, down on command, walk calmly on a leash, stay in place, come when called and a few other skills. We also check their reactions to visual and audio distractions, and their reaction to a neutral dog. Some of the things that are specifically not allowed are, jumping up on anyone, mouthing, excessive licking, and pawing.

The second half of the evaluation is the aptitude screening. It begins with an overall examination of the animal, ears, teeth, handling of all four feet, touching all over the entire body, etc. Then the evaluator begins clumsy petting. The hands are closed into fists and the dog is petted with a gentle but thumping like motion with the closed hands and forearms simulating a patient with a neuromuscular disease. At the same time, the evaluator will be making high and low pitched sounds simulating a patient with speech difficulties.

Then the evaluator stops all petting and sounds and gives the dog a restraining hug for no more than 15 seconds. The evaluator backs away and next starts the "role play." Three assistants and the animal and handler will participate in a mock visit. The assistants simulate behaviors that may be exhibited by patients. The dog and handler will be exposed to a staggering, gesturing individual, angry yelling among patients, crowded petting and being bumped from behind. Once the role play is finished the dog is walked past a child's toy on the ground and the dog is told to "Leave it." In the last exercise the dog is offered a treat. The handler may choose to not have the animal take the treat. If the dog does take the treat, it must do so gently.

This is a very brief overview of the skills and aptitude evaluation. The dog and handler are evaluated as a team. The handler is expected to assist in the success of these exercises by talking to the dog, petting it, helping to position the dog (in some exercises). No aggressive behavior of any kind is allowed.

Basically, the animals and handlers must "enjoy" interacting with strangers, not merely tolerate it and must be willing to accept people who may look, move and sound differently.

The last step in becoming a Pet Partner is completion of the registration packet. A photo of the handler and your animal together is required for an ID badge. The entire completed registration packet, including the evaluation score sheet and registration fees, must be mailed to Delta Society within 90 days of the evaluation date. Benefits of registration include an ID badge for the handler, a Pet Partners tag for the animal, a subscription to Delta's Interactions magazine, and inclusion as a volunteer under Delta Society's general liability insurance.

Dog suitability

Dogs may be any breed or mix of breeds, must be a minimum of 1 year old and must have lived with the handler for no less than 6 months.

When I first met Taig at the vet clinic where I work, I noticed his extremely social personality. Even after having endured a horribly painful medical condition requiring surgery, and being handled by a variety of strangers administering follow-up care that was sometimes unpleasant, he was still outgoing and friendly to everyone he met. I had been talking about getting a pup and when I found out Taig was in need of a new home. I felt that he would fit right into our existing four-legged family, and he has. I continued to socialize him by taking him to work with me frequently and on errands to stores in town that allow dogs inside. I try to expose him to as many new and different experiences as possible. He's been to obedience classes for training as well as more socialization. Obedience can be learned, but a love of people comes naturally.

Where Pet Partners dogs are used

Some of the locations in Anchorage that Pet Partners may visit are, Providence Hospital Pediatric Unit, Serendipity Adult Day Center, Providence Extended Care, Horizon House, Marlow Manor, Covenant House Crisis Center and Youth Resources Center, McLaughlin Youth Center, Day Break Adult Day Services, Booth Memorial Youth and Family Services, and the Pathway Home.

Pet Partners have also made visits to area schools and Head Start programs, teaching children about jobs that dogs have in society and dog bite prevention. There is a new program that is becoming well established in the lower 48 that we are attempting to get started here in Anchorage this fall. It is the R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program. This program aims to establish a positive environment within which a child reads to the animal member of the Pet Partners team. The mission is to improve children's reading skills.

Pet therapy has become relatively commonplace in healthcare facilities in the lower 48. In Alaska it is not yet well established, but we are gaining ground quickly as more health care professionals learn of the health benefits that animals provide.

I don't think being a Pet Partner in any way hampers a hunting dog's abilities in the field. After all, the versatile dogs were developed to be all-round hunting dogs living with the hunter's family.