Photo: Sara Kelli
In Greek mythology, Briseis (pronounced Bri-Say-Is) was a princess captured during the Trojan War who subsequently faced a life of profound uncertainty. This name proved to be a fitting one for a beautiful German Shepherd whose own fate took a sudden, unpredictable turn when her owner passed away. In the wake of this tragedy, Briseis—the dog—seemed to be without a clear path forward. Fortunately, her journey set her on a path to a new life of purpose, made possible by the compassionate people who helped her along the way.
At first, Briseis was lovingly fostered by her former owner’s parents in Reno, Nevada. As a retired couple coping with their grief, they found themselves overwhelmed by the task of caring for a vigorous, one-year-old German Shepherd. Determined to find Briseis a home better suited to a young dog’s energy, they reached out to another family member who was a dog trainer, and she immediately recognized Briseis’ potential as a working dog candidate. With guidance from SDF, Briseis was evaluated and approved to join the SDF pack. Thanks to two dedicated volunteer pilots, she boarded a flight to Santa Paula on New Year’s Eve, ready to begin a new year and a new chapter.
On the SDF campus, Briseis proved to be a spitfire with a personality big enough for several dogs. Her trainers were captivated by her “fiery, spicy” spirit and intense focus. SDF Trainer Chaise Laffoon described her as “very attentive” to her humans, always looking for their direction, adding that Briseis “will stare into your soul, seemingly saying, ‘show me what to do!’”
While Briseis showed great enthusiasm for her training and excelled at searching on flat ground, she displayed notable discomfort on rubble, a crucial skill for disaster search dogs. As a result, her path required a slight adjustment, and SDF set out to find a career that would excite her and fulfill her needs.
A New Calling in the Wilderness
Just as Briseis was looking for a new career, Terri Moser, a wilderness handler from Colorado, was looking for a new partner. Having recently lost her own search dog, Terri was visiting Santa Monica and, through a friend, learned about SDF. While browsing a pet adoption website, she ran across Briseis’ listing by SDF, and knew she had to meet this magnificent Shepherd girl.
Terri visited the SDF campus, spent some time getting to know Briseis, and after a second visit, committed to adopting her. Terri’s husband drove out from Colorado with their other dog so the whole family could meet and finalize the adoption. Terri later returned to participate in one of our intensive handler training sessions, where SDF Trainer Hanna Irwin observed that after only a few weeks, she could tell that Briseis was already “very bonded” with Terri. Terri took advantage of the opportunity to train with Briseis on SDF’s campus, acquiring new skills and knowledge that she could apply to future wilderness missions.
Currently, Briseis is settling into her new home and thriving in her new life with the Moser family. They take her on frequent hikes and have discovered that she loves to swim, taking full advantage of the nearby lake.
Terri and Briseis also continue to train together, practicing small searches. While SDF initially trained Briseis to bark an alert when finding a victim, wilderness search teams often prefer a “recall/refind.” In this method, the search dog finds the victim, returns to the handler, and then leads the handler back to the victim’s location. Terri is working with Briseis to build her recall/refind so they can work effectively as a team to locate the missing, even in challenging conditions like low visibility or dense brush.
Forging a New Path in Colorado
Once certified, Briseis and Terri will be the first wilderness canine team in their county, a vital new resource for their Colorado community. Because there are no local canine teams to join for regular training, Terri has to be proactive, traveling to seminars and trainings to keep their skills sharp. They hope to become certified through Search and Rescue Dogs of the United States (SARDUS) and travel an hour from their home to train with this group once a month. Terri is committed to the road ahead and confident in Briseis’ potential, observing, “Briseis is a smart dog who wants to work.”
Upon hearing the story of Briseis’ former family and their exceptional efforts to find her the perfect home, Terri was moved to reach out. She now keeps them updated on Briseis’ new life and her progress in her new career.
While they still grieve their profound loss, the family finds comfort and peace knowing that Briseis’ journey—which began with a tragedy and an uncertain fate—led to a loving and purposeful life.
Read more about incredible dogs like Briseis in our Bark Alert magazine!