May was a huge month for K9SARA. Not only did we get some amazing Helicopter training with the amazing team from Leading Edge Aviation, train with MCSA at night in the pouring rain but also had our first National Team weekend event. All of this is too much to cover in one newsletter. So, we will use “pictures too paint a thousand words”.

Our commitment to continued training and up-skilling our handlers and K9’s is of highest priority.

Abseiling

Peter Wood and the MCSA team were amazing helping us and discussing the best ways to belay handlers and K9’s in the torrential rain and darkness.

National Meeting Weekend

We searched we found, we ran scenarios and we did K9 Emergency Casualty Care with Teva Vet, Tiaan from Somerset West.

Helicopter Training

The Team from Leading Edge Aviation allowed us to habituate the dogs to the Helicopters without engines running, with engines running and flying. We worked out SOP for order of loading K9’s, Handlers and Flankers and repeated until we all had it down, where efficient and most of all safe.

Training Corner

Making the right choice.
The dogs in our unit need to be able to think for themselves doing the work they do. Thus we encourage all our handlers to teach their dogs self control so they develop impulse control in both the working and home environment. We do this through games where the dog learns to think and choose the correct behaviour to get their reward. The main theory is for them to understand that good choices equal good consequences.

In this photo Echo is demonstrating self control when offered the choice of helping himself to a biscuit or his highly valued toy. He could just take it but with impulse control he awaits permission from his handler.

Until Next time stay safe and have fun with your dogs.