SEARCH and RESCUE

Trailing done as a service dog is  just a little different from trailing done through Search & Rescue (SAR) organizations. 

Search and Rescue (SAR) K9's search for a different missing person every trail they go on, and are given a scent article that the missing person has worn or handled. Many of the searches done with a  SAR K9 team are searching for someone who has been missing for many hours to many days, and sometimes even weeks. These search trails can often last for many, many miles! Trailing training with a SAR K9 takes multiple years to complete and certify, and certification needs to be renewed often. Training with a SAR K9 is constantly ongoing, as there are always more scenarios that need to be worked through. There are countless scenarios a SAR K9 team can run into on a live search, as each person they search for is wildly different. 

Because of these, SAR K9's are much more highly skilled in trailing than a search service dog. The drawback is that it can take hours and sometimes days for a SAR K9 team to be deployed to look for your loved one. 

Search service dogs are specifically trained to find a single individual they are very familiar with who elopes (runs away) or wanders from their caregivers. There are no scent articles needed, because these dogs have their person's scent memorized. Thus, they immediately begin searching for their person when cued to do so. Most searches with a search service dog are underway within 5 minutes to an hour from the time the loved one was last seen.  - When every moment counts, this is extremely valuable timing for families! Our search service dogs are very good at what they do while following trails that are fresh, up to an hour or two old. However, if it has been longer than an hour since your loved one was seen, a search service dog may not be equipped to be able find your lost loved one, and it would be best to rely on the professional SAR teams.

*IMPORTANT!*  The first thing you must do when you realize your loved one is missing is to alert the proper authorities - even if you have a well-trained Search Dog. Only then should you begin a search with your dog. Search dogs are an excellent tool to use, but dogs are living beings that can still make mistakes. When time is precious, it is important for other search teams to be notified and begin searching as soon as possible.