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FRONT RANGE RESCUE DOGS, INC. STANDARDS September 2004 CONTENTS Affiliate Member Standards Standards for Affiliates in the Candidate Process Operational Member Standards Evaluators FRRD Evaluators Standards Outside Evaluator Standards Testing Procedures Canine Obedience Standards Wilderness Search Standards Trailing Standards Airscent Standards Avalanche Search Standards Disaster Search Standards Water Search Standards Evidence Search Standards Requalification Standards
AFFILIATE MEMBERS Affiliate Standards
Definition: An Affiliate member is someone who supports FRRD in various ways, without maintaining Operational standing.
1. Must apply and be elected to Affiliate member status at a monthly meeting. Must have submitted a written application to a current member of the Board of Directors, and the application must have been ratified by a majority of a quorum of Operational members.
2. Must pay dues.
3. Must read, be familiar with, and agree to abide by the purpose and objectives, Bylaws, Policies and Standards of FRRD.
4. Agree not to represent yourself as qualified for searching or your dog as a search dog, unless approved for response to a specific mission.
5. Affiliates approved by the Board are eligible for being fielded on a mission, and may be approved by the on-call member or field team leader for response on a specific mission.
6. Previous handlers may field on a specific mission given approval by the Board. Retired dogs may be approved the on-call member or field team leader for response to a specific mission.
7. Participate in additional required training if interested in and approved for giving public presentations, i.e. Hug-a-Tree or similar. If working with the public: - Be familiar with Basic Canine First Aid. - Be familiar with the theories of navigation and be able to read a topographical map. - Be familiar with basic air scent and trailing strategies. - Understand what is a scent article and know how to package one. - Know the Operational members and be familiar with qualified dog teams. - Have an understanding of which agencies FRRD works with. AFFILIATE MEMBERS IN THE CANDIDATE PROCESS Standards for Affiliate Members in the Candidate Process
Definition: An Affiliate member in the Candidate process is someone who maintains Affiliate Standards and is working towards Operational status. 1. Must apply and be elected to the Candidate program at a quarterly meeting. 2. Must meet the same attendance requirements as Operational members and be in the process of obtaining the Standards and equipment necessary of Operational members. 3. If an Affiliate in the Candidate process is training a dog, the dog must meet the standards for candidate level as described in Obedience. Training a dog should not be the primary objective of an Affiliate member in the Candidate process. Affiliate members in the Candidate process should focus on becoming an Operational Support member first and training a dog once they are Operational. 4. Maintain a training log detailing functions and other FRRD activities attended. It is recommended that training logs detail training goals, the progress toward those goals, the date, time, and weather conditions of all training sessions and type of training, scenario, outcome, and analysis for each problem. Attendance at all FRRD functions should be documented in the training log. The log should be kept available for review by any member and should be present at all quarterly meetings. Operational members will review progression towards Operational status of Affiliate members in the Candidate process at quarterly meetings. OPERATIONAL MEMBERS Operational SupportStandards Definition: An Operational member qualified by FRRD Standards and Policies in all areas of field readiness to respond to missions as a field ready team member. Must pay dues and agree to abide by the below Standards. 1. Agree not to participate in any mission if the conditions are deemed to be too hazardous. 2. Agree not to participate in any mission if physical, mental, emotional or other limitation would prevent adequate performance in the field. 3. Know the purpose and objectives of FRRD and be familiar with its Bylaws, Policies and Procedures and Standards. 4. Attend at least 10 functions in a 6 month period. These time periods will begin in February and August. Functions are defined as FRRD monthly meetings and FRRD practices. One of the functions must be a monthly meeting. In addition to FRRD functions one activity such as an outside training class will be accepted towards the attendance requirement. 5. Have a current American Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR card. 6. Have a current basic Red Cross First Aid card or "higher" medical training.
