Pixel proving worth in search and rescue
This week we begin a series on the unsung heroes of the canine world - working dogs. First up Carly Gooch catches up with search and rescue dog Pixel and her owner Johnny Fris.
A helicopter may be no place for a dog, but for Pixel, it’s just part of her job.
Constable Jonny Fris and his family adopted Pixel, a female bearded collie/german shorthaired pointer cross threeand-a-half years ago with the intention of training her as a search and rescue (SAR) dog.
Now, three years after beginning her training, she is a fully fledged wilderness area search dog, one of only two in the South Island and four in New Zealand.
For more than 10 hours a week, Fris trained Pixel with hide and seek games, took her ‘‘everywhere and anywhere’’ and rewarded her when she completed tasks.
‘‘You’re just doing scenarios so it pretty much relies on volunteers hiding from me and playing games together.’’
Unlike tracking dogs which follow a scent on the ground where a person has walked, Pixel detects human scent in the air.
‘‘She could pick up the source of someone hiding in a bush or down a hill.
‘‘She’s trained to find them and just sit and bark at them until I arrive.’’
While most of the training was done with Fris, he was also required to attend two training camps a year with Pixel, where they would be assessed and given assistance.
‘‘Once you’re at the point where they’re comfortable that your dog could go operational, you go to an assessment camp held once a year. When you complete that and pass, you become operational.’’
He said Pixel did well.
‘‘She was very enthusiastic and worked hard.
‘‘She absolutely loves it.’’
One of the challenges of training Pixel was making her comfortable with flying in a helicopter.
Fris said it was a gradual process, taking her down to the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter base and easing her into the machines.
Pixel would visit the base with Fris, being given treats, toys and encouragement while the helicopter was on the ground.
He said it was about making it ‘‘a fun and enjoyable’’ experience and getting her familiar with it all.
Over time, Pixel progressed to getting in the helicopter while it was running, going for a short flight and being winched in a harness while the helicopter remained grounded.
While appearing unfazed with flying, Fris said he didn’t think any dog would ‘‘find their calling in a helicopter’’.
‘‘I think she trusts in the people she’s with and is willing to go along and do what she needs to do.’’
Throughout the more than 1000 hours of training to get Pixel qualified, he said he couldn’t have done it without the support of family, friends along with the police, the land SAR team and the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter.
‘‘Those guys are willing to leave their families at a moment’s notice and go out searching ... it’s nice to be involved in that side.’’
Becoming qualified in early October, Pixel has already been involved in two SAR jobs, including a multi-day search on the West Coast and a recent job where she found the person.
Fris said it was ‘‘really rewarding’’ when Pixel located someone’s loved one.
‘‘That’s the main purpose of it, even if you can only get one find in your whole career ... it’s absolutely amazing to help someone’s family.’’
Constantly being trained for new experiences and situations, Pixel will be able to continue in the job as long as she passes a yearly assessment.
‘‘Potentially some dogs work up to 12 years and can have quite a long operational life.
‘‘For as long as she enjoys the game, she’ll continue.’’