Welcome to the Search Dog Podcast, brought to you by the National Search Dog Alliance, the voice of canine search and rescue. 

This is a BONUS episode for the Science and Exciting Advances of the 2021 National Search Dog Alliance Podcast Conference, an eight-part series on the past, present, and future of canine search and rescue. 

In today's episode, I talk with Tom Osterkamp, Professor Emeritus,  at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Tom is a member of the National Search Dog Alliance (NSDA) and  the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA).

Tom authored the book, Detector Dogs and Scent Movement: How Weather, Terrain, and Vegetation Influence Search Strategies. Tom has certified dogs in area, trailing, HRD, and evidence and he and his dogs have passed more than 45 national level certifications. 

He is currently in training with his sixth SAR dog.

Active in K9 SAR for 27 years, Tom has participated in over 150 searches, about 2000 hours formal instruction in NIMS, SAR, ICS, Arctic survival, human tracking, dog training (scent theory, air scenting, disaster, first responder, trailing, cadaver, water search, and evidence). Tom was a NASAR Lead Evaluator and NSDA Principal Evaluator qualified to administer tests in area, trailing, land HRD, and water HRD, an INBTI trailing instructor, and NASAR SAR Tech II qualified searcher.

Tom and his dogs have performed searches conducted on behalf of the FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and for various state and local agencies. 

Our cover art is from the SAR Shop, where you can find gifts and gear for you, your dog, and your friends! Find them at sarshop.com.

If you would like to be a guest, or suggest someone else, or submit questions for future guests, get in touch with us as PodcastDIV@n-sda.org.