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Gunner, anticipating the command to search.
I didn't like the original background at all, which was just a mass of asphalt paving, but I couldn't think of an alternative, at first. I eventually came up with the idea of using another shot of him, which I desaturated to make it less distracting, to fill the empty space. I also put it on a gradient gray to make the background a little less monotonous.
In this image, Gunner is modeling some of the equipment that we use on our search dogs. The vest, which we call a shabrack (def. - the saddlecloth of a cavalry horse), is worn for identification as a search dog and for visibility, since all the white parts are reflective. Some of us use a bear bell (the blue bell in the shot) on our far-ranging area search dogs, so that we can tell where they are when they are out of sight. They also provide notice to the subject that the dog is nearing, so that they won't be startled. For my dog, Cielo, it also can be an indication that he has made the find, because when it goes silent, it often means that he is holding relatively still, licking the face of the subject.
The light stick that you see here, which is used to provide additional visibility at night, is an electric one, but we also sometimes use the chemical ones that you crack to activate. Some of us use an electrically lit collar, instead of or in addition to a light stick. You can also see the clip from the end of the leash, which is imperative, since we often work in urban areas, where there is a lot of traffic. It is also a requirement that our dogs be on leash around base camp, because although they are all well-socialized, some of them can be a little territorial and confrontational with some of the other dogs, while they are around their own vehicles.
