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 April 17th, 2012 | Category: In the news  April 17, 2012 12:00 am
By Kaitlynn Riely / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
It was three days into a 2006 search for a woman missing in a boating accident near the Highland Park Bridge, and the team led by Blawnox Fire Chief George McBriar could find nothing in the muddy Allegheny River.
Then Saber, a cadaver dog for the Allegheny County coroner’s office, boarded a search boat and began sniffing the air above the river. Soon, he alerted investigators to a body at least 15 feet underwater.
“That dog was amazing,” Chief McBriar said Monday. “It told us exactly where she was at. And it proved to be true.”
Saber, a 96-pound Doberman Pinscher who was the first and only cadaver dog to work for the Allegheny County coroner’s office, died Sunday at age 10 in a Monroeville veterinarian’s office, where he was put down because of to declining health.
Next to him at the end was Joe Angotti, the former deputy coroner who found Saber, named him, trained him and who was his partner on more than 70 cases.
Mr. Angotti had worked with police canine units as an officer with the Wilmerding and East McKeesport police departments, and when he became a deputy coroner, he suggested to Cyril Wecht, the Allegheny County coroner at the time, that the office hire a cadaver dog. Cadaver dogs aid in finding bodies by tracking down the scents released by decomposing human remains.
Dr. Wecht gave Mr. Angotti the go-ahead, and in 2002 he headed to Clymer, Indiana County, to see a breeder about Doberman puppies.
Out of a litter of 4-month-old puppies, the one that ran up to Mr. Angotti was the dog that stood out.
“He just seemed like he had a lot of energy in him, and that’s something that would need to be a requirement, to get up and go,” he said.
And after the training period — about eight months of obedience classes and cadaver training in California — there was plenty of get up and go.
Saber and Mr. Angotti responded to calls throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Mr. Angotti always knew when Saber had found something. The dog would make a low growl, then give a bark, and Mr. Angotti would alert the authorities either to where they should search or that they could rule out a location as a possibility.
“They were surprised to see how accurate a dog can be,” Mr. Angotti said.
It was morbid work, but Saber loved it.
“It’s all a game to him,” Mr. Angotti said. “He doesn’t realize what the end result is. All he knows is that when he finds his end result, he gets highly praised and rewarded.”
Saber’s four-year career ended in 2007, when the cadaver dog program was discontinued at the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office, which replaced the coroner’s office. Saber spent his retirement at Mr. Angotti’s home.
Mr. Angotti left the medical examiner’s office a year after Saber and now runs his own construction company. He buried the Doberman at his home in Wilkins.
Six years after he first met Saber, Chief McBriar, who remains fire chief in Blawnox, is still marveling at the dog’s ability to pinpoint a location at the bottom of the Allegheny River.
“I will never forget that, honestly. It was amazing,” he said.
March 17th, 2012 | Category: In the news 16-year-old and her dog spread smiles
Rebekah Rawlinson, 16, visits a kindergarten class at Indian Valley Elementary School Wednesday with her 4-year-old Doberman Pincher, Ellie. The class enjoyed playing with Ellie and watching her perform some tricks. Photo by Bob Crisp/The Daily Home
SYLACAUGA – Ellie is a girl on the town.
The four-year-old Doberman Pincher is a frequent visitor at schools, nursing homes, libraries and more, spreading smiles wherever she goes.
“She has a lot of friends,” said 16-year-old Rebekah Rawlinson, Ellie’s owner and dedicated trainer.
Along with more than 30 competition ribbons and six titles, Ellie is also a certified therapy dog.
Rebekah, who has been training Ellie for three years, said they got the idea to get her certified after visiting a nursing home.
“My great aunt was in the nursing home, and she loved dogs so we wanted to take Ellie to see her,” she said. “We were at the nursing home one day, and somebody suggested we get insurance on Ellie, so we started looking at different organizations.”
She soon located Therapy Dogs International, a national register of dogs and handlers certified to visit public groups for therapy purposes.
Since becoming certified, Ellie has made an impact during her many public visits. Jo Rawlinson, Rebekah’s mother, said people react strongly to Ellie.
“People warm up to her really fast,” Jo said. “She has all the patience in the world, and if you put her in a crowded room, she will find the person who needs her attention.”
This week, Ellie visited a kindergarten class at Indian Valley Elementary School, where Rebekah said the children were enthusiastic about petting and playing with her.
“It’s really neat to see how people react to her,” she said. “They just run right up.”
