About John Rice

Any handler working with a dog in the realm of scent has to trust his dog, read his dog, and master the complex nuances of how that amazing nose works.

About John Rice

In May 1993, John Rice attended a dog training seminar taught by Suzanne Clothier in Naperville, Illinois. Little did he know that by enrolling his K-9 police dog, a Golden Retriever named Molson, in the seminar that he would ultimately end up changing his life beyond his wildest dreams.

29 years later, he’s still with that crazy woman who taught the seminar, and surrounded by animals big and small, furred and feathered. And still fascinated by scent and dogs.

Enjoy learning about his journey!

DOGS ARE FASTER!

In 1981, Forest Ranger John Rice assisted in a lengthy (12 hour) foot search for a lost person. After 11 1/2 hours, some bright fellow in administration finally decided to call in the local K-9 Search & Rescue Unit – Illini SAR. One half-hour later, the dog handlers informed the weary searchers that the lost party had gotten in a car and left the area – which indeed, as it turns out, they had.

The efficiency of a K-9 search unit was not lost on Ranger Rice, who had spent and would spend many hours of his life searching for people in trouble. In 1982, John 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.

Whatever you may learn from John Rice’s teachings, know that they came directly from the very deep soul of a truly great dog – John just listened carefully and tried to put it into words for folks not lucky enough to have Mac as their partner.

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). Both challenged John to master the most difficult lesson of all for any handler who wishes to work with a dog in the realm of scent – to trust his dog, to read his dog, and to learn about the world of scent in all its endless variables.

A SAR IS BORN

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).

Tracking judge Ted Hoesel, asked to evaluate the unit in 1989, was stunned to learn that these dogs had proficiency in each of the scent work styles, and that this had been accomplished in 2 hour weekly training sessions using only the two handlers and an occasional “victim” they could con into participating. His comment? “This isn’t possible – you can’t teach scent specific tracking using only two people!” Fortunately, no one had informed the dogs of this.

From 1986 to his early retirement in 1995, this all Golden unit was the brunt of many jokes from other police units who took pride in their Bloodhounds, German Shepherds & Rottweilers. This led to some amusing moments, such as the search for a shallow grave where a policeman commented that they should have called in “real dogs, like the ones who were on the Brown’s Fried Chicken case [where the dogs were searching for dismembered body parts].” He was then politely informed that these sweet, occasionally goofy Goldens were those “real dogs.”

THE WORLD IS A VARIABLE SURFACE

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. In one incident, Molson (a MacIntosh daughter) tracked a perpetrator from the scene of a crime back to his own yard and then “informed” John (through her body language) that the perp had left in a car a few hours earlier. She did this using the perp’s shoe as a scent article, on a track that was nearly 30 hours old, well over a mile long, and that crossed through yards, streets – even a four lane highway.

Amazing? Not really. Simply a well trained dog using her God given gifts to their utmost. (Just one more note: after John told the police what Molson had “told” him, the police then informed John that indeed, the perp had left from that very spot a few hours earlier – when they arrested him and put him in the squad car! They only wanted the track run to add to their evidence against the guy.)

REAL LIFE TRACKING

John’s dogs and dogs he has trained have far exceeded the demands of any AKC tracking event. If you doubt that, consider this – the typical start (and we use the word loosely) of a Search & Rescue track:

  • It is 2 AM on a cold, rainy night
  • You and your dog are pulled from a deep sleep with no warning
  • The “scent article” has been handled by several people before you get it OR
  • Your scent article is the driver’s side door handle on a car, or the driver’s seat, or a shirt button, or nothing at all
  • 50 well meaning searchers have been combing your track area for hours
  • The “start” is believed to be somewhere in a half-mile stretch of roadside
  • The direction of the first leg is believed to be X, though it may also be A, Q or Z
  • Your track may cover any terrain possible, including rivers, 8 foot fences, swamps, landfills, interstate highways and backyards with hostile resident dogs
  • There may be no “end” to your track – your subject just keeps moving, or gets in a car, or is actually no where near the area and is sipping coffee in MacDonald’s a few miles away

Do dogs track successfully under these conditions? Yes. Every day, across the country, highly trained K-9’s work under such conditions.

