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Finding a lost child or saving a life makes all the time-consuming training and the huge commitment worthwhile. This book covers all aspects of training and working with search and rescue or mantrailing dogs, plus courtroom testimony, how to establish credibility, and more.
PUBLISHER’S COMMENTS
People will get lost. It happens every day. The unfortunate person who becomes the subject of a search and rescue mission is usually the same person who said, “It will never happen to me!”
Search and rescue dogs are now gaining worldwide attention. Training a search and rescue dog requires a huge time commitment but can be very rewarding when your dog finds a lost child and saves a life. Using her law enforcement, search and rescue, and personal experience, author Jan Tweedie details the hard work and effort involved in producing a reliable search and rescue dog.
AUTHOR’S BIO
Jan Tweedie, Chief of Corrections for a Sheriff’s Department, raises and trains Bloodhounds for search and rescue and criminal work. She is National Trailing Chairperson for the American Bloodhound Club.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Virginia Lanier
Foreword by Mary Michener
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 THINKING AHEAD
Chapter 2 GETTING STARTED
Chapter 3 TRAINING BASICS
Chapter 4 THE PAPER TRAIL
Chapter 5 FIELD TRAINING BASICS
Chapter 6 ADVANCED TRAINING
Chapter 7 CRIMINAL WORK
Chapter 8 YOUR PARTNER’S HEALTH
Chapter 9 THE WORKING SEARCH TEAM
Glossary
Other Sources of Information
About the Author
EXCERPT
Chapter One
THINKING AHEAD
Owning a search dog is a commitment for the life of the dog. Search dogs and handlers forge a strong partnership bond and become a team. The search dog depends on the handler for support, encouragement, food, companionship and training, and we depend on the dog to lead us to a lost, injured or deceased person. We expect the search dog to work in freezing weather, rough terrain, for hours on end, in confusion and in danger. They work even when their bodies are injured and they are exhausted.
A search dog does not fare well without training, practice and work. Likewise, a handler does not do well in the field if he doesn’t train on a regular basis. The team must work and play together.
Obtaining, equipping and working a search dog is purely a volunteer endeavor. There are hundreds of people that get lost each year, and maybe one percent send in a donation to the organization. Most civilians don’t understand that these dogs are not financially supported by anyone but the owner. But as awareness and education increase, search dogs are gaining the attention of agencies, media and organizations.
Search dogs have responded to such incidents as devastating earthquakes in Mexico City, Armenia and the Philippines; teams responded to San Salvador after the mud slides: and they routinely assist with inner-city disasters, wilderness searches, and criminal trails. Water search teams have advanced working methods which have led to the recovery of drowned victims that could not be seen.
Search and rescue coordination is the responsibility of the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the area in which the person was lost. Law enforcement personnel can sometimes be skeptical and difficult to convince but it is helpful to remember that law enforcement officers are in the proof business. If searches can prove something, clearly and tangibly, then the method is much more likely to be accepted. Trying to convince someone that a dog is following an invisible trail, however real, is tough.
Communication between law enforcement agencies is often limited as well. For example, one agency may accept the work of a particular search dog team but not inform any other agency. The handler will often read or hear about incidents that may have turned out more favorably had dog teams been called, but unfortunately, the agency wasn’t aware of them!
Educating agencies responsible for contacting SAR resources is one of the toughest but most important ongoing tasks of a search dog team, It is a delicate balance of phone calls, literature distribution and requests for demonstrations to achieve an atmosphere that is open to seeing the potential of a dog team.
As teams develop, it is predictable that a certain competitiveness will arise whenever two groups of people are offering similar services. The key is to unite the two groups to form one powerful alliance dedicated to improving and advertising the SAR resource.
Once the team has been accepted by a community of agencies, there are times of pure boredom and other times of absolute exhaustion. Call-outs may come at any hour of any day and teams must be ready, willing and able to respond anywhere and at any time.
