An avalanche sends shudders through most of us, but for a Bernese Mountain Dog called Boulder, it’s play time.

"There aren’t many Bernese used for avalanche rescue," said C.J. Svela, ski patroller and Boulder’s master.

"But he’s a Swiss dog, bred for cart pulling, and he gets the job done."

Svela and Boulder are now on the job at Mountain Meadows on Mount Hood, making the local ski resort one of three in Oregon equipped with avalanche-trained dogs. Two other pairs operate at
Mount Ashland and Bachelor.

Svela worked ski patrol at Mount Ashland for seven years before joining
American Medical Response in Grants Pass. He followed that with avalanche
training and certification at Mount Ashland.

"I wanted to do this (work with a dog) for a long, long time," Svela said. "I
was always interested in avalanche control and grew up with a love for dogs. I
was on a list for three years before finding Boulder (in Salem). Most Bernese
aren’t adapted to avalanche training because they are too laid back. But
Boulder passed the puppy aptitude test because he got more excited than
most."

Boulder set Svela back a bunch. He described it as: "$1,500 for 120 pounds of
love."

After getting Boulder two years ago, rigorous training ensued, beginning with
playful incentive work, "tug of war with a rag that resembles a piece of meat,"
Svela said. "You cater to his ancestral instincts to begin with, then work up to
runaway drills where someone else holds his lead and I take off down the
mountain screaming and acting crazy. The search command is given and he
chases after me. Then I reward him by playing and wrestling with him."
Later, the training gets tougher. Svela challenged Boulder by running off
without being seen, and Boulder had to sniff him out.

That was followed by shallow burials, then deep burials.

"The important thing is Boulder gets to play (after finding the victim)," Svela
said. "To him, it’s not a crisis, it’s all a game."

During Boulder’s graduation exercise he had to find four humans completely
buried in the snow. For distraction, backpacks and other articles of clothing
were scattered throughout the area.

"Boulder was amazing," Svela said.

"He performed triage, finding the bodies first and the distractions after."
Boulder will be turning teacher at Mountain Meadows. According to Svela,
another patroller and a young dog will be training with them.

The intrepid pair will be on Mount Hood duty, perched on the mountain top,
ready for action, and hoping to never have to go to work – or in Boulder
speak: play.