Gunny

2007 - 2020

Hunters Trace Semper Fidelis Gunny came from a line of champion hunting Golden Retrievers. Gunny was a dog who was born to hunt. He only needed to be taught for what or whom he should be hunting.

He began training as a nine-month-old puppy to be an avalanche search dog at Powder Mountain, Utah. He subsequently became certified in avalanche, wilderness live-find, wilderness cadaver, shoreline cadaver, open water cadaver, and human remains detection. His working career spanned eleven years and eighty searches. He deployed on missions to Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon.

Gunny was instrumental in locating the remains of the missing on at least five searches. Just as importantly, on almost every other search, Gunny’s handler, Joe, was able to report with confidence that the missing person was not in Gunny’s assigned search area.

Gunny loved everything about being a search dog. He loved the hunt, he loved making a find and getting his reward, and he especially loved riding on ATVs and snowmobiles or in snowcats or helicopters.

Gunny was a friendly, easygoing dog with a fluffy coat of golden fur and a perpetual smile. He often helped to comfort the families and friends of the missing who were waiting for news of their loved one.

Gunny lived up to his name, Semper Fidelis, which is Latin for Always Faithful and is the motto of the United States Marine Corps