September 20th and 21st, 2003 - Asheville, NC
John F. BarnardAKC Tracking Invitational Judge
John joined the Baltimore City Police Department in 1958 and has been involved with dogs and scent work since 1961 in his capacity as a dog handler and department trainer/educator in the use of dogs in police workk such as tracking, apprehensions, building searches, field searches and search and rescue of civilians. He has been involved for many years in experiments involving scent work, and has worked with the following national and international groups in utilizing a dog's unique scenting capabilities: Army Bio-Sensory unit, Delaware/Maryland Explosive Ordinance Detection Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. In addition, he has trained agents from law enforcement and governmental agencies from all parts of the world in the use of dogs for scent work and tracking, including but not limited to the following agencies: Customs Department, International Association of Bomb Technicians Inc, New York State Police, FBI, Interpol, FAA, U.S. Department of the Navy Seals, Coast Guard and White House Secret Service staff.
He has been active in AKC dog activities since the early 1960's and has been a member of and/or tracking or obedience trainer for Dog Owners Training Club of Maryland, Talbot Kennel Club, and Glenbard All Breed Obedience Club. He has been a tracking judge since the early 1970's, was instrumental in developing the TDX program, and has participated in AKC tracking, obedience and conformation events. He was the AKC Field Representative for tracking for 13 years and during his tenure, he developed and implemented the Variable Surface Tracking test, a test of credibility and practicality. John, along with his wife, Darlene, also an AKC tracking judge, who owned, trained and handled the first AKC Champion Tracker in history, reside in Batavia, IL with their German Shepherd Dogs, Jenny and Dancer, and their Sheltie, Bonnie.
