Who we are

Track Force 1, Hounds And Their Handlers is a nonprofit that was created to raise funds to custom-train search and rescue (SAR) K9's.  We saw a need for providing hands-on training, certification, and support for human handlers—especially those in communities that usually lack access to top-level resources. Our “users” are SAR volunteers on Indian Reservations, women, Native Americans, and cancer and other survivors who often face financial, health, or confidence barriers.

We deliver more than dog training—we travel to underserved areas, host workshops with nationally recognized instructors, and guide handlers through every step until they are confident and nationally certified. Our approach is “by the underdogs, for the underdogs”—meaning we create a safe, encouraging environment for people who might otherwise give up.

As a result, we have helped teams of K9’s and handlers who have gone on to become nationally certified and save lives, including finding missing children on remote reservations. We combine world-class expertise with accessibility, empowerment, and a supportive community, unlocking the potential of handlers and K9s who would otherwise be left behind.

There is a growing crisis of missing persons, especially in indigenous and rural communities, where search and rescue resources are painfully scarce. Many K9 handlers—particularly women, Native Americans, and people facing health or economic barriers—don’t have access to the training, support, or certified dogs needed to help their communities.

Current solutions fail because they are either too expensive, inaccessible, or focused only on large urban areas. Most small or rural teams cannot afford nationally recognized trainers or travel for certifications, leaving whole regions unprepared to respond quickly to emergencies.

The result is hundreds of cases where missing persons aren’t found in time, potential volunteer handlers give up, and critical lives and family stability are lost. Track Force 1 aims to close this gap and empower “underdogs” to become community lifesavers.

Our solution is unique because we provide world-class SAR K9 training to underserved communities—including Indian Reservations and rural areas—at little or no cost to handlers. Unlike traditional programs, we customize each training to the specific goals of the handler and needs of the community, and ensure ongoing support until teams are confident and certified, then we continue to support them.

Group of ten people, some in search and rescue shirts, standing and sitting outdoors near a large tree, with mountains and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Group of people outdoors standing and sitting near a tree, smiling, with some wearing matching green t-shirts that say Rescue and Search. They are on a gravel area with a building and trees in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A woman walking a large brown dog on a leash past a war memorial with a statue of a soldier and engraved names, bright green grass, and rocks in the background.
Two men standing on a sidewalk with a guide dog. One man is wearing a gray cap, sunglasses, a blue t-shirt, and tan pants, facing away from the camera. The other man, facing the camera, is wearing a blue t-shirt, gray pants, a black baseball cap, and
A man and woman standing on a sidewalk with a large dog on a leash. The man is wearing a gray cap and black t-shirt, the woman is in a green t-shirt and shorts. Both are smiling and appear outdoors near a house with trees in the background.
A man standing indoors next to a dog in a crate, giving a thumbs-up, with a large window showing trees outside.
A woman with blonde hair is sitting at a kitchen table smiling while petting a large dog, likely a Bloodhound, sitting on the floor beside her. The background includes wooden cabinets, a framed embroidered art on the wall, and part of a laundry area
Three people and a service dog seated on a sidewalk outside a building, with one person talking to the dog and two others observing, in a fenced outdoor area with parked cars and a cloudy sky in the background.
Three people and a dog in a park area with houses and mountains in the background. One person is sitting in a camping chair, another is bending down to pet the dog, and a third person's leg is visible. The dog appears to be a doodle or similar breed,
Three girls and a dog on a playground structure in a park with trees and cloudy sky in the background.
A man lying on the ground near a grassy area with a police officer and a search dog nearby, in a residential area with trees and houses.
Two men and two dogs outside, with one man sitting, smiling, on grass and the other man standing, holding a dog leash and a plastic bag, during daytime. Houses and trees are visible in the background.
A young woman with a backpack walks her dog on a leash on a street with a stop sign, trees, and mountain scenery in the background.
A girl walking her dog on a leash along a grassy sidewalk in a suburban area with mountains in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A young girl with blonde hair, wearing a backpack, walking her dog on a leash along a paved path in a grassy area with trees and fence in the background.
Three people and a service dog in a wooded outdoor area. One woman is kneeling, petting the dog, which is wearing a harness. A woman in a blue shirt is holding the dog's leash, and a man in a white shirt is sitting on the ground nearby, surrounded by
Two men standing outdoors on a dirt path with a brown rescue dog sitting between them. One man is holding the dog’s leash, and the other is standing nearby. The background has trees and a house.
Four women and one man walk along a dirt trail in a wooded area, accompanied by a search and rescue dog.
A man and a police dog in a forested area, with trees and parked vehicles in the background, during an outdoor training or demonstration.
A person with gray hair, gray shirt, and black pants standing under a pavilion in a park, holding a leash attached to a black service or guide dog sitting on the grass, with a group of people in the background near a pavilion and a curved concrete wa
A woman with glasses and curly hair Hugging a smiling Labrador retriever dog outdoors under a pavilion. Two other people are partially visible nearby, one holding the dog’s leash and the other sitting at a table. In the background, there is a park wi
A happy, curly-coated brown and white dog wearing a rescue harness with a red rescue tag, sitting on a sidewalk near a grassy area with rocks in the background. Someone is standing beside the dog, and another person in the background is sitting at a

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