Date posted: July 23, 2016
Through a CPNW initiative led by Gavin Goldblatt, there is now a working K9 team of local dogs with owner handlers trained for tracking people lost on the mountain as well as crime prevention and detection activities. They have already been called out to crime scenes on several occasions, with some success.
Gavin says, "We currently meet on an ad hoc basis, typically once or twice a week. We would welcome any new participants and would happily organise regular training sessions until the dogs are at a standard where they can be integrated into our ad hoc sessions. Most dogs are capable - currently we have a golden retriever, a boxer, an Australian cattle dog and a jack russell in the team. As long as the dog is enthusiastic and wants to work for the handler it can learn to track. Generally, the younger the dog the better - whilst old dogs can learn new tricks they often are less enthusiastic then younger dogs. I must emphasise that the first priority of everything we do is dog and handler safety, and the second is enjoyment by the dog."
Trish Bolleurs is an active member of the team with her golden retriever, and has this to say about the training: “After each training session I have felt a closer bond with my own dog as well as an incredible respect for her sense of smell and abilities in this regard. A dog's gift of smell is incomprehensible to us humans, to the degree that they can track so efficiently. Air scenting and ground scenting is what the dogs have become proficient in, due to perseverance and encouragement from Gavin. I highly encourage any dog enthusiast who has the time to devote to their community to get involved with their dogs of any breed. As a team, we are merely trying to make Noordhoek a safer environment, looking out for each other, and letting those bad elements out there know it will be a difficult task to infiltrate!”
Gavin’s vision is to train a number of K9 units associated with the neighbourhood watches throughout the Valley, and have competitions several times a year to keep interest and standards high.
If you'd like to know more about the programme, or you’re interested in becoming involved, please contact Gavin Goldblatt, gavin@cladegroup.com.
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