Dog Helping Save Lives Goes Back To School With Handler
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: January 25, 2012
Anytime the President of the United States declares a national disaster his designated area, it is the job of one local man, and his dog, to respond immediately.
Dustin Rauch is a physical therapy student in Hardin-Simmons doctoral program, as well as a part of FEMA's disaster response team.
"We have been doing this for four years now," explains Rauch.
Dustin and Bailey are two students you probably don't see everyday in a college classroom.
"We're in class eight hours a day typically," says Rauch.
While many handlers and trainers take their dogs to work with them, Rauch's routine is a bit a different.
From 9am to 5pm Rauch is learning physical therapy skills for his career while Bailey gets some socialization training for her job.
"We take the opportunity to train in any environment we can. In this case, it just happens to be sitting through class," says Rauch.
Thanks to the physical therapy department, Rauch is able to get get his education while simultaneously training his pup.
Rauch says, "Her coming to class with me gives her the ability to get used to commotion and distraction and she's able to just lay there and relax instead of becoming aggressive or nervous."
Some of just a few behaviors Bailey must learn to prepare for a search and rescue mission.
"These dogs are trained to go in and search collapsed buildings for live victims," says Rauch.
Five-year old Bailey has been training with Rauch since she was only six-weeks old.
"It's a great thing to be able to know you're training a dog to possibly save somebody's life one day. They're life could very well depend on whether or not you find them in time," he says.
Even though juggling school and disaster training is a bit of a challenge, Rauch wouldn't want to do it with anyone other than Bailey.
He says, "What better thing than to be able to take man's best friend with you where ever you go? So I'm kind of spoiled in that regard because i get to spend 24 hours a day with her and she is a partner."
Dustin Rauch is a physical therapy student in Hardin-Simmons doctoral program, as well as a part of FEMA's disaster response team.
"We have been doing this for four years now," explains Rauch.
Dustin and Bailey are two students you probably don't see everyday in a college classroom.
"We're in class eight hours a day typically," says Rauch.
While many handlers and trainers take their dogs to work with them, Rauch's routine is a bit a different.
From 9am to 5pm Rauch is learning physical therapy skills for his career while Bailey gets some socialization training for her job.
"We take the opportunity to train in any environment we can. In this case, it just happens to be sitting through class," says Rauch.
Thanks to the physical therapy department, Rauch is able to get get his education while simultaneously training his pup.
Rauch says, "Her coming to class with me gives her the ability to get used to commotion and distraction and she's able to just lay there and relax instead of becoming aggressive or nervous."
Some of just a few behaviors Bailey must learn to prepare for a search and rescue mission.
"These dogs are trained to go in and search collapsed buildings for live victims," says Rauch.
Five-year old Bailey has been training with Rauch since she was only six-weeks old.
"It's a great thing to be able to know you're training a dog to possibly save somebody's life one day. They're life could very well depend on whether or not you find them in time," he says.
Even though juggling school and disaster training is a bit of a challenge, Rauch wouldn't want to do it with anyone other than Bailey.
He says, "What better thing than to be able to take man's best friend with you where ever you go? So I'm kind of spoiled in that regard because i get to spend 24 hours a day with her and she is a partner."
