SAR dog training

[Dynamite]

I'm interested in becoming a SAR dog handler in my spare time (I'm already a full-time FF). I'm looking for help finding resources for training (in the general vicinity of St. Louis, MO) and Grant programs to help defray training expenses.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[CFosterling]

In the St. Louis area I know that the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation trains and employs SAR dogs. On the Illinois side, ISAR has a good number of dogs and if still in service do a good number of trainings. You should be able to contact AVEC SAR (Alton Volunteer Emergency Corp) to get information on surrounding SAR teams. Good luck. I hope I have helped.

[KingHippo]

What kind of search dog are you looking for?

For info on USAR search dogs, check disasterdog.org

These dogs specialize in building collapse, such as the search K9s attached to FEMA USAR teams. The dog will climb, crawl, etc, to the victim, and then bark.

Wilderness search dogs are quite different from USAR dogs. I believe they are trained to find a lost person, return to the handler, and then show the handler where the victim is.

Either way, you get to hang out with a dog, and that beats just about anything.