One of the D litter Small Munsterlanders that we bred was selected with lofty goals in mind. His owner, Christoph Bichsel, wanted to join a Search and Rescue team. As he continued to research and discover what is available in his area, they ultimately joined a USAR, or disaster dog, team. Before shipping Sparti, I hauled him around with me so that he was familiar with traveling in his crate. I even took him to Rubbletown near Milwaukee, where he was able to climb on the fringes of the piles and pose for a photo.
Now he is a grown up dog who just earned his FSA, which stands for Foundation Skills Assessment. Having done it with Jinx, I know how difficult it can be and what determination it takes to accomplish. Christoph's team members laugh to recall his early days of training, having never taught a dog to do so much as 'sit' before and having as a first dog one with limitless energy. He persevered and together they learned the skills that may save a life someday.
