What Defines a Team Member at Search Dog Network?

Becoming a Search and Rescue volunteer is not a job for the faint of heart. At Search Dog Network we are professional volunteers that have dedicated years of study and training for deployment in the field. A member of Search Dog Network must be a dedicated, reliable, available, teachable, prepared, respectful, selfless, physically fit, professional individual.

• You must be dedicated to working hard both mentally and physically.
• You must be reliable and meet the time commitments and attendance requirements set forth by SDN to train and become a deployable asset.
• You must be conscientious and cognizant of the team’s time investment in you and your dog (if applicable).
• You must be available to deploy at all hours of the day or night.
• You must respond to training emails, Code Red callouts and SDN GroupMe alerts.
• You must learn, test and certify numerous national standard search strategies essential to being successful in the field.
• You must come to training and missions prepared: dressed appropriately with plenty of water and essential gear needed for you and your canine (if applicable).
• You must respect orders and assignments from search managers and law enforcement as well as constructive criticism from team members.
• You must unselfishly set your feelings aside and accept that you are here to perform an honorable task. NO DRAMA!
• You must be physically fit enough to pack into the wilderness and bust brush utilizing learned search strategies while keeping the pace set by the working canine.
• You must always be professional and use discretion when in the field representing SDN.

SDN trains on Tuesday evenings @1830 and Saturday mornings @0700 in hot months and @0800 in cool months. Board meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of the month @1900. You will be financially responsible for your investment in equipment, uniforms, course work fees, travel expenses and canine care.

Dramatic behavior will not be tolerated. There is no “I” in Team. SDN is a team of individuals that work together as a unit in the field. The main goal of wilderness search and rescue is that you do not become the next victim.