The
Ohio K9 Search Team is an all-volunteer team. There are a number of different
volunteer opportunities, even if you don’t have a dog. Each volunteer opportunity
differs in the amount of time required.
Victim
Do you enjoy spending time in the woods? Being a victim can range from a few
hours sitting quietly reading a book, to hiking, or crawling on your stomach
commando style, or to sitting in a tree stand. Playing victim in the training
of an Ohio K9 Search Dog is a very important role. This training process is
a big game to the dogs and we need to keep it fun. Yes, the victim needs to
sit quietly sometimes, but when the find is made, the victim needs to do various
things to reward the dog properly. Some dogs like to play tug, some like to
fetch and others just want their treat that they know you have hidden in your
pocket. You let us know what your level of athleticism is and how much time
you have to spend and the whole team will benefit from the realistic scenarios
you as a victim will help provide.
Do
you Scuba Dive?
Are you a certified open water scuba diver? If so, we sure
could use your help. You ask, “What could I possibly do as a scuba diver
to help train search dogs”?
Imagine this. You drop down to 15 feet and sit quietly. You wait a few minutes,
and then you get the signal to submerge, only to find the most enthusiastic
dog waiting for you at the surface. The happiest dog will greet you as he licks
your mask right off your face, prior to pulling the handler out from the boat
to join you for a quick swim. Now we may not have any exciting Sting Rays with
clear blue water, but think of the service you are helping us provide to the
families that may need our assistance.
Ohio K9 has a few selected areas that give us the ability to float, then to
submerge a diver, allowing the dogs to train on finding water victims. This
training is essential to the early stages of training a water dog. To watch
these dogs work is amazing. Interested or want to know more? Drop us an e-mail
to get the details.
All divers must be at least 18 years of age and provide dive card.