The Dog Twins Karen Sturtevant Tom and Tim Radford have more in common than just looks

Karen Sturtevant

As my friend and artist, Cat McKeen, maneuvers her Subaru into a shaded parking spot beside the Town Commons, I gather my sunglasses and apply ChapStick. The drive from Vermont was smooth sailing with blue skies and lots of girl talk. With Cat’s fancy camera safely secured in her bag, we walk to our destination. Our trek to Newport, New Hampshire has led us to this lush, green location to connect with The Dog Twins, Tom and Tim Radford.

When I first met Tim Radford, I had to remember not to say things like, “Oh my gosh! You look just like your brother. Amazing!” I was an adult, after all, and would act accordingly. I know his brother Tom from working with rescue dogs. Tim and Tom are fraternal twins. Boy, are they twins! On this sunny morning, the two were teaching puppies and their owners the basics of obedience. This adorable class was in session.

The Radfords are the type of brothers who, admittedly, get along well with one another. Their similarities don’t end with their friendly smiles and easy-going laughs. They share a devotion for family, sports (Go, Patriots!), and all things having to do with canines. Between them, they have nine children and ten dogs! They not only roomed together as boys, but also as students at The University of New Hampshire. Tim earned a Bach-

Photo courtesy of Cat McKeen Photography

elor’s degree in Mathematics; Tom in Communications. Life’s big-picture plan would separate them after graduation only to reunite them decades later.

Tom Radford became a police offi-

cer with the Burlington Vermont Police Department in 1995. His love of dogs led him to the coveted position of Police K-9 handler with German shepherd, Stoney, in 2000. Pushing himself and his dog to learn everything he could from his instructors and peers regarding what it took to be an extremely successful K-9 team, the next few years were used finetuning techniques. This innate drive set the precedent for Tom Radford’s professional life.

Whenever I’ve asked K-9 handlers about their dogs, the emotional reaction is always the same: one of compassion, of respect. Tom speaks with reverence about his canine companion. “Stoney was the best. He was put on this planet to find drugs.” And, he did. The team was honored with numerous awards including being named the Vermont Police K-9 Drug Team of the Year three times and were inducted into the Vermont Police K-9 Hall of Fame in 2008 by the Vermont Police Canine Association. Stoney unexpectedly passed away on the drive home from that ceremony. With admiration Tom comments, “Stoney gave us a gift. What a better send off than at that time.”

Protecting and serving for 21 years, then-Sargent Radford retired from the Burlington Police Department in 2016. “I’ll bleed blue for the rest of my life. I loved being a police officer.”

Keeping his interest in canines sparked, Thin Blue Line K-9 Training was founded in 2018, specializing in solutions for aggressive dog behaviors. With a shiny, newly-built training center and mile-long agility course in Williston, Vermont this was the premiere place for New England dog owners seeking expert guidance. At its peak, the center employed ten people with a boarding capacity for five dogs. “There were dogs coming and going all day. It was awesome!” comments Tom. With hard work, long days, and riding on the reputation of being a former K-9 cop, Tom quickly sealed his prominence as a five-star trainer.

Tom made a cameo appearance in the children’s book, K9 Duke The Comfort Dog, available through amazon.com.

Just when life is sailing along, an unexpected wave sometimes hits and our best laid-out plans get sidetracked. Such was the case in 2022 when the last dog maneuvered the ramps and tunnels and Thin Blue Line K-9 closed its doors. As fate always wins, Tom was headed back to his hometown to be with his family, including his brother, Tim.

With an Bachelor degree in math, it’s not surprising how Tim Radford describes himself: “I’m a numbers person, a poliFall 2022

cies and procedures guy.” After college he found himself in Arizona and Texas, often talking to his brother, in Vermont, several times a day. Using his mastery of facts and figures he managed several successful companies. Years later circumstance would bring him back to his childhood stomping grounds where he and his wife, Sandy, reside today.