7. Knowledge of Basic Canine First Aid: · Understand basic canine anatomy · Understand canine capabilities and limitations (stress factors, olfactory hazards, environmental factors, physical agility, etc.) · Basic care of soft tissue and bone injuries (prevention, care, treatment) · Ability to perform basic mucous membrane care and treatment (check, clear & disinfect ears, eyes, nose & mouth) · Ability to recognize and treat minor intestinal disorders
8. Be able to survive 24 hours in the wilderness, in any weather, using only items packed in. 9. Be in and maintain appropriate physical condition for SAR operations. 10. Be able to work 8 to 12 hours for 3 consecutive days with a SAR dog in unfamiliar terrain. 11. Be proficient at navigation, day or night, in an unfamiliar wilderness area and give a succinct, accurate explanation of the dog team's location and route at any time. 12. Be familiar with SAR dog search operations as they relate to mantracking, grid and aerial searching. 13. Be proficient with radio communication. 14. Train with a SAR dog at least once a month, in wilderness, avalanche, disaster, water or evidence search. 15. Have a very good understanding of airscent strategy, properly read wind direction, alerts given by the dog and translate this information on to the map. 16. Identify and properly package scent articles. 17. Be able to determine if a footprint found matches the description of the footprint of the missing subject. 18. Be able to demonstrate the proper procedures for handling clues found in the field and be able to radio the description and location to base camp. 19. Be able to translate field activity onto a base map, including the route taken, areas left uncovered, alerts, clues found, wind direction and probability of detection. 20. Possess the equipment required of the search function to be supported. All equipment must be kept in good condition and in a constant state of readiness. 21. Maintain a training log detailing training goals and the progress toward those goals. It is recommended that training logs contain the date, time, and weather conditions of all training sessions and type of training, scenario, outcome, and analysis for each problem. Attendance at all FRRD functions should be documented in the training log. The log is kept available for review by any member. 22. Must have passed an Operational member Test. 23. Must have submitted an Operational Support Application with all of the skills initialed by Operational members. Applications must be submitted to a current member of the Board of Directors. Elections will occur as directed by the Bylaws and Policies. If an application is re-submitted for vote, skills initialed within the previous one year are considered valid. 24. If an Operational member and dog successfully pass the appropriate qualification tests and are ratified by a majority of a quorum of Operational members they will be considered an Operational team (handler and qualified search dog). In addition it is recommended that Operational Support members are competent in winter travel, complete an avalanche course at least every three years, be competent in handling a watercraft and complete other outside training courses such as Managing the Lost Person Incident. Evaluators FRRD Evaluator Standards Definition: An Operational or Retired member of FRRD who is qualified to evaluate FRRD tests. Must abide by the below Standards. 1. Must have been an Operational member with FRRD for a minimum of one year. 2. Must have observed a minimum of two qualification tests and one obedience test. 3. Must have submitted an application in writing to the Board of Directors which must have been ratified by a majority of the Board of Directors. 4. Must be elected by a majority of the current FRRD Evaluators. 5. An Evaluator will lose their Evaluator status if so voted by a majority of the current FRRD Evaluators. Outside Evaluator Standards
Definition: An approved individual who has been given the power to evaluate a FRRD test by the Board of Directors.
1. Must be an experienced and active member of a search and rescue team. Or 2. Must actively work with canines in a professional capacity. 3. Must have read the FRRD Standards for the test they have been asked to evaluate. 4. Must have been approved by the Board of Directors. TESTING PROCEDURES 1. Refer to the appropriate section for specific testing requirements. 2. There shall be a minimum of three Evaluators at all tests. An exception will be made for Operational Support and Evidence tests where only one Evaluator is required and Canine Obedience tests where only two Evaluators are required. 3. A majority of Evaluators for any test must be FRRD Evaluators. 4. Dogs must pass an obedience test and be approved by the Board of Directors for public presentations prior to attempting any qualification tests. 5. Members wishing to test must submit a written request to the vice president. 6.Operational Support tests will be given by any FRRD Evaluator. The Vice President will assign an Evaluator to conduct the test. It is preferred that more than one Evaluator oversees the test. 7. The Vice President will coordinate the setting up of all tests. Any Evaluator can set up a test. The Vice President will assign a lead Evaluator for all tests. Operational members and Affiliate members in the Candidate process are encouraged to observe any test at the discretion of the evaluation team and the individual being tested. 8. The Vice President will coordinate tests with the goal of qualifying dogs as quickly as possible. Re-qualification tests will be subordinate to qualification tests. The Vice President can extend a team’s qualification period if qualification tests for other teams hinder re-qualification tests. The extension can be for no more than one year. It is the responsibility of a team to request a re-qualification test near the end of the qualification period. 9. Qualification tests will be conducted for a dog/handler team until they pass and become Operational, or fail two tests. If a team fails two tests they may be removed from the testing process to allow other teams the opportunity to test. The team is allowed to test again when a majority of FRRD Evaluators agree that they are ready to test. If a team is removed from the testing process they will be required to re-take all appropriate qualification tests as determined by a majority of the FRRD Evaluators. Obedience tests are required for qualification but failed obedience tests are not counted when a decision is made to remove a dog from the testing process. 10. If a member feels that the testing process or a test itself was unfair, the member should address their concerns in writing to the Board of Directors.
