SAR - Page 1

I just got a 2-year old GS that i have had evaluated by two separate trainers.  I have been advised to do SAR with him.  I am wondering if there is a SAR thread, as i am a green-horn when it comes to SAR... i have trained in other venues and SAR is something that has always been a 'dream' of mine, so to have this unexpected dog become available,  that is capable of the work is very exciting. 

There are SAR clubs all over.  The dog needs to be able to run all day, and you need to keep up.  The dog needs to be able to be lifted over ledges, fences, etc., so usually on the lighter side.  You need to train (but it's fun) often before you put your name in with police departments.  Then you wait until (if ever) you get asked to search -- and you need to keep up your training while waiting. 

You really have to do it for the love of the training!  I personally gave up after a few years, but I did have fun for that time.

 LaPhoenix it's great that you are thinking to start training this dog in SAR. I also work SAR with my male GSD.
First of all you have to contact a local SAR club and to get to know the team. It's verry important if you like the people on that club. SAR is a team work, it's a big effort for everibody, it involves a lot of trust, friendschip and respect between the team members and...most important ...it's a long term commitment. It's a lot of work but the reward cannot be measured by anny means.
Training a SAR dog to an operational level can take arround 2 years and the whole team works for your dog to bring him to the operational level and the final goal is to make the club's SAR mission team bigger and more effective. I'm sorry to say (MVF) that it is verry sad when people leave the club after two years (when the dog is ready for mission) and all the work of the team is flushed down the toilet. 
So...please go and visit a SAR club, speak to the people over there, think verry good about this commitment and only after that...take the decission to make this important step. 
Here you can find some photos from SAR training and missions from my club www.arcsromania.com/?page_id=39 (it's a link to our photo galery - the rest of the web site is in romanian). Everybody ...please pardon my mistakes in english writing. 
Good luck with your dog!

Dog needs to be social with excellent drive for the reward also the dog needs to be sound. It is a big commitment and takes time and repetition.

Wow, MVR!  I am sorry that you had such a negative experience with SAR. First of all i want to mention that St. Bernards are search and rescue dogs, so i don't think that lifting him is the primary qualification.   As far as running through the woods all day, i don't think so... why on earth would you be running through the woods?  I am not training hound dogs that are just going to run a muck...  I have a quality german shepherd that has potential to work as an SAR dog ... that , i am not going to see wasted. 

I must admit, when i first read your comment i thought to myself, i can't do this... i can't run for days in the woods, i can't carry his sorry butt around the woods...  and i was going to give up...   but then a vision came to me of a day in history... September 11, 2001 to be exact.  I didn't see any of those dogs running for days.  and as far as carrying their dogs around, i didn't see any of that either. (except for injuries).  So please, keep your negativity off the board.  my question to the group was if there were people training and if there were suggestions... i don't take "quit  it's hard" as a suggestion. 

All dog training takes committment.  And as far as waiting to be called, if ever to search... i do believe on September 11, 2001 there was a pretty high demand for SAR dogs.   Unfortunately, i don't think that was the last of the Taliban in America. Perhaps i will have a dog doing some SAR so i am not watching from the fence post next time... maybe i can actually help. And if not, if i am never called, whatever.  It is not about the glory, it's about the ride.   Maybe he will be my personal SAR, never to 'go to work'.  I don't know... all i know is that i have always had a heart to train SAR; all i know is that i have a dog who has the potential to do the work...  i'll find a way.  i thought on the GS message board there would be like minded trainers; not individuals who are quitters and whose only suggestion is to quit... its too hard.

Pauline
 

Good lord.  I didn't read anything negative into MVFs post.  Sometimes trying one thing with your dog is not something that fits into one's personal lifestyle and other fun activities can be found.  It's great when people try things with their dogs.  I never thought of the fact that one might have to lift their dogs over barriers...  that was interesting.  I had never thought of that.  There ae all sorts of folks who post on this board, Pauline.  Including those who realize  the Taliban had anything to do with 9-11, LOL!  (that was Al-Qaeda).  

So how DO people lift St. Bernards for SAR??