Rebekah works with Talladega-based dog trainer Julie Moon. Jo credits Moon for encouraging Rebekah to compete in American Kennel Club events.
“When we began training, our end result we hoped for was for Ellie to be a therapy dog, but it has turned into much more than that,” Jo said.
Ellie recently earned the title of RAE, or rally advanced excellent, which means Rebekah is competing in the professional ranks. Moon said Rebekah’s level of achievement is unusual for a teenager.
“RAE is quite a title for an adult, much less a 16-year-old,” Moon said. “Normally teenagers aren’t the best trainers, but Rebekah is really determined and works well with Ellie.”
Moon said dog training requires a consistent commitment of 15-30 minutes a day.
“It doesn’t sound like much time, but if it were easy, everyone would have a trained dog,” Moon said. “There are so many more things to do with your time now, but Rebekah really made a commitment to it. Whatever she puts her mind to, she achieves.”
Rebekah said being the youngest competitor in many of her events is fun.
“A lot of people at the competitions are very encouraging,” she said. “They love that I’m doing it, because not many young people are interested in dog training, and they don’t want the sport to die out.”
Rebekah and Ellie have attended competitions in Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery and Nashville, and Rebekah is considering moving to the national level with the Doberman Nationals in September.
Dog training is just the beginning of her hobbies, however. Rebekah is involved in multiple school organizations as well as tennis and piano.
As to how she finds the time for dog training, Rebekah said Ellie gives her no choice.
“She gets mad if I don’t pay her enough attention,” Rebekah said. “Her favorite way to get back at me is to hide my shoes.”
Rebekah, who hopes to make dog training a lifelong hobby, said she and Ellie have no intention of stopping their visits or competitions any time soon.
“I just really enjoy it,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of experiences we wouldn’t have had without Ellie.”
Contact Emily Adams at eadams@dailyhome.com.
Read more:The Daily Home – 16 year old and her dog spread smiles
January 30th, 2012 | Category: In the news When it comes to the Golden Collar Awards for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film, how could Blackie the Doberman not be nominated for its role in ‘Hugo’?
January 29, 2012|By Martin Scorsese
 Blackie in "Hugo" While I have been extremely heartened by the reception of my movie”Hugo,”I feel that there is one area where we’ve been severely slighted.
I have been cautioned against speaking out on this issue lest I create the appearance of churlishness. Well, I’m going to have to risk it.
One recent morning, I turned on the television, and imagine my surprise when I heard the nominations for the first Golden Collar Awards for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film. After all, we had Blackie the Doberman in our movie. How could she not be nominated?
I listened in vain for Blackie’s name to be called, and then to all the hullabaloo over a certain Jack Russell terrier named Uggie. Actually, Uggie is so adorable that he received two nominations for two separate pictures. Well done.
OK, let’s lay all our cards on the table. Jack Russell terriers are small and cute. Dobermans are enormous and — handsome. More tellingly, Uggie plays a nice little mascot who does tricks and saves his master’s life in one of the films, while Blackie gives an uncompromising performance as a ferocious guard dog who terrorizes children. I’m sure you can see what I’m driving at.
We all have fond memories of Rin Tin Tin and Lassie, the big stars, the heroes, but what about the antiheroes? We have learned to accept the human antihero, but when it comes to dogs, I guess we still have a long way to go.
I’m proud of Blackie, who laid it on the line and dared to risk the sympathy of her audience. Let’s just say that on the set, she had a fitting nickname: Citizen Canine. The bath scene alone is a masterpiece of underplaying, with Blackie’s wonderfully aquiline face accentuated by the 3-D.
I detect another, more deep-seated prejudice at work. Jack Russell terriers were bred in the 19th century for the purposes of fox hunting by an Englishman, the Rev. John Russell. Dobermans were bred by a German tax collector who was afraid of being bludgeoned to death by the citizenry. But does that mean we must condemn the entire breed? Must we forget the magnificent physical achievements of such legendary Dobermans as Bingo von Ellendonk (who achieved a perfect score in the storied Schutzhund competition), Borong the Warlock, Baracuda Liborium or Caravelle Drillbit?
In short, I protest the omission of Blackie the Doberman from the first Golden Collar nominations. Moreover, I encourage all Times readers to make their preference known to the editors of Dog News Daily by write-in ballot and give Blackie the nomination she so richly deserves.
Martin Scorsese is the director of “Hugo.”