Sandy Radford began Paws In Motion in 2013 visiting homes to offer dog sitting and training. In 2020 she took a leap of faith and leased a physical location bringing Paws In Motion more visibility and opportunity to the dog owners of Newport and surrounding Continued ON PAGE 16

New Hampshire towns. Within the first six months, the business grew in clients and standing. It was then Tim resigned from his job to join her full time. A selfproclaimed logistics guy, Tim’s Photo courtesy of Cat McKeen mind is continually reconfigur ing the business model. Photography With canine blood running through the Radford veins, the natural progression was to bring the trio together. Shortly after returning to Newport, the brothers and Sandy committed themselves to make Paws In Motion a one-of-a-kind destination. The services increased to include one-on one-training, boarding, packages, and group classes for all ages and levels. The facility currently offers large kennels, agility equipment, cute individual cubbies for each pup’s belongings along with outdoor kennels for socializing and fresh-air play. Future plans may include additional locations as well as offering a more specialized, higher level of a training agenda for those looking for advanced options. This program would be especially popular for working dogs. Trainings are often held on the Newport Town Common as was the case on this Saturday visit.

Combining Sandy’s expertise with Tom’s motivation, Tim became a quick study and today is comfortable leading classes with Tom and Sandy as mentors. With Tim’s managerial knowhow, he is continually studying ways to improve, be competitive, and offer additional services without compromising quality.

“With the three of us and our combined knowledge I truly feel we have a huge advantage. It’s almost like we’re a three-headed dragon and we can handle any situation. Every day is new a challenge. It’s not always easy but the dogs are why we do it. Working with dogs is amazing,” comments Tom.

Bringing different strengths to the team creates a workable synergy. “We’re always learning. Because we run both a daycare and boarding facility, we see dogs interacting each day. We have a fine mix of dogs who we utilize in our training,” says Tim. With experience in the veterinary health care field, Sandy brings her knowledge to sticky situations as when Tom’s dog got a face full of porcupine quills or when a pup has a minor medical emergency.

The majority of clients are looking for assistance in teaching their dog to calmly walk on a leash, show proper recall skills and act in a controlled behavior (not show reactivity) when meeting another dog. For more intense, aggressive behaviors, Tom comments, “Our job is to solve or resolve the problem, find a solution for the owner, and get a game plan going forward.”

He shares a story of a couple who contacted him because their dog refused to come (recall) to them when he was called. The home area was on 100 acres frequented by deer—too much of a stimuli for the dog to refuse. After an extensive period of training time and with prior proven techniques exhausted to no solution, the problem was deemed unsolvable. Instead of being solved, it now had to be resolved. In this case, the solution was the use of a long lead each time the dog went out as he simply refused to return on his own. “We still had a game plan and did not give up.” The clients accepted the outcome knowing all other avenues were explored. We mostly have super successes, but there are exceptions to the rule.” Although not the original sought-out outcome the clients were hoping for, in this case, the resolution of using a long lead was the right answer.

“I feel like we can take on any dog, any problem and we’re going to have a game plan, the knowledge, and experience. If we can’t do it, nobody else can. That’s the mindset I have,” comments Tom. With an array of equipment ranging from various collars, bite suits and sleeves, catch poles, and different leads, the team has handled every temperament including challenging behavior such as dogs who have previously bitten or shown aggressive tendencies.

“We know how to navigate the really dangerous cases because if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re going to get bit,” comments Tom. Even the most astute trainer will be injured. Taking regular precautions to minimize that inevitable injury is crucial.

Tom invented what he calls “The Shield.” This apparatus was made with the intent to introduce multiple dogs without having them make physical contact with one another. Constructed with plexiglass and wheels, safety for both handlers and the dogs is at the forefront of each day. After seeing this post on social media, a New York dog trainer reached out asking permission to use it in his work. Networking is encouraged within the group as well as with other professionals. Sharing information along with challenges and possible solutions is another piece of success.

