Resources
Resources
These resources are provided for informational purposes only. There are many other resources available online that may be more specific to what you are interested in.
Are You Ready for K9 Search and Rescue?
This article provides a great overview that will help people understand what all is involved in K9 Search & Rescue. While each team will have different requirements, this article provides a fair representation as to the commitment required.
Everything Search Dogs
Selecting and training a K9 for SAR
There is no one absolute way to selecting and training a dog suitable for SAR work. These resources are designed to give you some ideas about what to look for when picking a dog that you want to use for SAR as well as some ideas about training.
- Working Dog Training for the Twenty-First Century
- Search and Rescue K-9 Training Program
- Choosing a Puppy for Search & Rescue Work
- Cadaver Dogs and the Deathly Hallows – A Survey and Literature Review on Selection and Training Procedures
- Blank Search Areas (reprinted w/ permission of HRD Specialized K9)
K9 Health and Fitness
Keeping your SAR dog healthy and fit is important. These are resources for information only. ALWAYS consult with your veterinarian regarding all issues of your dog’s health and fitness.
- The Penn Vet Dog Center Fit to Work Program
- Canine Conditioning for Your Athlete
- Working Dogs with FitPAWS
- Evaluation of Three Hydration Strategies in Detection Dogs Working in a Hot Environment
- Video: FURst Aid – Pet Triage & CPR
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Genetic Testing for Cruciate Ligament Rupture in the Labrador Retriever
- Preventing injury in sporting dogs
- Risk factors for cranial cruciate ligament rupture in working and agility dogs
- 2021 AAHA Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines
- Information re Administering Narcan to a K9
- Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering 35 Breed of Dogs
- How Do Dogs Regulate Their Body Temperature and Is Sweating Important?
- Heat Injury in Working K9s (reprinted with permission of HRD Specialized K-9 Training)
Traveling with your K9
These are a few products and that our handlers use to keep our dogs comfortable when hanging out in the car as well as a some more detailed resources for travel.
- Breezeguard Window Screens
- Ventlock Tailgate Lock
- Aluminet Shade Cloth Covering for Vehicles
- Ryobi Fans (check Home Depot for sales)
- SensorPush Temperature Monitoring
Certifying Organizations & Standards
We believe that 3rd party certifications for SAR dogs is important as it confirms a working dog is trained to a known high standard equivalent to other dogs at that level. We are providing links to some of the most common certifying organizations as well as links to national standards.
Equipment
Every SAR dog handler knows the need for quality equipment.
Social Media
Social media pages and groups provide a wealth of information on every subject imaginable on SAR K9. We’ve collected links to some of our favorites.
Scent and Search Theory
Information on scent and search theory changes rapidly so check back often for updated resources.
K9 Podcasts and Blogs
Podcasts are a wonderful resource for many aspects of dog training. Find them wherever you get your podcasts. We’ve listed just a few here.
- K9 Detection Collaborative
- K9s Talking Scents
- Drinking from the Toilet: Real Dogs, Real Training
- Hunt-Find-Alert: K9 SAR Community
- Cog-Dog Radio
- Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast
- Additional Podcast Resources
Flipboard Search and Rescue Collections
Flipboard Magazines are collections of articles around a specific topic that makes it easy to find information. You can download the Flipboard app or sign up at Flipboard.com
Books and Articles
There are many books and articles to help you in your journey of training a search and rescue dog. These are just a few to get you started. Check back often for updates as new books and articles are published.
- What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World – Cat Warren
- K9 Teams: Beyond the Basics of Search and Rescue and Recovery – Vi Shaffer
- Bark Alert: Search Dog Development with Search Strategy Training – Mary Ann Warren
- Imprint Your Detection Dog in 15 Days: A step-by-step workbook – Paul C. Bunker
- Go Find: My Journey to Find the Lost – and Myself – Susan Purvis
- Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know – Alexandra Horowitz
- Canines: The Original Biosensors – Lauryn E. DeGreeff & Craig A. Schultz
- A Dog’s Devotion: True Adventures of a K9 Search and Rescue Team – Suzanne Elshult & James Guy Mansfield
- Additional Books
Miscellaneous links
Traveling with Your Working K9
Search and Rescue K9 Lessons Learned – K9 Cop Magazine April.2015
*Reprinted with permission from K9 Cop Magazine: k9copmagazine.com
Selecting a Dog for Search and Rescue
WA State SAR K9 Teams Resource List