Win-win for woof-woofs

For Kahu, Buster and Bouncer, it was almost the end of the line. At Waitakere's animal welfare centre, pooches have only seven days to attract a new owner, and those that fail face being put to sleep. These three had already dodged the needle for three weeks and were well and truly on death row when a last-minute reprieve came their way. The Air Force's dog squad, based at Whenuapai Airbase, was training three new human recruits to be dog handlers, and were in the position to offer three dogs the chance to be trained. Kahu, Buster and Bouncer got the nod. They were taken on by the recruits who best matched their personalities, and from the outset, it was clear the work was tough for all of them. At first, the dogs wouldn't do anything they were asked, no matter how simple the command. Kahu, in particular, had no confidence, and his trainer, Erin McKinney, needed to find a way to bring him out of his shell. Through encouragement ? not discipline ? all the dogs began to respond. ''It's all based on friendship,'' says Air Force dog master Percy Smith. ''The biggest achievement is getting the dog to trust people again, building up a bond with the dog so he wants to do it for you. The work they've done here is huge.'' For the first time in their lives, the animals have found out what it is like to have a purpose, and someone to look up to. One of the dogs, blond Buster, has made excellent progress and even has a chance of being taken on by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The dog squad has indicated this could be an ongoing arrangement, which is welcome news to kennel manager Vicki McFarlane. ''It's a win-win situation for us. The dogs have two weeks' training and the possibility they could be re-homed from their networks. ''If they do come back, their adoption rate should be higher because they've had professional training.''
By Merilee Andrews