Search & Rescue anyone?

Does anyone do SAR with their dogs, or know of anyone who does?

It is something I have been interested in for a long time, but was told you have to be a full member of the local Mountain Rescue Team for at least two years before you can be considered to become a dog handler. I would be quite interested in training my collie up - just for our own pleasure really, and would be glad of some tips and hints.

I've had three dogs that were fully qualified SARDA dogs in the very early years I was already a member of my nearest fell & mountain rescue & used to take the dogs with me so I was in at the beginning.

The reason why you need to already be a F&M rescue member is from a safety point of view & you need to be trained to search without a dog as wel as first aid, survival techniques etc etc

There are Lowland Search Dogs BTW which might be more appropriate for you

When I moved back here my dogs were used by the police for missing persons searches in my area It is very rewarding when you can offer help

Same goes up here I think 2 years mountain rescue as a minimum requirement.. unless thats changed recently. I know a few peeps I could talk to though.

SARDA training as a handler
It is as it has always been one year training in F&M rescue then 1 year as a member before you can start towards qualifying your dog I'd been doing F & M rescue for four years before we started actually using the dogs

In Scandinavia we have our own scandinavian events, search, tracking, signal and special event. Al lhave obedience in 3 classes like IPO and forest part always includes object search givin 30 pts. Object search is on area 50*50 meters, 1st class 1 object, 2nd class 2 and 3rd class 3 objects.

Paavo going on task

Search: 1 st class 3 decoys hidden on are 100*100 meters, dog has to work off leash telling with constant bark or with roll to the handler waiting on centerline when decoy is found. 2nd class is 100*200 meters and 3rd class 100*300 meters. Highest class decoys are pretty well hidden like in small hole in the ground and fully covered.

Tracking: All classes 6 wooden sticks on track. 1st class track is 500 meters long, half an hour old, searchline 30 meters and you have alltogether 30 minutes to do it, from wich 5 minutes you can use on searchline. 2nd class track is 1000 meters long, hour old and 40 minutes to claer it. 3rd class track is 1.5 kms long, 1.5 hours old and 60 minutes to clear it.

Nuppu cleared searchline and going on track

Signal: Dog is running between two points, and part of the course is tracking. Times give points. Signal I've never done, so hard to tell more about it.

Special event: Combination of track and searc, also small article search (coin, bulletcase) and special searchapports. Very challenging event with loads of variations.

In Scandinavia IPOR is also in program and dogs qualified in scandinavian events are also used in search. Terrain, wjere our dogs work is like this:


Jenni

I think Derek (who I am pretty sure is on other lists you belong ) used to be involved with SAR, it might be worth having a chat with him?

hth