PACIFIC CREST SEARCH DOGS GUIDELINES
Revised 6-26-2010


PURPOSE: To establish guidelines for Pacific Crest Search Dogs members to use when responding to missions, performing field training, attending public education and/or participating in public relation events.

Section I - General Performance Expectations

  • All Pacific Crest Search Dogs (PCSD) Members

Mission ready Pacific Crest Search Dogs members include: dog handlers, support personnel, and search base personnel. All shall meet the following basic requirements:

  • Conduct

  • All members shall act professionally.
  • All members shall interact and work effectively with other SAR resources.
  • All members shall cooperate with other members of the PCSD and be willing to assist with team training, on searches, or while attending public education or public relation events.


  • Physical Condition

All members shall be physically and mentally fit for the position assigned.

  • Communication / Record Keeping

  • All members shall be familiar with two-way radio protocol and local radio protocol requirements.
  • All members shall maintain personal training logs of all trainings attended. The log shall include date, time, location, duration, type of training and instructor.
  • A copy of each training log shall be given to the Secretary for PCSD.

  • Medical Skills

 All members shall successfully complete certified First Aid and CPR courses, and shall maintain current certification. All members shall also successfully complete a certified Blood Borne Pathogens course and shall be able to demonstrate knowledge of basic K-9 first aid.

  • Navigation

All members shall be able to explain the following concepts:
  • Declination
  • Latitude/Longitude

All members shall be able to demonstrate how to:
  • Orient a map and compass to the terrain
  • Obtain and follow a simple compass bearing
  • Relate a specific compass bearing to the map
  • Relate a map direction to a specific compass bearing
  • How to use UTM
  • How to use a GPS


  • Helicopter

All members shall complete a basic helicopter class that includes information about safety procedures for operating around and flying on helicopters.

  • Crime Scene

All members shall attend a class on crime scene instructed by County Law Enforcement or an equivalent.

  • Incident Command System

All members shall attend a NIMS 200 and NIMS 700 class.

  • Lost Person Behavior

All members shall be able to describe lost person behavior as described in SAR management protocols for lost persons.

  • SAR Procedures

All team members shall be able to explain the three distinct types of search procedures.
  • Type one: A rapid response to areas of high probability by immediately available resources (hasty search)
  • Type two: A fast, systematic search of a high probability segment of the search area using techniques that produce high probabilities of detection per searcher-hour effort (open grid search)
  • Type three: A slower, highly systematic search, using thorough techniques (closed grid search)

  • SAR Structure

All team members shall be able to explain how a mission progresses.
  • Preplanning: skill, knowledge, and equipment necessary to respond to
A SAR mission
b) Notification (call out)
  • Check-in at SAR base
  • Briefing
  • Assignment
  • Debriefing
  • Check-out
  • Return to service
  • Mission critique

  • Search Base Personnel

Search base personnel may support dog teams in trainings and evaluations. They may act as subjects for the dog teams to locate. They may operate the team boat for water trainings and searches. They may be used on searches as communication support for field team members of PCSD. They may also road search if asked to do so by the search coordinator. They may not be deployed in the field on searches.

  • Dog Handler and Support Personnel

Mission ready dog handlers and support personnel shall meet the following additional requirements in order to be able to assist with field operations in addition to the basic requirements from Section A:

  • Conduct

  • Support personnel shall support dog handler with navigation, communication and other skills needed for a successful search.
  • Dog handler and support personnel shall be willing to perform field tasks other than searching if requested by the search coordinator.
  • When reporting at a search base for a search, the senior PCSD member on site, support personnel or dog handler, shall act as the contact with the search coordinator or may delegate that responsibility.
  • Dog handler shall attend a minimum of 50 percent of scheduled trainings in any three month period except under extenuating circumstances. If this requirement is not met the dog handler will be put on ‘inactive status’. If the handler does not return to ‘active status’ by attending 50 percent of the scheduled trainings in the following three months the handler will be removed from the team.
  • Support personnel are required to attend enough trainings to meet and work with each dog that they will have the opportunity to support. They will be taught how to support the various resources at these trainings.

  • Navigation

  • Dog handler and support personnel shall be able to use a map and
compass to navigate during day or night and identify and document the course taken during the search.
  • Dog handler and support personnel shall be able to read topographic maps and relate the actual terrain to the map.
  • Dog handler and support personnel shall be able to report to the command post their location and the location of clues in terms of appropriate map coordinates.
  • At the end of the shift and/or at the end of the search, the dog handler and support personnel shall be willing and prepared to debrief with the search coordinator. Dog handler and support personnel shall be able to translate their search activity onto the base map. Their report shall include the route taken, areas left uncovered, alerts, clues, wind direction, and estimated probability of detection (POD).