CANINE PRIVATE OBEDIENCE STANDARDS A search dog must have a sound temperament, be in superior physical condition and have excellent obedience. Prior to participating in any FRRD practice, each dog must meet the candidate level obedience standards. Additionally, each dog must pass the Operational level obedience standards before initiating search testing. FRRD acknowledges that there are various opinions regarding the trainability of certain breeds; therefore, a handler may request, in writing to the president, an exemption to a particular standard. This request must state the standard for which an exemption is requested and include a copy of the training log. The dog may be exempted from the standard upon the recommendation of the Board, subject to approval by the voting membership. The main objective of these Standards is to assure that all FRRD teams will be well behaved and easily controlled in actual search operations and for public appearances. FRRD members reserve the right to intervene in situations in which the handler has failed to control his/her dog.
Candidate 1. Dog must not be aggressive towards people (no exceptions). 2. Dog must not be aggressive towards other dogs or animals with the exception of natural dominance behavior (which must be controlled when it occurs). 3. Dog must be under control while at practice or any function at which FRRD is present. (If a dog is not under control when off leash, that dog should not be off leash at a FRRD practice.) 4. Dog should be gaining basic obedience. Some exceptions will be made (i.e., puppies or slow developing breeds) as long as training is in progress.
Operational Note: These are the minimum standards to be met prior to testing for wilderness or any specialty discipline. Any additional obedience/agility standards which must be met are listed in the Standards under that discipline. 1. Dog must meet and maintain all of the requirements for the candidate level. 2. Dog must be able to be handled and transported by other FRRD members, and ride in a vehicle with other FRRD dogs. 3. Dog must be able to maneuver readily in backcountry conditions: cross deadfall and creeks/streams, negotiate boulders and boulder fields, maneuver through thick underbrush. 4. Dog must walk at handler's side, with and without a lead, not pull ahead or lag behind, and come to a halt when handler stops. 5. Dog must heel on lead with a stranger. 6. Dog must come when called despite distractions, and stop (sit, down, or stand) on recall when commanded. 7. Dog must be able to remain on a down command for at least five minutes despite distractions and in the absence of the handler. WILDERNESS SEARCH STANDARDS Definition: An Operational member and dog qualified by FRRD Standards and Policies in all areas of field readiness to respond to missions as a wilderness search dog team. 1. Must first qualify as Operational Support and maintain all of the requirements (standards) of Operational Support personnel. 2. Possess the equipment necessary for the care and feeding of the dog, including: · Dog food · Food dish · Extra water · Collar and leash · Harness (recommended) · Cylume sticks or equivalent light · K-9 first aid kit · Dog boots (recommended) 3. Complete a FRRD sponsored canine first aid class or acceptable course and be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of canine first aid. 4. Demonstrate a working rapport with and appropriate handling of the dog. 5. Be able to accurately read the dog. 6. Dog must meet the following requirements: · Be qualified in Obedience and maintain all of the standards (except those for which an exclusion was granted) therein · Be at least 18 months old (unless exempted by the Board of Directors) · Have sufficient stamina to search for several days in large areas and in inclement weather · Be able to adequately find a subject and communicate to the handler the location of the subject · Display confidence and calmness in being loaded, in riding, and in being unloaded in various conveyances such as fixed wing aircraft, helicopter, car, truck · Be of sound temperament, not exhibit inappropriate aggressive behavior towards people or animals, nor show signs of unstable and/or undesirable behavior under normal conditions · Able to work without being easily distracted from the search function · Work with intensity and enthusiasm · Demonstrate a working rapport with handler · Pass annual physical examination by a veterinarian · Have current vaccinations (rabies, parvo, etc.) · Demonstrate agility appropriate for the search function 7. Every qualified dog must have basic scent discrimination as determined at practice. 8. Every airscent dog must be able to follow a one hour old trail that is one half of a mile long as determined at practice. 9. It is encouraged that every qualified dog passes the wilderness article portion of the evidence test.
TEST The following are the minimum testing requirements for Front Range Rescue Dogs, Inc. The successful completion of these tests is required for Operational status as a wilderness search dog team with Front Range Rescue Dogs, Inc. A dog showing signs of unstable and/or undesirable behavior under normal circumstances will not be tested.
