Search & Rescue Dogs

Hi Everyone,

In my spare time I work for the NHS as a Ward Clerk on Neonatal Unit. I have two boy's and soon to be a Grandma for the first time

For the rest of the time I enjoy being out and about with the dogs. I have 3 dogs Bracken (Hungarian Vizsla), Paddy (Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla) and Max (Cocker Spaniel who is the support staff for the dog team ). Paddy is the dog I am training for Search & Rescue. I am a Team Leader within Cheshire LSART and the Representative for the Dog Team and for my sin's, I also run the dog training sessions.

My hobbies are needle crafts, reading, fishing, caravaning, beating & shooting and training my dogs for both S&R and Gun Work.

Now....



On The Road To No Where!

Hi Jo

Do you do gun dog work with the one you are training for SAR? Have you had any problems with cross over training? I.E Does your dog switch off from "huting" when he is doing SAR training?

I find cross over training very interesting and like to know and see what problems people come up against.

Lou x

Hi Lou,

I did continue working Paddy when I started the SAR training, but unfortunately he didn't take to doing both, so I am concentrating on just using him for SAR work, he cannot cope with being a dual purpose dog.

Even though I'm not training Max for SAR work, I do occassionally take him out on training nights just to socialize with the rest of the team and run him through at the very end to get the mispers I've placed out. He really does enjoy it and looks as if he could cope with doing both jobs, but, at the moment I have got reservations about doing this. (Shooting season is upon us)

The key to switch my dogs on to which jobs they are doing, has always been to use different leads for different jobs. A different lead for showing, walks and work. For Paddy, however, all I have to do is get his SAR coat out and his personality totally changes, it really is amazing, and at times laughable.

Joe