OT: Anyone here in a k-9 SAR program

[WCF3030]

I attend my first class on Tuesday.
I'm interested in any good books or sites as well as info on your K-9 training.
Other members will help with the training but alot of it I have to do on my own.
If you to want PM me.

Thanks

[WCF3030]

Thank you too those that PM.

[Rexster]

Search and Rescue, or Search and Recovery? Our Boxer pup Heidi and giant mixed-breed Malcolm were tried in the former at a seminar, and while Malcolm was deemed unsuited, due to wanting to stayed glued to our sides, Heidi was found to have talent in the latter endeavour. Heidi had a couple of unofficial finds, then played an official role in the recovery of the remains of the space shuttle crew in East Texas five years ago. (Sorry, can't elaborate on the details.) Despite being retired since the shuttle recovery, Heidi still knows her stuff, and alerted on a skeletal arm and finger last fall, while just out running around. We have another cadaver SAR dog, Tucker, a German Shepherd mix, who will alert in spite of not being active for a few years now. We have a new litter of pups, and even before their eyes opened, were being "pre-scented" to check for talent and willingness to work with scent.

I can answer basic questions about canine SAR, but am not as knowledgeable as my wife, who is a forensic investigator for the local M.E., and does the SAR on the side. I have mostly been a flanker, waterboy, and perimeter security, and have done run-and-hide for live-find and mantrailing dogs.

Very, very few dogs are trained in both types of SAR. One handler may have two dogs, one trained for each type, but that is a LOT of work for someone who works for a living. I personally know exactly one person who has multiple dogs trained for both, and she concentrates on live-find work and trailing.

Give me a little while to dig up book titles and authors.