  • Survivability

  • Dog handler and support personnel shall demonstrate the ability to survive alone, or with dog, using the contents of a 24 hour pack overnight in the field.
  • Dog handler and support personnel shall maintain a 24-hour pack or vest and other suitable equipment that they may carry on searches.

  • Man-tracking

Dog handler shall complete a recognized track awareness class that includes class time and field practice.


  • Dog handler only

Mission ready dog handler shall meet the following dog related requirements in addition to the requirements in Sections A and B:

  • Conduct

  • The dog handler is the leader of the team in the field. A team in the field consists of a dog handler, a dog and one or more support personnel.
  • The dog handler shall recognize when their dogs are not working efficiently and communicate the dog’s condition to the appropriate person.
  • The dog handler shall control their dogs and provide for the dog’s care and safety at all times. If any behavior problems arise, it is the handler’s responsibility to work with the dog and other PCSD members to overcome them or remove the dog from service.
  • Dogs must be on leash, crated or in a vehicle at search base.

2. Knowledge of Scent

The dog handler shall have knowledge of scent articles, containers, proper storage and handling of scent sources, and scent behavior. The handler shall be able to explain or demonstrate the following concepts regarding scent and scent articles:
 a) Techniques for collecting scent articles
  • Instructions for having another person to collect a scent article with cautions to avoid articles from clothes hampers and shared closets

  • Techniques for collecting scent from a car seat with a sterile gauze pad
  • Appropriate containers for storing scent articles
  • Adverse impact of factors such as car exhaust, road flares and rail road tracks on scent
  • Scent behavior near the edge of lakes, streams, steep slopes and under conditions that lead to inversion layers
  • Factors such as sunlight, wind, or humidity that will tend to extend or attenuate the scent
  • Factors that will lead to a chimney effect
  • Factors that will lead to discontinuous scent from the subject
  • Factors that will lead to looping scent from the subject
  • Strategies for placing area search dogs on ridges or canyon floors to detect subjects

  • Helicopter

Although not required for classification as “mission ready”, dog handlers are encouraged to attempt to hot load their dogs onto helicopters during a training exercise.

  • Record Keeping

The dog handler shall maintain a K-9 training log to record all training with their dogs. The K-9 training log shall include date, time, location and type of training.
It must also include type of terrain, weather, type and duration of problem, how the dog worked, successes, challenges, and areas for improvement. Training logs shall be accessible for inspection. This log is separate from the personal training log.

  • Search Dog

Mission ready search dogs shall also meet the following dog specific requirements:

  • Physical Condition

All dogs identified and used as search and rescue dogs shall be sufficiently physically mature so that they will not injure themselves. A search dog shall be in physical condition for the type of search assigned. A search dog shall be capable of working under local conditions for the duration required.

  • Personality

All dogs identified and used as search and rescue dogs shall not be aggressive or fearful toward people, dogs or other animals.

3. Inoculations

All dogs shall have all appropriate and up to date inoculations including those required by law.

4. Obedience Expectations

Prior to becoming fully operational:
  • A search dog shall be controllable under the given search conditions worked, whether those conditions are air-scenting, trailing, water, HRD etc.
  • A search dog shall be sufficiently obedience trained to be controlled by its handler at all times, and shall be capable of being handled by other PCSD members if necessary.
  • A search dog shall respond promptly to voice commands and/or hand signals from its handler while in the presence of other dogs and people and while under duress of unusual noises and situations.
  • A search dog should be able to perform the following exercises off lead and in front of an evaluator, with the handler rewarding the dog as necessary:
  • Heeling
A search dog must heel off lead in a controlled manner through a scattered group of people and dogs following directions given by an evaluator. The dog shall be responsive to the handler.
  • Recall
A search dog shall be left at a sit or down while the handler goes to a distance of approximately 30 feet. The dog shall remain as placed until called.
  • Long Down
The search dog shall be under the supervision of the evaluator in the presence of at least two other dogs who are also on down stays. The handler shall be out of sight for one minute and in sight for two minutes. There may be distractions. The dog may sit, stand or change position but it shall not leave the area.
  • Transportation
At least three dogs and handlers will be loaded into the back of a truck and transported over a dirt road for 10 minutes. The dogs shall remain under control, showing neither aggression nor excessive fearfulness.
  • Stop and Stay
The dog shall be responsive to a stop and stay command at a distance of not less than 20 yards. It shall remain in place until released by handler.

