There has been “…a great disturbance in the Force…” By the “Force” I 
mean my own personal universe.
Born February 6, 1994, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation’s “Geist”, call name Geist, was destined for a “career change” job. Initially named Geist, which is “spirit” in German, he became Geitz to the children in the foster family who raised him. In puppy classes he was decidedly too vocal for guide work and was donated to the Connecticut State Police.  There he was outstanding in his agility and trailing training but did not want to do the bite work. This happy guy was returned to Fidelco where he was offered to me as a Search And Rescue (SAR) dog prospect in January 1996. It was still early in my avocation as a SAR dog handler and I
 had another dog I was trying to train as a search dog so I tried to find a  good situation for Geist. There were no takers so he stayed with me but I  soon  learned that he had far more to offer and greater potential than  my current trainee.  That same year Geist became one of the founders of TASK-9 and we became certified a Generic Air-scent  Team a year or so later. From that point  on he was never a pet but always 
my soul mate, partner, leader, teacher, big-hearted, full of joy, humor,  love, and wisdom. Often called the Golden retriever in German shepherd dog clothing, he made all his finds with aplomb, a propeller tail, and happy full  body wags. He was the standard to which we measured all SAR dog prospects; numbering more than two dozen Fidelco bred dogs, and others, placed around the world. He is pictured in the book “Dog Heroes” by Jen Bidner and is a  SAR Dog Equipment model for Sue Ponder’s Canine Clothiers, ccdogduds.com.  SPIRIT, TEACHER, chow hound almost up to the end by begging junk dog biscuits, when he was then assisted to the Rainbow Bridge at approximately
 1:30 a.m. on December 8, 2005. I will miss that wisdom forever and wonder  if he still had more lessons to teach.  Also missed by Cal Dufour, TASK-9 Vice President, and SAR Dogs Taiz & Timber.