Books/Videos- Suggestions?

[kaitrinn7]

My husband and I are hoping to get our pup, Sieger, into SAR down the road. (He is going to be 19 weeks on Thursday.)

The challenge we are faced with first is that there are no SAR training groups or SAR groups in general in our area with the exception of the Sheriff's department, who have to bring someone in to train their dogs/handlers and/or send their people out for training/certification.
At this point making a 6 hour drive (3 hours each way) to the nearest SAR group on a weekly basis (or whatever would be needed) isn't an option.

Do any of you know of any good books, or videos, that we might buy to at least get us pointed in the right direction for training?
Or are there any specific things we should or could be working on at this point with him to help facilitate this in the future?
If it helps, we were most interested in wilderness trailing and cadaver.

We have been socializing him daily, and he has encountered many many new experiences, as well as all different terrains, dogs, people, kids, weather conditions and we will continue working on this.
He knows all his basic obedience, and currently we are working on his leash manners and heel, and he is enrolled in an obedience class now with a lady who has raised, bred, and owned GSD's for many years.

All we have heard to do so far is socialize, make sure he is taking his obedience classes, get him certified for canine good citizen, socialize some more, and encourage his natural drives.

We were also told to wait until he is at least 18 months old before we try to get him going for his SAR training, but from everything I keep reading, that sounds like we would be waiting too long.

Any input, ideas, suggestions, etc to help us would be very much appreciated.

Thanks alot

[jocoyn]

There are many different ways to train a dog for SAR - I understand a new version of "Ready" by Susan Bulunda is coming out and the ARDA has another decent book. I would not worry about cadaver until you have everything else in line - maybe not even with your first dog.

There are also different schools of throught on how to train a trailing dog. It would not hurt to do sport tracking before you get started in trailing. Either Schutzhund tracking or AKC style is good for starting. Tracking and Trailing have some differences but it is still a good basic foundation.

But it is terribly hard without being part of a team and, to be honest, Having to drive 3 hours one way once a week or every two weeks is really NOT that unusual. Neither is spending 3-4K a year. You will still be training 3-4 days a week on your own with the network of "victims" you are going to have to establish.

If the team is interested in you after you talk with them, it makes more sense to bite the bullet and drive the distance until you are established and try to develop a splinter group at your locale.

Just little stuff like - liablity/workmens comp insurance [homeowners does not cut it]-our team pays over $3k per year for it at the lowest price break [up to 20 members], all the foundation SAR training that has nothing to do with the dog, etc. Even getting callouts......

There are different mindsets on starting a puppy or a young dog.