Trailing Given a scent article, the prospective team will approach the point last seen in a contaminated area (contaminated by at least two other persons besides the subject) and establish the direction of travel. The team must proceed along the trail that is between 8 and 12 hours old and from 1.5 to 2 miles in length through moderate to difficult terrain and crossing at least one road to find the subject. Actual age of the trail shall be determined by the testers according to the climatic conditions and terrain. The trail will be contaminated by two fresher cross trails of people who are not present during the test. There will be three to five articles left along the trail by the subject. The dog should also indicate on a minimum of three of these articles. No test will be given when the presence of snow will make the test inconsistent or unfair. Airscent A prospective team must successfully complete a day and a night airscent test. No test will be given when the presence of snow will make the test inconsistent or unfair. Requirements of Airscent Tests: · Airscent tests will be completed in approximately 2 hours. · One of the airscent tests may be conducted with one subject. The other test must be conducted with more than one subject. · Scent articles will be provided if requested. The number of scent articles does not have to equal the number of subjects on airscent tests. · Airscent tests cannot be conducted in any specific area more than once for each dog team. · While testing, prospective handlers will not be supported by Operational Support members. · Prospective handler must exhibit proper search strategy. · Prospective handler must exhibit proper navigational skills and map work. · Prospective handler and dog must exhibit adequate endurance. · During the airscent tests the dog must indicate on the scent of the subject(s) by airscenting. · The dog must determine the subject(s) location and lead the handler to him/her. · The prospective handler will conduct an appropriate interview of a reporting party or be appropriately briefed by a mock mission leader. · The prospective handler will be debriefed and provide appropriate map work and probability of detection.
Day Test - Search an area between one quarter and one third of a section for one to three subjects hidden out of sight. This test must take place during daylight hours.
Night Test – Search an area between one quarter and one third of a section for one to three subjects hidden out of sight. This test must take place at night when artificial light sources are necessary for safe searching.
AVALANCHE SEARCH STANDARDS Definition: An Operational dog team qualified by FRRD Standards and Policies in all areas of field readiness to respond to missions involving avalanche victims.
1. Avalanche is a specialty and therefore the dog team must be qualified in Wilderness Airscent and maintain all of the standards therein. Exceptions may be made by the Board of Directors.
2. Complete an acceptable avalanche course at least every three years and be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of avalanche safety. Exceptions may be made by the Board of Directors.
3. Must agree to never respond to an avalanche without an avalanche beacon.
4. Must be competent in winter travel (snowshoeing, cross country skiing, etc.).
5. Be capable of selecting a campsite and constructing and inhabiting an adequate shelter for a minimum of 24 hours, during any weather conditions encountered by the team above timberline and in deep snow.
6. Dog must meet the following additional requirements: · Be able to work effectively in a slide area · Able to work in a harsh environment with subfreezing temperatures · Alert by digging towards victim or articles · Refrain from marking or defecating in slide area · Able to travel comfortably by chairlift, Snowcat, and snowmobile
TEST Two to three subjects plus clothing articles will be buried out of sight of test team in moderate depth snow (approximately 4 feet). At least 10 minutes will be allowed for scent rise time before the search begins (dense snow necessitates longer scent rise times). The simulated avalanche area will be at least 150 feet by 100 feet. Handler and dog must approach and navigate rapidly and carefully despite radio interruptions and persons on perimeter. When the dog indicates on the first subject, the dog will be diverted and restarted while shovelers clear a shallow hole. When dog indicates on a second subject, the dog will be diverted and placed in the first hole to test reindication. If the dog digs accurately and positively, the dog will be permitted to fully recover that subject and receive a reward. The handler must explicitly instruct shovelers and probers what they are to do. Dog must locate two subjects within 30 minutes. The dog need not locate the clothing articles, but it is preferred. The testers will observe enthusiasm differential in dog's indication for articles versus subjects.
Rules for avalanche search test are: · Nothing belonging to the handler is allowed in the holes · The subjects will have active avalanche beacons · Subjects and testers will enter the slide zone from the windward side or from a different direction than the test team will enter · Shovelers and testers will be placed so as not to cue the handler · The entire slide area must be disturbed · After the area is disturbed, problem should run as soon as possible after scent rise time · All burials must be a minimum of three feet below the surface · Subjects will be buried in a cave accessible by a shaft to provide an air reservoir · Subjects must have working radios · Only one test will be run on a given disturbed area for fairness and consistency. DISASTER SEARCH STANDARDS Definition: An Operational dog team qualified by FRRD Standards and Policies in all areas of field readiness to respond to missions involving searches where victims have a high potential for being buried under manmade debris.
1. Disaster Search is a specialty and therefore the dog team must be qualified in Wilderness Airscent and maintain all of the standards therein. Exceptions may be made by the Board of Directors.
2. Federal Emergency Management Agency type I or II tests or the equivalent will serve as a suitable substitute for FRRD disaster standards.
WATER SEARCH STANDARDS Definition: An Operational dog team qualified by FRRD Standards and Policies in all areas of field readiness to respond to missions involving victims possibly underwater.
