Nancy Lyon, My Very Special Friend and Colleague!

My good friend and colleague, Nancy Lyon, a self-employed fabric artist and desktop publisher/copywriter who is well know in the weaving world and as a SAR dog handler, is president & operational leader of the New England K-9 Search and Rescue Organization.

Scent to Serve - Click here to view Nancy's video
The Dogs and Handlers of New England
K-9 Search & Rescue
Created by Brittany H. Butterworth, Colby Sawyer College
graduate 5-08 as her senior capstone project

Her four footed friends are German Shepherds and Malinois. Her 1st dog Sage, (now deceased) was a methodical search dog. I know he is watching over her always. Since Sage, there has been Keeper who I remember found that little 17-month-old boy. The way he watched Nancy with his big brown eyes always “forever hopeful”. Next came Trace. Well what can I say he was just magnificent. Both in looks and the way he works.  Search dog #4 was Quiklie, a rescued Malinois, who has not only learned to like people again, but has found a job searching which she loves to do. And now Nancy is working her 5^th search dog another Malinois, Haven who passed her wilderness certifications at 11 months.  Nancy's dogs have had numerous finds...children, elderly and suicides.

Nancy and I met in the early 1990’s just before she added Keeper to her home. She then joined my puppy class and we have been fast friends since. Nancy and I have always agreed that working dogs is a team effort, both dancing together no real leader just meshing well as one!! With out Nancy’s friendship and encouragement I would never have achieved all that I have Thank you, Nancy, for being such a truly good friend.

We have now co-written a wonderful training manual used by many. Click here for more information about our book, “Create a Happy Eagar and Fun Relationship with your Dog” I would like to thank her for all of her support and hard work and endless encouragement through out the years (maybe with a little kicking and dragging on my part), but we are together an awesome duo. I know each of our dogs have surpassed all of our expectations and more! I can’t wait to see what the next years have to offer!

By chance you might be looking for a very worthwhile organization to support financially, please consider donating to New England K-9 Search and Rescue! Please send donations to New England K-9 SAR, care of Nancy Lyon, 63 Shaker Street, New London, New Hampshire 03257. If you would like to know more about the organization, you can write to the above address or email: nlyonk9@comcast.net. 

About SAR work written by Nancy to one of my e-mail groups. Enjoy!!

"In airscent search & rescue (SAR) work training the dog to be able work through the frustration of complex scent problems is a real challenge for both the handler and the dog. The handler has to learn how long the dog can/will work trying to solve the question of where is the source of the scent. The handler has to learn when & how to "assist" the dog by moving in a way that will lure the dog into a useful area to be able to finish the search. The handler has to judge how much frustration the dog can tolerate before he gives up (because he has no more solutions). The handler's goal is to train a dog convinced that if he has scent he can find the source, period."

"For a young dog the shaping process begins with problems where the wind always brings scent in a "followable" cone and must build to problems where the dog has pieces of scent but no direct scent cone to the source. The well trained, mature airscent dog will work till his heart bursts trying to find a source IF the handler has allowed his frustration to build and then be satisfied at just the right moment (which is the place where the choice to check out another area will solve the problem). "

"For the handler the stress is knowing when that moment is! And of course on real searches the stress is all on the handler because if the dog can't finish the scent problem, the handler has to figure out how to help. Creating dogs and handlers who can perform under very high levels of stress depends on the human welcoming a partner relationship. Partners bring separate talents to the task and find ways to communicate that allow each member's skills to excel. When the handler sees their job as controlling everything the dog does, you will see a non-operant, stress prone relationship.

Dee and I have often talked about the critical quality apparent in all great trainers - they give 100% attention to their dog. I always tell folks who ask about what its like to work with a dog to find lost people that it is like dancing - sometimes I'm leading and sometimes he is leading. And when it is good no one steps on the other toes and once in a while it is perfect and it’s because each of us is unaware of who is leading - there is no dog/handler - there is us."

*** New England K-9 SAR currently has 18 active members and 11 certified dog/handler teams. We will be glad to send you information about us and would greatly appreciate your financial support. Thank you!  nylon@adelphia.net.