RH titles

[BlackthornGSD]

I've been talking with Bill Dotson a lot recently--he is about 15 minutes from me and my agility classes are held on his property.

He is going to help me get started on training Lynx for HRD work, which is great. Had our first "lesson" on Friday and I've been sent away with homework--to work on teaching the indication behavior.

At any rate, one thing Bill really wants to see start up in the US is the RH titles. He hopes to hold an RH trial this fall and I plan on training toward it.

I did some research over the weekend and found a few resources. I was wondering if anyone had any experience in training for this title, had info about what each phase entailed, had a good description about what is tested, etc.

I did find a few things:

PDF of the IRO/FCI testing standards (from the AWDF site)

IRO website: IRO - Internationale Rettungshunde Organisation: Home

Does anyone else have other resources to recommend? Info/descriptions?

Thanks!
Christine

[BlackthornGSD]

RH obedience world championship--

You Tube

You Tube

RH trial -- obedience

You Tube

You Tube

[BlackthornGSD]

RH Agility "dexterity" test

YouTube - SAR-dog, IRO, dexterity

YouTube - SAR-dog, IRO, dexterity

You Tube

You Tube

[Mrs.K]

There is a huge debate going on between "real" SAR people and RH Sport people. RH is a sport, even though
the SV is part of the IRO, it's still a sport. I know RH dogs have made life finds but they are not as accepted as
the "real" SAR dogs because they participate more in trials as if they'd go into the field.

[GSDElsa]

Ooh, I hope someone can chime in. Since the SDA titles never really got off the ground for SAR, I had been eyeing RH stuff.

Obviously it does not substitute real life training and work, but I think it looks very appealing...a good supplement!

ETA: I have a seminar with Bill in May. I will definitely be picking his brain gabout this, and please let me know if you get any more info that is not posted on here. Elsa is almost ready to title in agility, but if he gets that going I'll try and prepare for the RH agility and start tweaking things.

[Mrs.K]

Let me see what I can do. I am on a German SAR Forum that has a RH section. I will collect as much as Info I can.

We will be seeing each other at the Seminar again. Or are we going to meet up in March again?

[BlackthornGSD]

Originally Posted by GSDElsa

Ooh, I hope someone can chime in. Since the SDA titles never really got off the ground for SAR, I had been eyeing RH stuff.

Obviously it does not substitute real life training and work, but I think it looks very appealing...a good supplement!

ETA: I have a seminar with Bill in May. I will definitely be picking his brain gabout this, and please let me know if you get any more info that is not posted on here. Elsa is almost ready to title in agility, but if he gets that going I'll try and prepare for the RH agility and start tweaking things.

Is he going up there or are you coming down here?

As far as the RH, Bill sees it as a way to get more consistent expectations and training and to give people who are interested in SAR training a path to follow, whether or not you ever "go active." I think he's also hoping that it will bring more of the modern European training methods to the SAR world in the US.

[Catu]

My team certifies through IRO and (fingers crossed) I'll go to Bs. aires (Argentina) in May to certify Auka. Then I'll have more infoprmation to give.

[GSDElsa]

Originally Posted by BlackthornGSD

Is he going up there or are you coming down here?

As far as the RH, Bill sees it as a way to get more consistent expectations and training and to give people who are interested in SAR training a path to follow, whether or not you ever "go active." I think he's also hoping that it will bring more of the modern European training methods to the SAR world in the US.

He's coming up here.

I agree it's a nice path to follow...there really isn't much consistency in the level agility....OB, etc that is required in SAR and I think even that aspect would be very beneficial.

I'm all for standards, though That's what happens when you work in a lab. I think it's a hot topic amongst SAR people!

[Mrs.K]

Originally Posted by GSDElsa

He's coming up here.

I agree it's a nice path to follow...there really isn't much consistency in the level agility....OB, etc that is required in SAR and I think even that aspect would be very beneficial.

I'm all for standards, though That's what happens when you work in a lab. I think it's a hot topic amongst SAR people!

Yes, the problem that we have in Germany with the RH title is that any school or club can offer to train "real SAR" dogs. It's somewhat like a new hype over there to have an SAR dog and you don't have committed people and that is exactly what you don't want.

They put on the jacket, and the harness and think they are SAR. The RH title doesn't focus on the education of the handler as much as you'd have it here.

Yes, I agree, the dogs need agility just as much as they need preydrive (including hunting drive, where I am from hunting drive is considered being part of the prey drive, without prey you won't have hunt.) and a standard would be cool but the United States doesn't even have a standard drivers license throughout the entire united states. So how do you expect them to get a standard for SAR dogs implemented?