Volunteer
Become a volunteer & join Search Dogs Northeast
Our mission is to provide qualified search teams to appropriate law enforcement and emergency management agencies; and to provide education and outreach to the community on how to safely enjoy the outdoors. We are looking for committed individuals who are self-motivated and able to grasp the fundamentals of SAR work. We look for handlers who are willing to work together. Contact us for more information, we look forward to hearing from you.
Training
Training happens year round on a weekly basis, and handlers often train other times on their own. Members are expected to participate regularly. Dogs and their owners (handlers) are a team and each team has requirements to attain in order to become certified or search ready. The handler will have to complete certifications in first aid, navigation, fundamentals of SAR, crime scene preservation, and others. Dogs will have to attain the CGC (canine good citizen) certification from an AKC tester and successfully complete several field tests with the handler. Typically, the process to get a team certified takes 2-4 years, based upon the time it has taken present members. Thereafter, the team recertifies every 2 years with the state testing group.
Dog Readiness
Handlers-in-training often want to rush through the runaways and first steps of training. They want their dogs to start doing search work quickly. However, it is important to build a solid foundation, which takes lots of repetition of short basic problems. This allows time for the handlers to walk with members, learn how different kinds of dogs approach problems differently, practice navigation skills and learn how to be a good hider. Starting with an older dog may mean that the team will have only a short window of searching before the dog is retired. A 5-year-old dog that takes 4 years to certify will be ready at 9 years which is close to retirement for many breeds.
Best Candidates
Not all dogs are suited to this type of work. The type of breed is not specific. Strong play drive dogs with good agility make good candidates although they must be focused and controllable. Dogs do SAR work because we make it fun and provide rewards. On a search, a team might be deployed for hours and it is important that the dog stays focused and working. There are few shortcuts in training dogs as they are not linear learners. Before accepting a dog onto our team, we evaluate each one for potential as a SAR dog, as a dog with training issues is a drag on the whole group and has small likelihood of getting certified. We look for handlers who are willing to work together.
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Call Anytime: (508) 726-1371