The agencies that use SAR dogs usually expect specific teams to respond to their calls and are slow to accept changes. I have worked the same two dogs for the past seven years and when I demonstrate a new pup, it is interesting to observe the skepticism that prevails until I harness the pup and he proves himself.
Whether handlers are actually in training or are contemplating working a search dog, it is important that they are aware of the time and money involved in this endeavor. Veterinary costs, equipment, and conditioning all play a dominant role in the normal maintenance of SAR dogs.
Training and searching with a dog is something that requires creative thinking and creative financing and many handlers are shocked at the amount of money that is needed to support their team for a year. Veterinary costs include routine immunizations, annual or semi-annual physicals for the dog and treatment of injuries and illnesses that may crop up.
An average year of feed, equipment, shelter and travel for the average dog team can be more than $3,000. Add to that any additional training, out-of-area or out-of state searches, or unexpected veterinary calls and costs continue to go up. International response requires additional money: a passport, travel and accommodations, veterinary exams, and pocket money will be needed. And don’t forget that time off from a “regular job” adds up quickly. As handlers become more skilled they usually require more equipment; the costs keep adding up.
Exercise and physical conditioning for the handier is just as important as it is for the dog. Poor physical conditioning will contribute to more injuries and less stamina in the field. Walking, running, biking, hiking, and aerobic exercise are all excellent ways to keep in shape. Remember that once you leave that nice warm bed to respond to a SAR call-out, you may work for hours in freezing weather, covering many miles before daylight.
Handlers should stay in contact with their personal physician as well and it may be necessary to educate your doctor regarding the physical demands of search and rescue work. Some physicians will be happy to help you prepare an advanced first aid kit for the field.
Injuries and illness should be taken care of immediately by a professional. Both handler and dog require thorough physicals every year. Some search groups and agencies require a certificate of good diet for both the handler and the dog are crucial. A working dog needs a higher number of calories per day and a balanced diet, which the cheaper brands of dog food do not provide. A working handler needs access to ready sources of energy and stamina afforded by a good diet.
When you first begin to train your dog the time commitment will be heavy. Daily and sometimes twice-a-day workouts are needed, especially if you are starting with a puppy. The dog’s attention span and yours will he relatively short, but your expectations will be high. Keep the work sessions short and frequent with plenty of play and bonding time in between. Plan on training one hour a day, six days a week for the first month, then at least live hours per week after that. As the dog masters the training exercises, don’t let up. Continue to challenge both the dog and yourself with obstacles to encourage the constant growth and development.
Equipment must be undamaged, clean and ready to go at all times. Dedicating space in the garage, house or somewhere clean and dry and keeping all gear packed and ready is imperative. Inspect your gear often for signs of wear and don’t patch equipment you depend on; replace it. Handlers should be on the mailing list for outdoor suppliers and should keep up to date on the most recent equipment.
Many of us have full time jobs in our “real” lives. Employers can be extremely reluctant to grant SAR handlers leave from work when the pager goes off. It is best to inform employers from the beginning and to try to work out an arrangement that gives you maximum freedom to respond in an emergency. Some employers have criteria to which the callout description must adhere: for example, one employer will allow the handler to respond to any search involving a child. Another employer may allow the employee to respond to criminal searches and a third employer may not allow the employee to leave regardless of whether the employee offers to take annual leave or not. Educate your employer! Post articles about the searches you have been on and write thank you letters for any time off. I encourage you to find a workable plan instead of calling in sick from a search base. Deceitful behavior will not pay off in the long run.
SAR volunteers can work in their own state to get legislation that would recognize the SAR volunteer as an Emergency Services Worker. This entitles the volunteer to annual leave without using the employee’s accrued annual leave. Using all vacation time on searches is a wonderful contribution; however, the mental and physical well-being of the searcher is often dependent on periodic “real” vacations as well.
Working a search dog is a tough way to perform a community service. It can be very rewarding to find a lost child but, it can be equally depressing to recover someone who died. Good luck. I hope that this book will assist you in your endeavor to work a searching dog. It’s worth it.
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