“There are great trainers but I would put what we have to offer against anybody in New England,” comments Tom. Welcomed with open arms into their community, the future looks bright for the team. Smiling, Tom says, “My life

Photo courtesy of Cat McKeen Photography

is dogs, dogs, dogs.” In between the sessions, behind-the-scenes preparation, and resting tired muscles from dog wrangling, Tim describes this time in their lives as, “Nuts and bolts everyday training dogs. We love it!”

Tom adds, “The trick to dog training is that every dog is different. It’s a different puzzle, so you’ve got to have a lot of tools in your toolbox because if one thing’s not working you’ve got to transition to the next. It’s a really interesting, fun job.” Tom and Tim Radford may be the only twin brothers in the U.S. in business together offering dog training services—great bragging rights!

Tom, Tim, and Sandy Radford believe that every day being greeted with enthusiastic, tail-wagging canines is a blessing. This is their calling. Their passion. The trust placed in them by dog owners is a responsibility they do not take lightly. The energy is palpable. The professionalism, unmatched. They embrace the philosophy that training is a group sport, success can be measured, and is within reach. Each dog brings a unique history. Meeting them where they are to create a custom plan catered to their specific needs is imperative for long-term success. Reading canine body language while being open-minded and innovative are traits this team offers.

Their goals are lofty and attainable. With their can-do attitudes and streaks of determination, I am confident this is the beginning of a successful and fulfilling journey for the Radfords, their human clients, and of course, all those dogs.

“I loved working for Tom at Thin Blue Line K-9, I learned so much from him, especially about working with aggressive dogs. Tom is a great boss and an even greater trainer. It was definitely a fun and busy place to work. I enjoyed it so much I quit my job as an LNA and started my own business (just part time as I also work at a kennel) when he closed his and moved to NH to work with his brother. I know he will do well in any place he trains dogs!

We had some interesting moments, one that I am thinking of now is a dog who was in the board and train program, a shepherd, had broken his collar while on the agility course working with another trainer while I was in the yard working with a dog at about the same time. I get a text from my coworker about this dog I see the dog running down the driveway! It was a little comical watching the four of us (Tom, me and the other two trainers) trying to coral this pup! But we did it and the dog learned not to escape and went home well trained.” Connect on social media Email: pawsinmotionnh@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SandyTRadford Instagram: www.instagram.com/pawsinmotiondogtraining Web: www.pawsinmotionnh.com YouTube: youtube.com / the dog twins channel

“Tom Radford is exceptionally good with canines. There is no dog that Tom cannot help. He specializes in tuning in to what each specific dog needs, and executing a plan specially created for that dog. In an environment like board and train, you will inevitably get dogs that are scared to be away from home or out of their element. It was impressive to see how dedicated he was to ensuring that not only did each dog get proper training and care, but most importantly the proper energy release that is so essential for every dog.”

“One major take away I got working for Tom is dog training is 90% in the mind of the dog owner. When he/we educate the owners we make them more confident which builds confidence in the dog. Building confidence is one of the first steps and that starts with early basic training.

Another major takeaway is discipline for unwanted behavior, positive reward for completed tasks. Patience, patience, patience and name once, command once.

After working with Tom I realized I was a helicopter parent and actually taught my dog how to be afraid of everything. After a year of my new knowledge, my little Japanese Chin has made a great improvement.

Dog training is very hard work. Time, consistency and repetition. He always said that if you’re frustrated, you’re doing it right. Have fun with training.

It is so rewarding when a cranky pants/reactive dog in a weeks’ time turns into a completely different wellbehaved dog. I remember forming a very special bond with 100+ pound Rottweiler who would growl when you did anything with his neck. Three weeks later he was putty in my hands. He would do just about anything. We had a mutual respect for each other and I know how much he loved me.

We had a great team. Tom is very easy to work with and for and I wish them both the very best.”

