Search and rescue is a challenging and exciting activity; it is doubly rewarding to work with a talented dog and develop the intense bond that characterizes a successful dog and handler team. However, few people are prepared to make the commitment of time, energy, and money that is necessary for success. Search and rescue work is not a sport or a hobby — it is a lifestyle. Ask yourself :

*Am I willing to spend one or two years training twice a week (or more) before my dog and I are ready to participate in a search together?

*Am I willing to continue group training once a week indefinitely?

*Am I prepared to spend several hours in some of Maryland’s worst weather?

*Do I enjoy the outdoors?

*Is my job flexible enough to allow me to leave for a search occasionally? Will I drive three to four hours to a search?

*Am I willing to undergo medical training and other specialized training for search work? Am I willing to learn skills that are unrelated to dog handling, but necessary for a professional rescuer?

*Will I accept the judgment of a senior handler concerning my own abilities and my dog’s, and take direction concerning training methods?

*If I do not already have a dog, am I (and my family) willing to welcome one into our home as a family member, and commit to her care for her lifetime — whether or not she succeeds as a search dog?

*Can I gracefully take orders from incident commanders and senior handlers? Can I hold my ground calmly when my judgment dictates that I must make myself heard?

*Do I work well in a collegial atmosphere, and enjoy learning with people from different backgrounds and with different levels and kinds of expertise?

*Do I cope well with frustration?

*Am I prepared to take responsibility for my own progress, and show initiative in developing my own skills through study and practice?

*Am I willing to acquire a new puppy specifically for search work and train for several years?

*Am I the kind of dog trainer who is willing to give up control, and trust my dog when she tells me something that I think is incorrect, or does something that appears nonsensical?

*Is my dog my best buddy, or one of many in my household or kennel?

*Am I interested in search and rescue work even if I must do it without a canine partner?

 People from many backgrounds and occupations engage in canine search work. If you are a “dog person,” you may have much to learn about survival and navigation in the outdoors, and you will be bowled over by the cost of proper equipment and clothing. You may have to unlearn many habits and attitudes that are fostered by the “sport” of dogs. If you are an outdoors person or public safety professional, you must be willing to invest a great deal of time in learning about dog behavior, and developing a rapport with your animal. A search dog is not just another “search tool” — she is your partner, and will only work with you, never “for” you.

Last updated on March 26, 2014 by Theodore Carson