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CANINE COURIER
premiere edition - July 2003

The Canadian Landmine Foundation is proud to launch this premiere edition of Canine Courier. This exciting new quarterly e-newsletter will keep you up to date on our Canine Demine program, contests, events, fun dog facts and more!

As you may know, Canine Demine is a program raising funds here in Canada to train and dispatch landmine detection dogs in mine-affected countries. These incredible dogs help deminers by sniffing the ground slowly and carefully. When they smell a landmine, they signal the deminers, who then start to clear the land manually. Dogs don't actually remove the landmines, but they do help find them - safely, quickly, and efficiently. Each landmine a dog finds is a life or limb saved. No Canadian-trained landmine detection dog has ever been hurt or killed performing this essential service.

Q: How are dogs chosen to be part of the Canine Demine program? Can all types of dogs detect landmines?
- Melissa, Toronto, Ontario

A: The dogs selected to become members of Canine Demine are almost exclusively German Shepherds. As a versatile, all-round breed, Shepherds are consistently sensible and intelligent, easily trained, and with exceptional stamina. These qualities are essential in the dangerous minefield setting. There have been labs used for mine detection work as well as Malinois, but in most cases, neither breed are as consistent and workable as Shepherds. Most of the Canine Demine program dogs were selected from European stock as one-year olds. According to our trainers, German Shepherds from Europe have fewer of the health and temperament challenges present in some North American breed lines.

There are no specific breeding programs for landmine detection dogs. The chosen dogs must be in prime physical health and temperamentally stable. The dogs are vet-checked and have hip and elbow x-rays done. In the selection process, their sense of smell and prey drive (at this point after a tennis ball!) are also evaluated, as they are key elements of the training process.

"A German shepherd typically has about 220 million olfactory receptors, while a human has about 5 million"
("The Nose Knows", www.petsmart.com)

Elisabeth King, from the Canadian Landmine Foundation recently had the opportunity, by mail, to interview Bosnian handler Miljan Zirejevic. He is currently the handler of a 1 ½ year old German Shepherd, the newest landmine detection dog to join our training program. They are currently training in Trebinje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Take a moment to enter our "I Need A Name" contest to find Miljan's dog a name and win great prizes!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself
A: My name is Miljan Zirejevic. I am 23 years old, and am from Sarajevo. I have parents, a sister, and grandfather and lots of friends.

Q: What are your interests?
A: To become a good handler. Originally [I became interested because] I love dogs and I want[ed] to help people in this country live normally.

Q: Describe some of your favourite things about your dog?
A: My favourite thing about my dog is every time when I get near any other dog, he starts to bark at me. [Once, a funny thing that happened during my training was] when he pulled me and I fell down.

Q: What do you think about the work that you do?
A: It is very dangerous but I love it. My favourite thing about it is my dog. I dislike nothing about my job. The big challenge for me is that I'm going into a [dangerous] minefield.

Q: What message would you like to pass on to the people of Canada?
A: Make love not war.

Enter our "I Need A Name" contest at www.caninedemine.org. Contest closes July 15th, 2003. You can win a heated dog bed compliments of Can-Am Marketing (-1800-511-8811), a dog spa kit donated by Petiquette (www.petiquette.ca), a dog travel kit from My Pet Boutique Inc., or a "No More Landmines" t-shirt just for participating!
Please let these companies know that you thank them for supporting Canine Demine!

CONTEST!!!
"I NEED A NAME!"
Miljan and his dog at the training program in Bosnia-Herzegovina

This dog was sponsored by the Youth Mine Action Ambassador Program and schools across Canada.

"Researchers at Cambridge University have applied for funding to test their theory that a dog's sense of smell could provide a better early warning system for some cancers than modern science."
-BBC, May 24th, 2002

Let everyone know you want no more landmines! Support the Canadian Landmine Foundation's demining projects by purchasing a "No More Landmines" t-shirt, designed by Paul McCartney. Paul wore one of these shirts on his recent "Back in the USA" tour. T-shirts are $25 each and come in black and red, M, L, XL. Call 1-877-543-6463 to purchase.

DOGS FOR DOGS

Grade ten history students at Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, Ontario recently held an event called "Dogs for dogs". With hot dog donations from Maple Leaf Foods and buns from Westons Bakeries, students barbecued and sold hot dogs to raise funds for the Canine Demine program. They made posters for around their school and announcements in each class. In the end, they raised more than $300! Please share your great fundraising ideas with us!

Coming next edition - October 2003

· interview with handler Zarco Budnicic, handler and best friend of Canadian Landmine Foundation sponsored, Alex. The two were in Toronto last fall to visit Queen Elizabeth II. They also visited a local school and made quite a media splash on Canada-AM and CKCO-TV!
· results of the "I Need A Name" contest
· answers to your "ask the trainer" questions
· and LOTS more!

You can make a donation by mail or online. All amounts help these dogs save lives! The Canadian Landmine Foundation, 2 Lombard St., Suite 204, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1M1. www.caninedemine.org

Thank you for learning more about Canine Demine! To subscribe for friends or to stop receiving this quarterly e-newsletter, please email: eking@canadianlandmine.com.