SAR - Page 2

thinking more about this the legal liabilities would be great if the dog bite someone...

Mose.. Myself I would not train at the same time. As you can see from my posts I think you culd take a SCH dog and once trained then re-train for SAR. Only problem I see would be the bitework possible problems..

A person we know that we did Schutzhund tracking with one dog is looking forward to him crossing over to SAR after he's titled. She has done both through the years and sees no problem with the right dog crossing over. This doesn't mean all dogs can cross over. We have two, maybe three, I think could, the others I don't think so.

Okay I must have misunderstood your post Desert Ranger. I think thats what Ill do then is after I get the Sch3, transfer over to SAR if not FR. I dont think Id ever really use the SAR in real life, I just think it would be fun to do and keep my dog and I busy.

My current female was trained in tracking (trailing)and excelled at it. Later on I trained her in air scenting and she did excellent in it. She would track ground scent, rafts and air scent, it did not matter to her. At age six she did her first bitework and we one tease with a tug and then came in with a sleeve, she did not hesitate and had a full crushing grip, she loved the bitework... I agree with the right dog you can do this. Again, the only concern I see is the legal end if the dog did bite someone...

Also keep in mind the different kinds of SAR training. Urban may not cross over well to wilderness. Where we live it will be wilderness SAR training, I'll let others with natural and un-natural urban disasters.

Mose SAR training is great and alot of fun. I loved the tracking and air scenting. Alot of other requirements to actually get certified. Two must read books.. Scent and the Scenting Dog by William G. Syrotuck Search and Rescue Dogs "training methods" by American Resue dog association

Don't forget alot of SAR requires training for you, not just your dog...

Looks like Ive got a lot to learn. Thanks for the book recommendations Desert Ranger! Ive been looking for some new reading.

Mosemancr, If you never plan to use the SAR in real life, do not waste the time training for it. SAR is not something you "dabble" in. If you join with a group and never plan to actually train your dog to be operational, you are wasting a lot of valuable time that group could be using to train someone who does plan to go operational with their dog. It is not a sport, and not something to use to keep your dog busy. Unless you are training cadaver and have your own sources, you will need other people to help you train for this. SAR is very consuming. Time wise, physically and emotionally. Some of the very best SAR dogs I ever saw were trained in schutzhund first, but none of the groups I was ever with allowed anyone to cross train in both. Schutzhund is a liability in a groups point of view. Say they take on a schutzhund dog that eventually bites someone for whatever the reason is. That group will most likely lose the respect and call outs from all the local authorities for future searches. Not to mention the lawsuit that may arise from it. Groups have to pay an arm and a leg in insurance as it is most of the time, but after they have an actual dog bite on record for their group, those fees can skyrocket, if they don't lose the insurance. Actual searches can be very frantic, especially if the family of the missing are involved. A schutzhund trained dog with the wrong type of temperament can perceive a threat from just about anyone, including the authorities in uniform and panicked family members. It can and has been done though, if you have the right type of dog, and you're very dedicated to the training. If you plan to go through with it, I suggest fininshing the schutzhund first and giving the dog time to mature and understand the difference between the two.