Team Info
Task Force: Oklahoma Task Force 1
Agency: Oklahoma City Fire Department
Level: Certified
Search Dog Info
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Sex: Male
Born: October 31, 2023
Recruited from a private donor
From the moment Nathan Johnson began his career in the fire service, he knew he wanted to be a part of Oklahoma Task Force 1 (OK-TF1). “I’m drawn to this line of work because it gives me the opportunity to serve my community during its most difficult moments. Being a first responder allows me to make a real, positive impact in people’s lives when they’re facing crisis or tragedy,” Nathan says.
He pursued his career with the goal of becoming a canine handler at the forefront of his mind, which he perceives as not just a professional milestone but a “deeply personal honor.”
Nathan was drawn to canine handling because of the shared bond between handler and canine, and he was eager to form a relationship with his canine partner built on trust and a shared purpose.
Nathan heard about SDF’s handler program from other members of his task force and was excited to enroll. He is glad he did because of the ongoing training and support handlers receive.
Nathan’s first impression of Dino was that he was a goofy boy with lots of enthusiasm. Going into his third visit, he had a feeling he might be paired with Dino based on his experiences in prior visits. The more time Nathan spent working with Dino, the more he fell in love with him, and he says that Dino’s kind, goofy, and energetic nature makes him the perfect fit for him and his family.
Dino was donated to SDF as a puppy, so he had the benefit of plenty of socialization and exposure to all the fun search games from an early age. Of course, being an adorable puppy, he quickly became a favorite around campus with his sweet face and cute little swagger.
Polite by nature, trainers began working with him to encourage him to be “pushy” and bark for what he wants! Since he couldn’t be medically screened until he turned a year old, he had already acquired all the skills that qualified him for the sophomore class of search dogs before he was officially accepted into the USAR program. Once he passed his medical, it was off to the races for “Dino-mite,” as he is affectionately known.
A quintessential social butterfly who makes friends with humans and canines wherever he goes, Dino is a delight to work with. Working to develop his bark alert, Dino quickly progressed to offering multiple “stronger” barks once he settled into a rhythm and proved to be just as talented as he is charismatic, making great strides in his training and advancing to the junior and then senior class in just a few short weeks. He passed all his proficiencies, including the long wait, canine aggression, direction control, bark alert, agility, and rubble skills, and graduated from search training. He was officially paired with Nathan Johnson on July 19, 2025.
Dino returned to Oklahoma City with Nate to meet his new family and the rest of his OK-TF1 teammates. The duo worked hard to continue to strengthen their bond and build their skills as a disaster search team. When they felt ready, Dino and Nate took and passed a Certification Evaluation in February of 2026. The team is now officially qualified to deploy with the task force throughout their region when the call comes!
Until that day, Dino and Nate continue to train with their teammates in preparation for whatever challenges may one day come their way. We can’t wait to watch their careers blossom!