Search and Rescue Dog Association (Wales)

So you want to become a Dog Handler?

Most of our dog handlers are a Full Member of a Mountain Rescue Team. You may be able to qualify a Lowland Search Dog if you have the necessary navigational along with the right aptitude for training.

Once your application has been passed by the Committee you are required to body for six months.  In this time you will be monitored to ensure that you have the time and the commitment needed to train a dog. The bodying period also allows you to experience what a real casualty may go through and also the way different dogs find you in relation to the wind and where you are hiding. This time is also for you to decide whether or not being a SARDA dog handler is for you.

If you successfully complete your bodying period you will become a Trainee handler and be invited to bring your dog along for an Acceptance and Stock Test. Once your dog has passed this it will be allowed to come to SARDA Wales training, then the work really begins !

Training is divided into stages which have to be passed before going on to the next one. It takes roughly 2 – 3 yrs to get a dog on the Call Out list and all members of the Association are involved in the training of each dog – bodies, qualified dog handlers and assessors. It is therefore very important that as a trainee you put in the required time and effort into training your dogs and also help others to train their dogs. Your bodying career is never over; everyone must be willing to body, especially at Assessment time. While you are a trainee you will be put on the Call Out list in order to navigate for a qualified dog handler to gain experience and get used to being woken up at 3am to search a cold wet hillside.

In order that the bodies, handlers and assessors are put to the best use it is not in SARDA Wales’ best interest to continue to train handlers who do not show the necessary commitment. Progress is monitored and reviewed every month and the trainee is expected to attend 65% of the training available per year.

For more information or an application form contact the Training Coordinator training@sardawales.org.uk