5. Water Work

The dog handler shall demonstrate that the dog will wade across a stream.

Section II – Search Performance Expectations

In addition to the requirements identified previously, dog handlers and search dogs must be evaluated for specialized types of searches (wilderness area, water, HRD, trailing, and evidence) in order to be considered mission ready.

(For the purposes of the Search Performance Expectations and Search Evaluations sections, a “Team” is defined as a dog handler and search dog).

  • General Expectations

All mission ready teams, regardless of their specialty, shall meet the following expectations

  • Handler Expectations

  • The handler shall demonstrate an understanding of search strategy and how best to use the dog in searching an assigned area.
  • The handler shall locate and mark any clues such as footprints, articles, indications, and trained alerts.
  • The handler shall appropriately protect a crime scene.
  • The handler shall work the shift as negotiated with the search and rescue coordinator, allowing for weather, terrain and cover conditions.

  • Dog Expectations

  • The dog shall be physically able to work their required shift allowing for weather, terrain, and cover conditions.
  • The dog shall give a trained alert after locating the subject(s).
  • The dog shall non-aggressively approach people they have found.


  • Team Expectations

  • The team shall independently search assigned areas to locate subjects. Typically a team searches with at least one support personnel.
  • Once assigned to an area, the handler shall identify the most effective way to search an area. The team shall search the area and locate and mark clues including: footprints, articles and dog indications. The handler shall mark on a map the clues and subjects they have found.
  • The handler shall assess and communicate the medical condition of the person(s) they have located and assist in evacuating as necessary. In the event that a search scene is also a crime scene, the handler shall protect the scene until law enforcement personnel respond.
  • After searching a designated area, if a subject is not located the handler shall estimate the probability of detection (POD) for the search coordinator and assess the effectiveness of the search given the elapsed time, temperature and other conditions.
  • In addition to these general requirements, the team shall pass field evaluations which replicate situations they are likely to encounter for specific types of searches. These special evaluations are detailed in Section III.

  • Performance Re-evaluation

PCSD members will continually evaluate teams during training sessions. There are two circumstances for which a certified team may be removed from mission ready status:

a) If a team consistently misses or fails to “find”, the team shall be removed from mission ready status for that specialty until the problem has been resolved
b) If a team misses over 50% of schedule sessions over a period of three months, except under extenuating circumstances as defined in Section ©(1)(d), the team shall be placed on ‘inactive status’ and removed from the call out list.

In both circumstances, to regain mission ready status, the team shall be re-evaluated by two dog handlers who have previously certified a mission ready search dog. If on inactive status, the team must attend at least 50% of scheduled training sessions over a period of three months before being re-evaluated. Dog handlers awaiting re-evaluation may attend searches as support personnel.


Section III – Evaluations
Evaluators:

Two evaluators shall test the team. At least one of the evaluators previously shall have certified a mission ready search dog in the search discipline of the evaluation. One evaluator may be a member of PCSD; the other evaluator shall be from another recognized search dog team or a professional dog handler. The evaluators shall be as neutral towards the testing team as possible. Evaluators who have a primarily professional relationship with the testing team are preferred.

Dog handler:

The team that is prepared to take their operational evaluations shall present their k-9 training logs for inspection, shall have completed their personal training as required by Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 118-04, and have a valid First AID/CPR/BBP card. The team shall report for the evaluation as if reporting for a search. Equipment carried shall be appropriate for the type of search and season (radio must be turned off). The team shall be given the scenario and pertinent information. Prior to the evaluation, the handler shall show or thoroughly explain the trained alert of the dog. Upon finding a person the handler shall assess and communicate the medical condition of the person and report it and their location via radio. Dog handlers awaiting evaluation are encouraged to attend searches as support personnel. Teams that do not pass their evaluation are allowed to retest up to three times a year.

Subjects:

People hiding for the team shall wear camouflaged clothing or shall be given camo tarps or blankets in order to be visually hidden from the team. At least one person shall be a stranger to the search dog. A stranger is someone unfamiliar to the dog and may not have hidden for the dog at a previous training or test.

TESTS


  • Wilderness Area Searches

Four tests will be required as part of the wilderness area certification process. Upon successful completion of these four tests the team will be considered mission ready and fully certified for wilderness area searches.

1. Wilderness Hasty Search
This search will be for a single subject who is a stranger to the dog. The dog must be a minimum of nine months old. The team shall search a path or dirt road approximately one mile in length through a wooded or brushy area where the subject has walked. The subject may leave the path or road anywhere within the length of the search. The dog must locate the subject, who is concealed approximately 100 yards off the path or dirt road. The dog will be allowed to pass the trail where the person turned into the woods by approximately 25 yards. This test is expected to last no more than 30 minutes. The handler must recognize the trained alert and follow the dog to the subject. In order to pass the dog must find and perform a trained alert.

