Today's Extreme K9s are some awesome pooches that help out smaller creatures not even half their size...
"Some lucky desert tortoises have specially trained dogs to thank for their survival. The reptiles are endangered mostly due to disease and habitat destruction. So when the military wanted to expand a training center in California's Mojave Desert--- where hundreds of the tortoises live--- the animals had to be moved to safety.
The trick was finding the creatures. Blending in perfectly with the desert and often hiding in burrows underground, the tortoises are masters of camouflage. So scientists turned to special working dogs for help.
With supersensitive noses and the ability to cover large areas on foot, the pooches--- German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and other breeds--- were perfect, desert detectives. Experts trained the pups to identify the tortoises' scent without harming the animals. "When the dog finds a tortoise, it sits and looks up at its human handler," says researcher Mary Cablk. The reward? Playtime!
The clever canines zeroed in on tortoises that were up to 170 feet away--- that's more than half the length of a football field! The dog teams also completed their work an average of two hours faster than human teams. With the pups' help, more than 800 tortoises were located and moved to new homes. Guess you'd call these dogs a tortoise's best friend."
Article from: National Geograhic Kids October 2008 issue, p.9
Turtle pic from: http://www.desertgold.com/park/parklife.html
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