1. Water Search is a specialty and therefore the dog team must be qualified in Wilderness Airscent and maintain all of the standards therein. Exceptions may be made by the Board of Directors.
2. Competent in handling a canoe or other boat with a dog in connection with SAR operations.
3. Possess the equipment required of an Operational handler and field support personnel and either have or have access to the following: · Life vest · Canoe, John boat, or equivalent · Life vest for dog (optional)
4. Must agree to never respond to a water search without a life vest.
5. Dog must meet the following additional requirements: · Must enter the water without hesitation on command · Be able to swim and maneuver well in water · Be able to ride comfortably and without fear in watercraft
TEST The search area will be conducted in an area of at least 150 feet square. The scent article will be put in the water out of sight of the test team in moderate depth water (approximately 8 to 12 feet). The handler and dog must approach the search area and navigate rapidly and carefully despite radio interruptions and persons on the perimeter. The team will be given 30 minutes to locate the scent article. When the dog indicates on the article, or time is called, the article may be retrieved in the dog's presence. Human hair and/or nail clippings may be used with a clothing article.
The team must demonstrate the dog's ability to swim at least 30 feet on command, exhibiting strong, sure strokes and not panicking. Water used for this test will be still with no threat of rapids, falls, or entrapment. EVIDENCE SEARCH STANDARDS Definition: An Operational dog team qualified by FRRD Standards and Policies in all areas of field readiness to respond to missions involving searches for evidence.
1. Evidence Search is a specialty and therefore the dog team must be qualified in Wilderness Airscent and maintain all of the standards therein. Exceptions may be made by the Board of Directors.
TESTS 1. Wilderness Article Test - In an area approximately an eighth of a section, the team must find at least three of five articles of clothing (two to be larger articles, three to be smaller). The articles will be hidden in the area at least 24 hours in advance of the test. The time allowed will be two hours. This test may be given on the honor system (No Evaluator present during the test). 2. Small Area Evidence Test (adapted from the USPCA standards) · Search area will be fifty feet by fifty feet of raised grass approximately twelve inches high. In the absence of grass this high, more rugged terrain may be used but should closely simulate a “meadow” situation. · The boundaries of the area will be clearly marked. · This test will be conducted in the daylight or in a lighted area if at night. · The team will have 5 minutes to complete the test. · Two of the following articles will be used (if possible the color of the articles should be close to that of the ground cover): · A small piece of metal climbing or backpacking equipment (caribiner, tent stake, etc.) · Key on a ring with tab · book of matches · small flashlight · plastic credit card · screwdriver, pliers or other small tool · small piece of leather · Articles will be tossed into the search area, (helper remains outside the search area), after being scented for a minimum of 30 seconds by the helper. The dog and handler will be out of sight and the test will begin when the dog and handler approach the area. · The handler may start the dog from anywhere around the perimeter of the search area. The handler may move around the perimeter during the test, but may not enter the area. · The dog will be required to find and retrieve or indicate on the two articles in the search area. Prior to starting the test the handler will advise the Evaluator(s) whether the dog will retrieve or indicate. · Retrieve: Upon finding an article the dog will bring the article to the handler on the perimeter. · Indicate: When the dog finds an article it will indicate the location to the handler and remain near the article and not continue searching. When the dog indicates on an article the handler will notify the Evaluators. An Evaluator will retrieve the article then the handler can release the dog. · The helper who places the articles may be an Evaluator but should not be a person very familiar to the dog. REQUALIFICATION OPERATIONAL SUPPORT MEMBERS Any Operational member may request the re-qualification of an Operational Support member. This request must be submitted in writing to the Board. Upon review, the Board will determine whether the Operational Support member has maintained the requirements for field support and if they need to be re-tested. The test will be repeating the Operational Field Support test.
QUALIFIED DOG TEAMS All teams qualified by FRRD must re-qualify five years from the date they obtain a qualification. In addition any Operational member may request the re-qualification of a Qualified Dog Team. This request must be submitted in writing to the Board. Upon review, the Board will determine whether the Qualified Dog Team has maintained the requirements for qualified status and if they need to be re-tested. Re-qualification for trailing, obedience, avalanche, water and evidence will be successfully completing the original test. For disaster re-qualification a team may qualify at a higher level or the same level to maintain their qualification with FRRD. For airscent re-qualification a team must successfully pass either the day or night qualification tests. Each team will have two opportunities to pass the requalification test. If a team fails both attempts, that team will lose its qualification for that discipline. If a team loses their qualification for airscent and trailing they will not be able to be fielded. |