  • Wilderness Short Road Search

This search will be for a single subject who is a stranger to the dog. The dog must be a minimum of nine months old. The team shall search a dirt road approximately one mile in length through a wooded or brushy area. The first part of the road will be absent of scent. The subject will be dropped off and at that point leave the trail and proceed approximately 100 yards into the woods and conceal themselves there. Flagging will be placed at the end of the search area. The dog must locate the concealed subject. This test is expected to last no more than one hour. There is no minimum time. The handler must recognize the trained alert and follow the dog to the subject. If the team reaches the flagging they will be allowed to return back down the trail or road to that starting location once. In order to pass the dog must find and perform a trained alert.

3. Wilderness Night Search

This search will be for a single subject who is a stranger to the dog. The dog must be a minimum of one-year-old. The team must search at night. The search area shall be approximately 40 acres of fairly open wooded or brushy terrain. The dog must locate the concealed subject. This test is expected to last no more than two hours; there is no minimum time. The handler must recognize the trained alert and follow the dog to the subject. In order to pass the dog must find and perform a trained alert.

4. Wilderness Operational Readiness Search

This search will be for two subjects; at least one subject is a stranger to the dog. The dog must be a minimum of one-year-old. The team shall search an area of heavily wooded, moderate to rough terrain typical of that found west of the Cascade Crest. The area will be approximately 60-80 acres. The team must search for at least two hours and must complete the exercise in three hours or at the evaluators’ discretion. The dog must locate both of the concealed subjects. The handler must recognize the trained alerts and follow the dog to the subjects. In order to pass the dog must find both subjects and perform a trained alert that is recognized by the handler.



  • Water Searches

Two tests are part of the water search certification process. Handlers may pass either or both. All dog handlers, search dogs and evaluators reporting for these tests must be equipped with PFDs. The dog must be nine months of age. The handler and evaluators must wear the PFD. The evaluators are responsible for making sure that the scent source is emitting scent for the duration of the test. The scent source will be a capsule of Sigma’s Pseudo Drowned Formulation or approved scent source.

1. Water Search from Shoreline

Upon successful completion of this test the team will be considered mission ready and is fully certified to go on shoreline water searches. The team shall search 100 yards of shoreline. The shoreline may be the edge of a lake, pond, river, or creek. The scent source as explained above shall be placed no more than 10 feet from the waters edge and at a depth of no more than one foot approximately 15 minutes before the test. If wind and weather conditions permit, the evaluation shall be conducted where the prevailing wind is perpendicular to the shore and off the water. The dog shall ignore people on the shore and in boats. The dog must perform a trained alert upon locating the scent source. This test is expected to last no more than one hour. The handler must recognize the trained alert and indicate the location of the source within ten yards (allowing for current and wind conditions). In order to pass the dog must perform a trained alert and the handler must recognize the alert. The handler must appropriately locate the scent source.



2. Water Search from Boat

Upon successful completion of shoreline and boat tests the team will be considered mission ready and fully certified for all water searches. The team shall search from a boat driven by a second person. The team shall be at ease while searching from the boat. The handler shall be able to direct the boat operator to effectively cover the area (grid-searched according to wind direction, etc.) The team shall search approximately 2-4 acres (100 yards by 100 to 200 yards) of open water containing HRD material or HRD simulation chemical (i.e. Sigma Pseudo Drowned Formulation) placed at a depth of at least ten feet approximately 15 minutes before the test. The dog shall ignore people on shore or in other boats and shall perform a trained alert upon locating the scent source. This test is expected to last no longer than one hour. The handler must recognize the alert and indicate the location of the scent source within a 30 yard radius. In order to pass the dog must perform a trained alert and the handler must recognize the alert and appropriately locate the scent source.




