Animal Chronicles Summer 2007
Mazale: The dog in the Superman Cape
by Jean Mansen
How did an abandoned, oversized and rambunctious black Labrador puppy come to be a hardworking and well-respected search and rescue dog working for the Los Angeles County Fire Department? This is Mazale’s story, one of a small litter of pups rescued from a vacant lot across from a veterinarian’s office by Marin Humane Society officers and then handpicked by MHS employees Carol Skaggs and Larry Carson to enter the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF).
“Mazale’s high energy level and high drive to work would have made him a difficult pet, but also makes him perfect for doing search and rescue work,” says Larry, a dog evaluator at MHS.
The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s mission is to produce the most highly trained canine disaster search teams in the nation so that they can find people buried in the wreckage of natural disasters. SDF recruits dogs from shelters and breed rescue groups, provides professional training, and partners the dogs with firefighters and other first responders. SDF also provides lifetime care for each dog in its program so that, once rescued, they will never have to be rescued again.
Mazale is the first MHS rescue dog placed with SDF’s training center in Gilroy to complete the extensive training program and be placed with a fire department. A second MHS dog named Cowboy is following quickly behind and is expected to graduate from the SDF training program soon.
After Mazale’s graduation from SDF earlier this year, he was matched with his handler, Jason Vasquez, a Los Angeles County Fire Department Engineer with 10 years of fire service, and the two embarked on a new life together. They are together 24/7 and their days are marked by long training sessions. The two have been a team for only a few months and are still getting to know each other. Jason said that he knew it would be demanding to work with a dog, especially one with as much energy and drive as Mazale, but he had no idea how intense it would be. Or how rewarding.
While Mazale was quick and agile from the get-go, he didn’t take to much of the work at first. Jason commented that, “He didn’t like climbing ladders and was afraid of heights, but now it is as if he has a Superman cape on with a big ‘M’ on his back.”
Jason notes that the key to successful training is to be “consistently inconsistent,” taking advantage of heat, rain, sun, and changing circumstances and work conditions. The dogs must climb through rubble, up or over ladders, through piles of decomposing grass or piles of manure, and work in large fields. Maintaining laser-like focus on their handlers ensures their safety and the safety of the other dogs and handlers working in the same vicinity through these difficult and dangerous situations.
The attention Mazale pays to Jason and his complete trust in him is truly impressive. Once frightened of climbing a six-foot ladder or walking on a one by six-foot board, if Jason tells him to do it, he confidently tackles the task. Mazale likes nothing more than a good swim after a big workout, but he will stop on a dime, front paws poised along the water’s edge and his face turned to Jason if asked.
An intelligent, intuitive and observant dog, Mazale can read Jason’s body language so well that he anticipates what his handler will want and begins to act before being given any verbal guidance or command. While this may seem like a good thing, it is crucial for search and rescue dogs to wait for the verbal command. No doubt, as Mazale and Jason work on this issue, other challenges will arise — Jason knows that is Mazale’s nature. But Jason enjoys the challenge and appreciates the bond with Mazale. It is as if the dog and firefighter are one: Once Mazale’s eyes lock on Jason, he bolts straight and sits close to his side.
Mazale and Jason are at the beginning of a long and promising journey together, one that will be marked by significant hours spent training and a great deal of work. The bond the two have established is already remarkable and will only increase, which is critical as it is necessary to keep both of them safe in the work they do.
Jean Mansen is a volunteer in the MHS behavior and training department and frequently writes for dog publications.
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