AKC Honors English Springer Spaniel "Morgan"

AKC Honors Outstanding Dogs with
2006 AKC Awards for Canine Excellence

Search and Rescue Dog: “Morgan” from Lebanon, N.J.

Morgan, an English Springer Spaniel, is a certified wilderness air scent, water and cadaver search dog. She and her owner, Katrene Johnson, have participated in over 50 searches nationwide. In September 2001, Morgan and Katrene were called upon to search for DNA material in the debris from Ground Zero. Morgan faithfully searched the quarter square mile of debris that had been deposited at Staten Island’s Fresh Kills Land Fill. Her contribution helped to give numerous families the answers they sought about their loved ones.

In 2005, Morgan was instrumental in the relief efforts of another catastrophe. Hancock County, Mississippi called upon search and rescue teams to help track down their missing citizens after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. Morgan and a few other teams were responsible for clearing neighborhoods before residents returned to survey the damage to their homes. With Morgan’s help, Hancock County completed its mission of locating all missing citizens.

Katrene Johnson and 'Morgan (Above) & Maia (below)
from West New Jersey K9 Search+Rescue website:

Katrene is the President of West Jersey K-9 and has training skills, which served many wonderful K-9’s. Currently Katrene is working with two English Springer Spaniels who have tough shoes to fill since the passing of Katrene's old rescue dog 'Dan.' Dan was famous for his many wilderness, cadaver and water search and rescues.
Morgan is a 4-year-old English Springer Spaniel who is up to any challenge she me come across. The hundreds of hours logged in her training is apparent when you watch her methodically work out a difficult HRD problem. Morgan is a seasoned veteran, certified in HRD and water search work. As you can see in this picture, her happy smile (above) and intent gaze on Katrene shows you just how much fun she has doing the job.


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Over and over, I've seen examples of Springers put to use working to make our lives safer, as exemplified by Katrene's Morgan and Maia in pictures above. Once Springer rescue placed a dog with the USDA where they trained him to sniff out contraband plants & products.

Give a Springer a job and you've made his/her life better and happier. Not all Springers can hunt, but many could be trained to do so many other things. If nothing else, consider training YOUR Springer to get a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certificate from the AKC. Your Springer will thank you!

Update on Rosie in Fremont

From the post "Things Heating Up," the last dog on that post was the bald Springer, Rosie. I just snapped an "after" adoption picture 2 months since Cheryl decided to adopt Rosie. The vet put Rosie on thyroid replacement, Cheryl is feeding her nutritious food and of course the secret ingredient is love, and our bald girl is growing her coat slowly back but surely.

New Link: SF Dogs Blog

I am adding a new link to a site SF Bay Area dog lovers might enjoy: SF Dogs Blog. Jon has found a niche and does it well: Photographing dogs he encounters on the sidewalks of San Francisco. If you live there and shop while walking your dog, your dog might end up being immortalized! And it turns out Jon has some fame also. He was interviewed for Current TV, I an internet & satellite TV channel. You can view the short VIDEO HERE. And this just in: I saved you all the trouble and ferreted out the only English Springer (as of 8/6/06). Click here to see the ENGLISH SPRINGER on DOG BLOG