  • Basic HRD Search

Upon successful completion of this test the team will be considered mission ready and fully certified for wilderness HRD searches. The search will be conducted in an area of approximately 2 acres (100 yards by 100 yards). The area shall have moderate vegetation and moderate slope. The scent sources used may be chemicals simulating human decomposition (i.e. Sigma Pseudo Corpse Formulation I or II), or other suitable sources. Care should be taken to prevent the dog from making contact with any scent sources. There shall be a minimum of one and a maximum of two sources used. If two sources are used, at least one must be above surface. The sources shall be placed in the test area a minimum of 12 hours prior to testing and shall be either above ground, (no higher than six feet), on the surface or buried no deeper than 12 inches below soil surface. Above ground sources shall be concealed so as not to be immediately visible to the team. Buried sources shall be camouflaged so visible ground disturbance is minimal and a minimum of three empty holes dug to insure the dog does not alert on earth disturbance. If possible, there shall be animal remains as a distraction on the surface in the testing area. This test is expected to last no more than one hour. The team must locate all scent sources. The handlers must describe their search strategy prior to beginning the search, demonstrate that they can control their dogs throughout the search and conduct thorough searches. The dog must be a minimum of nine months old. The handler must recognize all the trained alerts and indicate the location of all sources. An accepted false alert or an alert on animal bones is a failure.

D. Evidence / Article Searches

Upon successful completion of this test the team will be considered mission ready and fully certified for evidence/article searches. The search will be conducted in an area of approximately one acre (100 by 50 yards). The area shall be fairly open woods and flat to moderate slope. The dog shall locate at least two of three objects concealed, (not buried) in the area. The objects placed shall have fresh human scent, but not the scent of the handler, on them. The objects may be made of any material, including weapons and ammo, and be at least the size of a key. The objects shall be placed one day prior to the test. No food related items shall be used (i.e. McDonald’s containers). This test is expected to last no more than one hour. The dog shall be a minimum of 9 months old for this evaluation. The dog must find two of the articles and perform a trained alert. The handler must recognize the alert.

E. Trailing

Operational Tests:
  • Dog and Handler must pass the evaluation for Wilderness Trail to be qualified to respond as a trailing team for a wilderness search and the evaluation for Urban Trail to be qualified to respond as a trailing team for an urban search.
  • All trail layers must be strangers to the dog.
  • Evaluators are responsible for ensuring that trails are set-up to minimize the dog’s ability to air scent to the trail layer.
  • Evaluators are responsible for providing a reasonable scent article.
  • Before starting this exercise the handler will explain the alert the dog will perform upon finding the subject. The indication must be clearly seen and understood by the evaluators.
  • The evaluators will not be allowed to see the laying of the trail. A GPS with ‘bread crumb’ capabilities (Garmin Astro or similar device) should be used by the subject. The evaluator may carry a mated GPS to the subject’s, but shall only use the device if the team has failed to find the subject.

Urban Trail

Length of trail: ½ to ¾ miles with 3 turns. The dog team must cast for the starting point of the trail. The casting area will be moderately contaminated by at least one person other than the trail layer.
Age of trail: 4-6 hours
Terrain type, trail conditions, and other details:
  • The trail will cover a variety of surfaces that are predominately hard surfaces.
  • The test shall be run at a time when there is moderate vehicular and pedestrian traffic in an urban setting that includes city centers and/or neighborhoods.
  • There shall be one human or animal distraction on the trail.
  • Upon completing the trail the dog will perform a trained alert.
  • Time limit: 40 minutes

Pass: Dog team correctly trails to trail layer and performs alert.
Not pass: Dog team does not correctly trail to the trail layer or does not perform alert.


Wilderness Trail

Length of trail: 1/2 to 3/4 miles with 3 turns. The casting area will be moderately contaminated by at least one person other than the trail layer.
Age of trail: The trail shall be aged 4-6 hours.

Terrain type, trail conditions, and other details:
  • The trail will be laid in a ‘wilderness type’ terrain and should be a combination of fire roads, dirt paths/trails and meadow or open forest type setting.
  • There will be at least one obstacle to negotiate or bypass.
  • At least one person other than the trail layer and one dog shall cross the trail at least one hour before the test begins.
  • Time limit for the test is 40 minutes.

Pass: Dog team correctly trails to trail layer and performs alert.
Not pass: Dog team does not correctly trail to the trail layer or does not perform alert.


SKILLS:

  • Snow Search Qualifications

PCSD may be asked to respond to snow related searches. The team must have performed activities while training with PCSD or during other formal training that demonstrated their ability to locate a subject under a foot of snow. Handlers must have had training about snow and cold weather safety for people and dogs.

  • First Responder Qualifications

PCSD may be asked to respond to disasters. The team must have performed activities while training with PCSD or during other formal training that demonstrated their ability to locate subjects in buildings or rubble under a wide variety of conditions. Handlers must have had training in disaster strategies and techniques.

  • Gun/Gun Related Objects

PCSD may be asked to respond to a search for a gun or gun related objects. Upon successful completion of the evidence/article test and having trained on gun related items the team will be considered mission ready and fully certified for evidence/article search including gun or gun related objects searches.