Caterina turned 9 years old today. And as of today, we will be embarking on a new career for her.

While Cat has done great things as a therapy dog, I think she can do so much more. So, she will start the training to be a Disaster Stress Relief Dog (DSRD) through TDI. This will crank her training up a huge notch, and take her somewhat out of her comfort zone. I am curious to see how she does

The first part of her training will be evaluating her reaction to a police car siren. She will go into it cold, with no warning. If she flips out or shows extreme stress, we will stop and she will be content to be a therapy dog. If she does well, we will move on to fire engines and ambulances.

The test for DSRD is extremely difficult- there have been times when 30 dog/handler teams have been tested, and none have passed. The test is only offered a couple of times a year- there is one on the 29th of this month in TX, but we won't be in that one. Each test, each situation, is different and there is no advance notice of what the test will include - TDI warns that testing will take 12 hours.

I will hopefully be able to get someone to film the evaluations and the various training exercises that I put Cat through. Since I don't know anyone with a DSRD, I am going into the training a bit blind and will be throwing everything I can think of at her. If I am able, I will post the videos here so you all can critique us as well- I will need honest and brutal evaluations as that is what the testers will be like.

We will see how it goes Our police car siren eval will be in 2 weeks... and we will go from there.

Cross your fingers

-Kel and Cat

PS, I would like to do this with Drift someday, but feel she's too immature emotionally to handle the stress of this job at this point. Maybe in a few years for her...

These dogs are desperately needed. Best of luck.

Good for you for trying, you'll have to tell us all about it.


Even if she doesn't pass, you will learn a ton, perhaps how to prepare your next project.

Hoping she doesn't howl with the siren!

Good luck Cat & Kelly.

From me too .... hoping to read all about it!

Kelly, how does Caterina do with sirens now?

Hey Kel, sounds like a great new 'job' for Cat.

Keep up posted on how it all goes.

Have fun!!

Tammy, as far as I know, she's only heard one once. We were in the pasture with the horses one evening when an ambulance went by with lights and sirens on. She looked, but that was it.

My goal with the police car eval is to have her go in and out of the back seat with the siren wailing. We'll start off a ways from the car and move her closer. As she gets comfortable with that, I'll have the officer drive by us a few times. Then I'll have him stop next to us and I'll have her get into the car. I am hoping that she won't even blink an eye and all will go well

The fire engine and ambulance will be similar, but I won't have her get into them. I'll see if I can get her to jump on the bumper of the engine and maybe touch front paws on the ambulance. I'll ask the fire crew to gear up and walk/run by her, and see if the ambulance crew will walk/run a stretcher by her- the noise and the movement will be critical in her training, I think.

I will be doing all of this in the daylight as well as in the dark. I think the lights will have more of an effect on the dogs in the dark, so I want her exposed to everything in the dark.

This is all "theory" and it may all change once I get her out there experiencing stuff.

So far, I've had 5 officers offer to help (I only mentioned it to one) They are interested in the training and eager to help. One of the officers is also on the volunteer fire crew and has access to fire apperatus too.

It should be interesting, and like Betty said, even if she doesn't pass, I will be learning a lot for future training. I was looking at video cameras today so I hope I can get it all on video so others can see what we do right, and what we do wrong.

Sounds like you have it all planned out. It will be interesting to see and hear about it. Good luck!