Welcome to Search Dog Network!  There are a few things you need to know about SDN. First of all, Search & Rescue is an unpaid volunteer activity for the most part.  Second, it takes a lot of time to become proficient.   Members put in many volunteer hours in order to learn and maintain our skills.  However all the work and practice of SDN pays off at the end of the day.  Search & Rescue can be an exiting & rewarding experience.

We would like to recommend you come out to one of Search Dog Network’s training sessions see what we can do and talk with our members.  We train every Tuesday evening at 6:30 and Saturday mornings at 8 am in the winter/ 7 am in the spring-summer.

Each potential new member will be asked to start a New Member Taskbook.  This will guide you through our New Member Program and will introduce you to our team and includes two parts:  The Pre-Apprenticeship and the Apprenticeship.  During your Pre-Apprenticeship you will be required to submit to a TX DPS Criminal Records check, complete some online coursework, meet attendance requirements, familiarize yourself with basic SAR operations, and interact with our teammates and our dogs.  After completion of the Pre-Apprenticeship you will be eligible for an Entrance Interview with the New Member Coordinator and one other officer and you may apply for membership with SDN.  After the members vote you will move onto your Apprenticeship, wherein you will expand your working knowledge of basic wilderness land navigation and SAR operations.  The taskbook should take at least 2 months to complete and not more than 6 months.

Thank you for your interest in Search Dog Network. You’re welcome to come meet us at training!