Tom Radford’s Professional Accomplishments Vermont Police K-9 Drug Team of the Year (2000, 2003, 2007) Vermont Police K-9 Team of the Year (2004, 2005, 2006) Burlington Vermont Police Distinguished Service Award (2006, 2007, 2008) Lifesaving Award (2005, 2006) VVMA Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) Vermont Police K-9 record of 1,010 drug finds. Seized over one million dollars in illegal drugs and currency. Founded Vermont Police K-9 Hall of Fame (2007) Inducted Vermont Police K-9 Hall of Fame (2008) Instructor at the Vermont Police Academy (current) Chairperson of the Vermont Police Academy K-9 Committee (2007 - 2016). Currently active with the Committee.

Emily Sullivan, DVM

Nobody likes bad breath in a dog or cat. The medical term for bad breath is halitosis. Beyond being unpleasant to smell, halitosis can also signal potential health concerns for your pet. In order to combat halitosis, it is helpful to understand what causes it. There are numerous causes of halitosis, including dental disease, eating bad smelling items (what dog doesn’t enjoy a trip to the trash can or litterbox?), skin infections, respiratory diseases, and systemic diseases such as diabetes or kidney diseases. With some of the causes of halitosis in hand, we can turn to what halitosis can mean for your cat or dog’s health. We will focus on the dental causes of halitosis.

Halitosis is a common indicator of periodontal disease which is disease of the gums and supporting structures. Tooth roots, alveolar bone, and periodontal ligaments all support the teeth and keep them from moving. These are subject to disease and infection just like teeth. You may not notice periodontal disease, because these structures are not visible. If you are looking closely at your pet’s teeth, you may see a lot of tartar on their teeth or you may only see irritation of the gums (gingivitis). Sometimes halitosis is the only clue of periodontal disease so make sure to consult your veterinarian if your pet has halitosis.

Before we discuss what can be done to address halitosis, let’s discuss the cause of periodontal disease. Food and bacteria cause plaque buildup on teeth. Those same bacteria can spread from the teeth to the gums and then underneath the gum line, causing infection of the supporting structures of the teeth. Such an infection causes irritation of the gums. If left unchecked, the infection can undermine the roots of the teeth and the surrounding bone. This can lead to loose, painful teeth.

If your pet has halitosis, what can be done? In the early stage, halitosis can be managed by homecare techniques that most people can do. If things have progressed further, your veterinarian will need to take action.

The best way to manage gum disease and halitosis is to prevent it. Prevention begins at home.. Brushing your pet’s teeth effectively reduces tartar build up. Tartar can start forming after 24 hours so brushing every day is ideal. Introducing your pet to brushing when he or she is young and rewarding your pet during the process helps brushing go smoothly. If you are unable to brush your pet’s teeth, a variety of specially formulated dental diets and chews can be helpful, although less effective than brushing. There are many products out on the market. As a guide, look for products with The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VHOC) seal of approval. Having a veterinarian regularly evaluate your pet’s mouth, and scale and polish your pet’s teeth when needed, will effectively remove tartar that is not eliminated by home brushing.

If you suspect your pet already has periodontal disease, an oral exam and cleaning under anesthesia is the first step in treatment. During an oral exam, each tooth is evaluated and probed to assess its health. Dental x-rays reveal what is going on under the gum line. Your veterinarian will clean the surface and under the gum line to remove any tartar that is present. If the examination reveals teeth with advanced disease they may need to be removed.

So give your pet’s mouth the sniff test. Halitosis may be the first clue to periodontal disease. Your veterinarian can help locate and treat the source of bad breath. Starting oral care early in your pet’s life is a key step in preventing dental disease. As a team, you and your veterinarian can keep your pet’s mouth healthy.

Emily Sullivan, DVM works at Riverside

Veterinary Care & Dental Service in Rutland and Ludlow. She obtained her Veterinary Medical Degree from the University of Prince Edward Island. She has an Australian Shepherd named Kiah, and two cats named Jamo and

Yeti. www.RiversideVetCare.com Fall 2022