Navajo County Search and Rescue

08/28/2026

This past Wednesday, the NCSAR K9 team held their training at our team mate and former Captain, Laurie and Vince's (our former SAR Coordinator) house. We set up two buried problems with multiple distractions in 2.75 acres, a 1.5 acre negative area with a pond, a challenging elevated problem in a wash, an exterior building problem (2), and an outside equipment problem. Great challenges and lessons! Nice dedication to searching. Puppy Smaug had a mental workout on the buried. So many natural animal holes as well as distraction holes. That in itself was a good training!
Big thank you to Vince and Laurie for allowing us to train at their property!

08/26/2026

We sure love our doggies!! Great job to all of the furry Navajo County Search and Rescue members!!

Today we celebrate the dogs who do far more than brighten our lives — they save them!

Across the Search and Rescue community, K9 teams train tirelessly to locate the lost, support disaster response, bring families answers, and stand ready when every minute matters. Their drive, intelligence, and unwavering loyalty make them extraordinary partners in the field.

To every SAR dog, and every handler who puts in the hours beside them, thank you for your dedication, your heart, and your life‑saving work.

Happy National Dog Day! 🐕‍🦺❤️

08/24/2026

This morning, the NCSAR K9 team trained off Pinedale Road, searching for a male subject. 35 - 50 acres across a large wash and steep hills. Temps started from 68 - 90 degrees, low winds, humid, and damp from previous rains. Great lessons watchiing the K9s work odor in the sun and shade, air flow from the wash area giving voids and puffs of odor. Great training! We then turned to HRD and worked on buried. Puppy Smaug and K9 Apollo are progressing well and now working on duration at source. The monsoons have brought carpets of flowers and grass. Beautiful area to train in!

08/23/2026

All of us with Navajo County Search and Rescue want to give our retired teammate Mark Hullinger some applause. 👏 Last night he was inducted into the Arizona Wildlife for Tomorrow Hall of Fame. Congrats Mark for this honorable award, you deserve it friend!!

08/20/2026

Today the NCSAR K9 Team invited Willow Raven, of Avoid Rattlers.com, to come and do Rattlesnake Avoidance Training for our K9s. Willow did an awesome job explaining to each Handler what she would be doing and what she wanted us Handlers to do or not do. This year the Rattlers have been out more, and it is important to train our SAR K9s to avoid these Rattlers when they are searching out in the wilderness. Willow used both the Black Rattler and the Diamondback Rattler for the training today as both these Rattlers are found up here in our White Mountains.

A huge thank you to Willow for traveling up our way and doing snake aversion training for our NCSAR K9s!

08/17/2026

This morning, the NCSAR K9 team trained in Snowflake, off Pinedale road searching for a subject with her barking dog. Nice challenges with very low wind speed and sun and shade. The Live Find Dogs did good. We then worked Puppy Smaug on a few aids, solidifying her natural sit at source. She is coming along!

08/11/2026

This morning, the Navajo County Search and Rescue team was called by Navajo County Sheriff's Office to assist the White Mountain Apache Police Department in locating a man missing since July 29, 2026. The areas were rugged, but we persevered through congested forests with down trees. We were unable to locate this gentleman while searching our designated area. It was a privilege to assist the White Mountain Apache Police Department.

08/10/2026

0630 Early morning training for the NCSAR K9 team! Placed HR source first, then we started with the Area Live Find K9s who had to locate two subjects and their dog in 40 acres. We started at 0700 in the high 60s and by the time we finished the last dog, it crept into the mid 80s. After a brief break, the HRD K9s had two sections - 3.7 acres and 3.5 acres to search. Each section had two sources in it. K9 Apollo did well and Puppy Smaug did good too, although she got a little hot, as it was pushing 90 degrees. Great training that shows good lessons we learn to help us be the best we can be.

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08/09/2026

The Navajo County Search and Rescue team had a great evening of training last night. We never know the time that we might get a call out, so we all need to be ready for anything. Working as a team in the evening brings a whole new set of challenges, especially here in the mountains. Having the necessary equipment is vital! Everyone did a great job and was able to follow the clues, and find the "missing subject." Great job, team!
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