In May 1993, John Rice attended a dog training seminar taught by Suzanne Clothier in Naperville, Illinois. When he enrolled his K-9 police dog, a Golden Retriever named Molson, in the seminar, he never suspected he would end up marrying the speaker, and move to a busy and wonderful life on a farm in upstate NYDOGS ARE FASTER!

In 1982, John, then a Forest Ranger and police officer, acquired his first canine partner - a Golden Retriever named MacIntosh. Mac went on to such fame as a Search & Rescue dog that when he died in October of 1995, the Chicago Tribune ran his obituary, complete with some of his accomplishments. John and Mac joined Illini SAR and was encouraged by a grand old lady - Marge Kantak, and a superb tracking instructor & judge - Ted Hoesel (now the AKC's first VST judge).

By 1986, John had formed a K-9 SAR/Police Unit for his boss - the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, IL. Consisting of himself and one other handler, the unit quickly boasted 3 dogs, all Golden Retrievers, and all skilled in: tracking, trailing, airscenting (specific & non-specific), evidence, cadaver, water & building searches (and certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association).

These Goldens, trained using John's intuitive methods rather than the traditional approaches, were often called in to do what traditionally trained dogs could not - a reflection not on the other dogs, but on how they were trained. Long before Variable Surface Tracking was even a glimmer in the AKC's eye, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County's K-9 unit was tracking through suburban landscapes, handling pavement, gravel, weird conditions & distractions with ease.

If you'd like to learn a little about the tracking philosophies & methods of a man who AKC's first VST judge Ted Hoesel called "one of three or four people in this country who actually understand tracking," take a good look at John Rice's Following Ghosts [insert link to shopping cart], a booklet that some clubs, SAR groups and police units consider required reading. A whole new world of tracking awaits you and your dog. John Rice is occasionally available for private tracking lessons, as well as seminars for SAR or tracking groups. Please contact us.

Click here to read John Rice's full biography.