SEARCH WORK VS. COMPETITIVE TRACKING

There are, for some reason, a lot of folks in the tracking community who feel that Search & Rescue tracking has little or no bearing on AKC or Schutzhund tracking, and persist in their old fashioned methods which are simply not used in SAR training. Perhaps some of this arises from the misconception that all SAR dogs work as “airscenting” dogs. This is not true. Under a variety of conditions, airscenting is highly ineffective and/or dangerous, and ideally, a search dog can then switch gears to the tracking mode.

Of course, even within the SAR community there persists a notion that an airscenting dog can’t be trained to track or vice versa. When pressed, trainers who spout this will often admit that this is a limitation of the handler and the training method, not the dog.

As explained in our book Following Ghosts, all dogs are capable of tracking, trailing and airscenting, and do all 3 every day many, many times depending on which style of scenting is most expedient under the given conditions. Commonsense would seem to tell you that the method that created dogs who can track under the bizarre and variable conditions of a search would also be effective for the relatively simple TD, TDX and VST tracks.

After all, tracking is tracking. Period. The only difference between a SAR track and an AKC track or Schutzhund track is a matter of style, and the rules applied to the dog’s tracking.

The Tracking Relationship

SAR work allows the dog great latitude in how he does his job, and no one is standing around gasping because the dog lifted his head from a footstep or cut a corner. Teaching the precision required and desired by Schutzhund tracking, and to a much lesser degree AKC tracking, is simply a matter of shaping the dog’s tracking style, and is the responsibility of the handler.

There is one point in which we will agree with the AKC tracking folks – the methods SAR trainers use are not as effective with AKC tracking fans for one very serious reason – SAR training requires a deep, trusting relationship between dog and handler, and not one that is bought or created through the use of hot dog slices carefully placed. In fact, the relationship between dog and handler is the critical factor – without it, SAR work is simply not possible.

Today, retired from police work and the Forest Preserve, John Rice teaches tracking using the philosophies learned from the real tracking experts – the dogs, and helping handlers understand the complexities of scent. If you’d like to learn a little about the tracking philosophies & methods of a man 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 Following Ghosts, or consider lessons in person (or via Zoom) with John. A whole new world of tracking awaits you and your dog.

What our customers say about us

RCT Skills for Reactive Dogs - helping him blossom!

Very useful and applicable even for the non-professional trainer. Lots of helpful tips and ideas to help us with our adopted Australian Shepherd who is defensively aggressive and a little unsure of how to deal with the world at times. These techniques along with lots of patience are helping him to really blossom and it is very rewarding to see him relaxing and enjoying life. He was about 7 years old when we brought him home – it’s never too late to help!

Chantelle Beare

A Suzanne Clothier seminar is must-have experience for all dog lovers.

Suzanne Clothier is the best. She has been a regular presenter at For Your K9 for nearly two decades. Her knowledge about everything dog with her quick wit makes any Suzanne Clothier Seminar a wonderful experience of learning and laughing. After her first visit many years ago, we revamped our training program to incorporate Suzanne’s teachings and now For Your K9 is known for solving behavior issues and great training in our area. A Suzanne Clothier seminar is must-have experience for all dog lovers.

Nancy Reyes, For Your K9, Chicago, IL

Really Real Relaxation Pro - Incredibly helpful!

Incredibly helpful for reactive, high-energy, and dogs that need and on/off switch! I love this exercise and describe it to dog owners as a team meditation exercise. It’s an exercise every reactive dog should have the the opportunity to learn, for sure. I find this approach helps the dog their chill more independently and organically. The requirement of the handler to also regulate themselves helps to keep my tendency to micromanage in check. I have made dramatically better progress helping a dog find relaxation and self-regulate using this protocol after a single session than with weeks of daily drills with another protocol. (That sounds cliche, but it is true.) It is very integration-into-your-life-friendly. So great!

