08/15/2026
🐾 Training Update from K9 Rhea
Yesterday, we put in some more work as we continue building length, age, and realistic scenario-based training into my trails.
The scenario was a person with early-onset dementia who left home for a walk and became lost. I was presented with their scent at the residence and tasked with figuring out where they had gone.
The trail was approximately ¾ of a mile, about an hour old, and took me roughly 25 minutes to complete through a residential environment. There were plenty of decisions to make and real-world distractions to work through—including Amazon delivery drivers, dogs barking and moving around in their yards, dogs out on walks, neighborhood activity, traffic, and even a few very sketchy lawn mowers that I definitely had to keep an eye on. 🐕😂
Most of our scenario-based training is blind for my handler—he doesn’t know where the person went or what route they took. He has to trust me, read my behavior, and let me independently work the scent problem from start to finish.
We’re continuing to add distance, age, complexity, distractions, and realistic scenarios to our training. Every problem is a little different, and every trail gives us another opportunity to become a better team for when the call is real.
– K9 Rhea 🐕🦺🐾