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/29/opinion/la-oe-scorsese-blackie-20120129
December 24th, 2011 | Category: In the news Cross-posted with permission from AKC-CGC.
From the AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator Newsletter December 2011:
Submitted by Gwenn and Sue Bamer-Flynn
 “Riddick” came to Hand Me Down Dobes in July 2010. His family was having a baby and they felt it would be too difficult to keep a two year old, 120lbs blind Doberman with a new baby. I had been fostering for quite a while, but I did not know what to expect with a blind dog.
We quickly decided that Riddick had lived in a dark limited world for long enough, and blind or not, he wanted to be treated like any other dog. He showed us how quickly he could adapt to our home and yard. We realized just how limited Riddick’s world was the first night when we found out that he had no idea how to go up or down stairs. By using sounds on the steps and helping to support him as he went up or down, he quickly overcame this challenge.
Another challenge we faced was the car because he had only been in one twice in his short life. It was while we worked with him on the stairs and car that we realized that there was nothing he couldn’t do if taught. I began taking him to obedience classes to show potential adopters how trainable and easy it would be to work with him. Training with Riddick just means you get a little more creative with telling him the commands. Sounds are very important in his dark world and his sense of smell, like all dogs, is very strong but with Riddick, you truly understand how a dog can search and find using his nose. We play ball in the backyard and Riddick will find the ball every time.
Being a foster home, our goal is to help find a permanent home for our foster dogs so that we can have a place ready for the next Doberman needing our help. I had not expected this to be Riddick’s final home until I saw how my other two Dobermans bonded with him. I watched as my Doberman girls would help guide him; he had his own Seeing Eye dogs.
We soon began our next adventure and began training Riddick to be a therapy dog at Ohio Therapy Dog Training Center, Inc. While in training, Riddick had to learn to navigate around wheelchairs, IV poles, in crowds and on elevators. We are regularly going in new buildings that he is not familiar with and facing new challenges around every corner, but he does it so naturally that people sometimes don’t realize that he is blind. Riddick and I now regularly visit different Nursing, Assisted Living and Senior homes where we both get so much enjoyment with our new purpose.
Today Riddick has earned his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) and is a registered TD Inc. therapy dog. Riddick’s adventures are not done yet we will just have to see what the next challenges are that we want to take on.
October 27th, 2011 | Category: In the news Posted: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 8:45 am | Updated: 8:58 am, Wed Oct 26, 2011.
Collin McRann Douglas Budget
http://www.douglas-budget.com/news/article_d75e313e-ffe1-11e0-b7f9-001cc4c03286.html
 Bonnie Guzman of Denver and her doberman, Porter helped locate grave sites at the Pioneer Cemetery north of Douglas Oct. 23. Porter has been trained to smell and locate historic human remains. The Pioneer Cemetery north of Douglas was originally a resting place for around 90 people, but as times have changed many of the original residents have been moved or lost to time.
However, the Douglas Historic Preservation Commission has overseen efforts which have revealed many of the cemetery’s unmarked graves. On Oct. 23 trained dogs were taken to the cemetery where they indicated 81 locations with the smell of human remains.
“I’m really pleased with him (Brahma),” dog handler Amy Reed from Laramie said about her dog. “This is kind of like a training for him and it’s neat to see how keen their noses are. For me as a handler it’s just interesting to see another team member work especially an expert in the field.”
Three dog handlers were present, including Bonnie Guzman of Denver and her dog Porter and Reed and Becky Hale of Cheyenne with a couple of her bloodhounds. However, Unlike the other dogs, Porter has been specifically trained to locate historic human remains.
When Porter smells something of interest he barks, then sits on the spot where he thinks the smell originated, then usually barks again. At first the locations indicated by the dogs looked random, but after around 20 minutes rows started to appear.
Though some graves are still marked by their original stones, others have been lost and even a few of the stone markers were not indicated by the dogs for human remains.
“All things considered, we didn’t have ideal conditions or weather, but it went pretty good,” Guzman said.
The handlers came in part to help train their dogs, but Hale said at times the cemetery presented challenges to one of her dogs Teke. She said it was good training for them because historic remains can be more difficult for dogs to pickup on.
Last Spring the historic commission used information obtained from an earlier imaging project to mark many of the unmarked graves with small white crosses. However, a few more crosses will be needed as many plots have not been marked.