Laura Fennel

Inspirational, engaging and thought-provoking

I first met Suzanne through her insightful, wonderful book Bones Would Rain From The Sky. The book alone had me hooked and I wanted to meet this amazing author in person. I was delighted to host her for a series of 4 seminars in the UK. She didn’t disappoint! The woman that I met through the pages of her book, was even more inspirational in person and was an engaging and thought-provoking speaker. Suzanne is a consummate professional and delivered a world-class service for the lucky people who were able to attend. She had our audience spellbound from the beginning, right through to the end. I can’t wait to have you come back again!

Gemma Fisher, Fisher Fix Dogs, UK

Really Real Relaxation Pro - "jewels" to add to my toolbox

RRR Pro

I enjoyed the course but more importantly, as a pro trainer, and I always look for new modalities and ideas to bring to my private training practice. This methodology is one of those “jewels” I will incorporate into my behavior modification toolbox to help my clients help their dogs relax in “real world” scenarios. Suzanne does a terrific job in delivering the information by providing clear examples of her protocol and what is not. However, do not be fooled by the simplicity of the exercise/protocol! There is much more nuance to the steps involved. From my perspective, there is a secondary benefit for dog parents to learn when engaging in Suzanne’s RRR. They will learn to look for small changes in their dog’s body language and demeanor, which supports their dogs in learning how to lower their arousal level.

Almudena Ortiz Cué C.H.A.C.O. Dog Training & Behavior Consulting LLC

Evidence-informed, master of creativity

Suzanne Clothier is an excellent speaker. Her work is evidence-informed from both empirical literature and case studies. She has great rapport with the audience speaking from her head and heart – grounding her work in stories that are funny and breathtaking. She is a master of creativity and communication with her animal partners. Suzanne is a “go-to” expert in the field.

Dr. Jean Larson, University of Minnesota, Nature Based Therapeutics Programs

RCT Skills for Reactive Dogs - Invaluable!

LOVED THIS COURSE! This course is exactly what I was looking for. There is so much helpful information provided to help out our reactive dogs and their handlers. The specific training techniques, spelled out in detail, are invaluable. In addition to all the training techniques. The bonus material is much more than I ever expected. Well worth the price and I am excited to put these principles & techniques into action with my clients and add to my class curriculum. Thank You!

Bev Oliver

RAT (Relationship Assessment Tool) - Helping Clients Achieve Their Goals

Using R.A.T. helps me as a psychotherapist examine and identify essential elements of relationship quickly and clearly with my clients. And relationships are at the heart of most human issues. R.A.T. helps me point out therapeutic issues in a fundamental way that is often easier for clients to absorb because their interactions with an animal seem removed from their “real life,” with all the emotional landmines real life contains. The information I get from R.A.T. then helps me structure interventions that have a greater likelihood of helping clients achieve their goals. It helps me work on the issue rather than the symptoms of the issue.

Ann Howie, LISCW, ASCW, CCA, CCFT, Human-Animal Solutions, author Teaming With Your Therapy Dog

Observation Skills Part 1 - Exceed my expectations!

OBS Part 1

The course that keeps on giving. Having taken many of Suzanne’s courses and webinars, I know they are always going to exceed my expectations. This course is not a checklist. It is training your brain to be a better observer. You’ll have several aha-moments during the course and course work, but it continues way beyond that. You will observe everything differently, and continue to improve your observation skills after this course. It doesn’t happen overnight, but the road to improvement is fascinating once you know the limitations of your own mind and how to better overcome those limitations. I can’t wait for part 2 of this course.

Vibeke Alstad Jagne

RAT (Relationship Assessment Tool)

RAT has added some powerful skills to my professional trainer toolbox. RAT helps me identify what skills & support are needed for dog & handler The RAT score sheet provides each client with great clarity and the opportunity to dig into a specific, well though-out training plan that meets their needs.

Cindy Knowlton CPDT-KA, CNWI, CCA, CRA See Spot Grin