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TERRA, Tennessee Emergency Rescue & Recovery Association, Inc., is a volunteer K9 Search and Rescue team lead by Executive Director Nikki Ivey. TERRA is currently available to Middle TN with services in air-scent for lost/missing persons & human remains detection. TERRA is committed to prevention education, and available for seminars; we have safety programs designed for children & adults. TERRA handlers invest in their own dogs and must have a strong bond and working relationship with their K9 partners. Dog/Handler teams are expected to become socially functional and independently reliable. Each handler/dog begins their training by going through an extensive screening process. Handlers are expected to become familiar with dog behaviors and be able to communicate effectively with their K9 partners. Being able to read the dog’s behavior is essential to a working relationship. Thus, K9 Handlers begin early on in building a constructive relationship with their dog. Search dogs are heavily socialized from day one of training—the foundation of building victim loyalty. A happy, confident dog is essential because search & rescue dogs are asked to problem solve; they must be able to think for themselves and figure out how to achieve and accomplish goals.
"TRUST" is a team motto. Teams are expected to work independently of other members, while still working as a unit to accomplish a common goal.
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