“Some (plots) that we had marked, the dogs didn’t note at all. Evidently, those were places where there had been a grave, but the body had been moved.” Sherri Mullinnix of the commission said. “Then they found a number of places, again in the designated rows, where (the dogs indicated) remains in them where we didn’t have any indication they were there. Evidently, they were unmarked graves.”
Though no graves were located outside of the cemetery fence, the dogs indicated they smelled something to the west of the cemetery before the wind came up.
The cemetery was used for 16 years between 1886 to 1902, however, many wooden grave markers were lost during a grass fire in 1946. Additionally, over the years, many of the bodies in the original cemetery have been moved to the current Douglas Park Cemetery near Washington Park.
September 2nd, 2011 | Category: In the news  by MATTHEW NASH
Sequim Gazette
Marie McCooey, 85, of Sequim loves Doberman Pinschers — always has and always will, she said.
“They are so human and highly intelligent,” she said while sitting between her two Dobermans J.R., 3, and Rhodey, 7, as they towered over her.
“They are lap dogs. Trouble is, he’s 90 pounds.”
McCooey recently accomplished a new feat in her 70-plus years of Doberman ownership. One of her dogs won best of breed and grand champion at a specialty show.
J.R., also known as “Hidden Acres a Quest for Victory,” won grand champion and best of breed at the Puget Sound Doberman Pinscher Club Show on Aug. 19 in Enumclaw.
McCooey said J.R. won best of breed at other breed shows but this is his first specialty show win. He beat more than 50 other high-standing Dobermans, including some of the nation’s top owners.
Currently, J.R. sits 19th on the Top 20 list of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America and with the significant win, he could advance further up the list next month.
Top Dog
McCooey’s home shows an obvious love of her dogs, with Doberman art and sculptures, award ribbons, pictures and road signs adorning her walls. Sometimes she speaks in a loving, high-pitched voice to her dogs as they play together or bite a chew toy.
Since her teens, she’s owned 12 Dobermans with only a two-year absence in that time.
“They are very people-oriented,” McCooey said.
“Because of the war people think they are vicious. I’ve never had a problem. (The dogs) think everyone comes to see them and not me, which is OK with me.”
Doberman pinschers date back to dog breeding by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann in 1890.
McCooey said she’s heard them called dogs with human brains.
“They understand everything you say,” she said, “They look right in your eyes.”
For the record
Competitions don’t come as often as McCooey might like. She drives her dogs to shows rather than flying, so she mostly stays on the West Coast, which she feels affects her dogs’ rankings because most shows, including nationals, occur on the East Coast.
 Early on, McCooey and her Dobermans became well known for their success. One of her first dogs, Thais, held a world record with his family for being the first litter to have eight champions. All of the pups and their parents were named after operas.
McCooey said she wanted Dobermans her whole life but never intended to show them until a friend encouraged her.
She said Dobermans aren’t high-maintenance but it’s good to consult with other trainers for advice. For younger trainers, McCooey advises you always give dogs good food, plenty of water and protect them from the weather.
“Obedience training is really good,” she said. “I’ve put dogs through obedience. You need to try to make them mind … basic things help.”
Give love
She feels showing love remains the most basic gift.
 “I couldn’t stand not to take good care of them,” she said.
McCooey doesn’t tie up her dogs and doesn’t understand why people would leave their dogs outside all the time.
“Why bother having a dog if they never come in?” she asked. “They are better protection for your home if you are gone.”
Several years ago, McCooey bred Dobermans once but found she doesn’t have the time or energy for it any more. She kept one of the puppies, Rhythm, who died four years ago from cardiomyopathy. Some of her dogs have lived up to 14 years. The lifespan of Dobermans is 10-14 years.
McCooey said she named her former show dog Rhodey, actually Rhododendron, after a flower because a friend consoled her after Rhythm’s death by saying naming animals after flowers means they’ll live longer.
Showing dogs continues to be a thrill for McCooey. One room in her home holds walls of photos and ribbons from special events.
She’s planning to compete at the 2013 nationals in California. Her first and only nationals appearance was in Portland, Ore., in the mid-1990s.
McCooey moved to Sequim 21 years ago after retiring from 31 years with Pacific Telephone Company. She is a member of the Puget Sound Doberman Pinscher Club and Doberman Pinscher Club of America and uses her acreage to let the dogs play and continue her other passion, gardening.
Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
http://search.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2011-08-31_long_leash_of_love_for_dobies
July 25th, 2011 | Category: In the news PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST:
The American Kennel Club is seeking our help in identifying stories regarding real people impacted by the military’s policy banning Doberman Pinschers and other breeds. If you have a story, or know someone who does, please email shani.stjohn@mslgroup.com as quickly as you can. In your email, please let us know where you are located (city, state).
July 21st, 2011 | Category: In the news For a project we are currently researching, I would like to speak with any DPCA members who have a professional background in mass market/consumer advertising. We are not looking for a volunteer at this time, just an opportunity to speak with a DPCA member who has experience in this area.
Thanks in advance,
Shani St. John
Public Education Coordinator
shani.stjohn@mslgroup.com
July 17th, 2011 | Category: In the news CROSS POSTING IS ENCOURAGED
Dear DPCA Members,
This September we will commemorate one of the most important and tragic days in American history. The 10th anniversary of 9-11 will be an occasion of great national unity and remembrance for the thousands of attack victims and their families. It will also be an occasion to focus on the heroes who gave their all to save the lives of survivors and respectfully recover the remains of the fallen.
It is my honor to report to you that after several months of work behind the scenes, the DPCA will be in the forefront of this national commemoration that will be broadcast internationally. Jeff Helsdon and the team he assembled for our centennial will be working on the Finding One Another http://www.findingoneanother.org/ project and will represent DPCA and our dogs. We will focus on Doberman service in the attack aftermath as they joined many other Search and Rescue heroes. And, the organizers of this national event in New York City have agreed to include the history of Doberman service to our nation as a key part of the ceremonies.
We expect this event to receive global media coverage that will further enhance the reputation, understanding and appreciation of the Doberman Pinscher.
I want to thank Jeff, his team members and the Tails of Hope Foundation for the great privilege of marking this important national event and recognizing the great service of our Dobermans and all Search and Rescue dogs.
Best Regards,
Jan Van Wormer
DPCA President
June 15th, 2011 | Category: In the news When the tornadoes hit Joplin, MO May 22, 2011, several Doberman Search and Rescue teams were on the ground the next day. Here are some bios and photos of 4 of the Dobermans who were called in for SAR duties in those critical days immediately after the disaster.
http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=95603031
 Gabriel (First Stryk's Way of the Warrior, WAC, CGC, SAR-HRD) owned by Maria Ciski and certified in Human Remains Detection. Gabe is a 4 year old male Doberman operational as a human remains detection dog and also working as a historical canine. Gabe development as a search and recovery dog began with training the skills needed to understand scent work, solve complicated problems and develop agility skills needed to handle varied terrain. An agile, “thinking” doberman, Gabe has excellent problem solving skills and understanding of scent work. A quick learner, he continues to do well in training.
Gabe is owned and handled by Maria Ciski of Wichita, Kansas. He is a member of Great Plains Search Dogs, the Kansas City Regional Fire Departments Heavy Rescue response team and an auxiliary member of Michigan Search and Rescue.
Gabe recently worked in his first major disaster search in response to the tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri.
 Lexie (First Stryk Royal Purple, WAC) owned by Irene Korotev. Lexie is certified in HRD and has NAPWADA certification (National Police Working Dog Assocation) Lexie has been a member of Missouri Search & Rescue K-9 unit since 2007. Her foundation training is in trailing and human remains detection. Lexie recently earned certification from the North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) as a Cadaver Detection Team.
Lexie is also a member of the bi-state Kansas City Regional Fire Departments Heavy Rescue response team. Basic training includes agility, obedience, direction and control, in addition to scent detection work. The canines work in conjunction with the firefighters in disasters, supporting their search and rescue mission by using their scent detection skills to help locate victims under rubble. Her participation with the heavy rescue team in the Joplin tornado recovery efforts is her first official disaster search.
 Styx (Irinland Emili Ester CGC, SAR-HRD, WAC, ATT, BH) owned by Tiffany Mahaffey and certified in Human Remains Detection. The foundation bitch of the First Stryk Dobermanns’ bloodlines, “Styx”, is a direct import from Moscow, Russia. Styx is very high-drive with a deep nose that has earned her Letters of Commendation in the field of search and rescue as a Certified Human Remains Detection canine. She has responded to numerous incidents throughout Kansas and Missouri and has been credited with several finds in her short 6-year career. Her progeny are demonstrating her natural abilities in the fields of scent detection (SAR and police work) with several having joined her on multiple searches. Schutzhund is another area in which Styx has shown a natural ability that we hope to pursue in the future.
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