There's been a murder!

Today saw the majority of the team wrapped up against the cold and wet for some crime scene training.
We had three guests come in to take the session which was both fun and interesting. We had a look into what happens after we have found a person in what may turn out to be a crime scene. Its not just about finding the Misper it sometimes involves helping them after their death if it turns out to be suspicious. We always have to be alert to our surroundings and not just for our safety!

Training 12 November

This time of year we are glad of all the layers we are provided with. 

Our jackets have a zip in "Duvet" which is lovely and warm, just right for loitering in woods at training, and protracted searches in the cold. It looks as if we are all on our mobile phones, which we sort of are, we have a mapping system app called View Ranger which is great for both training and live searches and what we are doing here is opening up the app and route planning.

Whilst I was taking the team photo one of the search dogs was standing on my shoulder! They do hate being left out of things! 

Eastbourne

Today the team are in Eastbourne selling raffle tickets to win a car, all todays proceeds goes to Search Dogs Sussex, Come and meet the team buy a ticket and make a fuss of one of our incredible dogs.

Night and Day

These are a few photos taken whilst on a live search, We did a night search followed by a return search during the following day. This search was highly advertised in the area and on the television. At night we rely on the dogs who will be wearing strobe lights and bells and on good torches and personal lighting and High visibility tops.
During the day we still need to wear Hi vis and as you can see ours are actually load vests which enable us to carry quite a lot of equipment in all the pockets as well as keeping us seen and telling the public who we are. The dogs can get wet dirty and as you can see in this case covered in Burrs, meaning a brief stop to clear her and make her more comfortable.

Alphapet Veterinary Practice

I am going to start this post by saying, I have just come off a night shift and need sleep!
Today Lu and myself together with retired search dog Skye went to receive a cheque from AlphaPet Veterinary Practice in West Meads.
They had put on a dog fun day earlier in the year with all money raised being split equally between two charities, ourselves, Search Dogs Sussex and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Lu and I received the cheque on behalf of the team. Both of the cheques in the above photo were for £1220.79. so their show must have been a fantastic event. We thank them very much for choosing our charity to support.

Camping!

We are often called out to search for someone who may be in a tent,so today we put up a tent in the woods to get the dogs thinking about this. It was also quite interesting to notice how the dogs found the scent, which was not the same as someone who was not in a tent!
I did have to explain myself to an elderly couple who were out walking their dog though, as they were worried about walking past me in the tent.
When one of the Search dogs (Who shall remain nameless) found me, they leapt onto the tent, and subsequently me! So anyone who is thinking of going camping with one of our team members....make sure he leaves his dog behind!

Conference

This weekend I found myself in Newport Pagnell for the 2017 Lowland Rescue Conference. I had no idea what to expect but decided that if I just met other LR members it would be worth the trip!

It was a lot more than that! There were sessions on all aspects of the role, from Water training, through Rescue Drones onto Cadaver dogs and Radio comms. Besides all the sessions and input, there was plenty of time to meet team members from around the country, making new friends and eating some very nice food. There were stalls set up in the coffee area where we could buy clothing and equipment and also see what sort of kit there is that we might like to use.

All in all an excellent weekend, subsidised by Lowland Rescue.

Cheque this out!

Today our Team was presented with a cheque for £479.68 from our photographer friend Archie. We do a lot of fundraising for our team and there are a lot of people who support our work.
Thank you Archie.

I am a Dementia Friend.

During our indoor training tonight we undertook Dementia Awareness training, many of our Missing persons are living with Dementia and knowing more about it helps us to plan how best we might go about finding them when we are called to search. Valuable training and an interesting insight.

Woolbedding Show

Today Search Dogs Sussex went to the Woolbedding Dog Show, which was set in a very big grassy field. Our team did a stand which offered people the chance of having a go at search and rescue with their own dog in a fun fenced off area.  As well as the stand some of the team took part in the arena dog show classes with their dog, two of the team dogs, Millie and Rowan won rosettes in their chosen classes. Well done them! There is a bit of banter within the team, those who have Collies tease the Spaniel owners and vice versa, being a Collie owner I just had to take a photo of one of our Spaniel owners handling a member of the public's Collie, and have posted the photo just for fun.

Shows are a great way of letting people see who we are and what we do, as well as fund raising and adding to our team members.                                                

 

Three in a row

On Friday we got called out, to the other side of the county, I was advised by my coordinator that it probably wasn't worth me making the two hour drive over there, so I stood down.
Saturday night we were put on Standby for an over the border search, sadly for me this search was to start on Sunday morning and I wasn't available two searches which I missed out on.
This morning at about 3:30 am we got a call out to assist over the border again in another area for a different search.
On arrival at the RV point I met up with Steve, Rich and Steve's dog Ace to become dog team 2. We logged in and were given our brief and a map of the area we were to search and we set off.
We were asked several times to account for who we were, one man being quite rude! We searched both parts of our area and returned to the RV to hand in the de-brief form. As Steve on our team had to then leave they split Rich and I up to make up two more dog teams, this time I was with June and Molly to search a different area completely as they had been given some new information.
June and I made our way to the area and ended up on a flooded boggy path which suddenly became a cow field full of rather young livestock!! They all looked with interest at us but fortunately none decided to come and have a closer look. Just as we got to the end of our search area control called up on the radio with a stand down.
We walked back trying to get as much mud off our boots as possible before getting into Junes car to drive back to the RVP to sign out and attempt to get home through the very chaotic rush hour traffic.

This search had a positive outcome.

NOTE: The dates have been changed on this post and I have not mentioned which areas or counties we were searching in, this is to protect the anonymity of the Misper's, this post it just to show what happens on any search in any area. THANK YOU 

Mine!

When your Granddaughter is playing with the playmobil and finds your Search dog technician.....
"That's not a toy....."

Scaredy cat, writing for a doggy blog

Well now!
I have been blogging since 2008 I currently write two blogs, so WHY, when asked to write a post on our Search Dogs Sussex blog did I turn into a gibbering wreck and stare at the computer screen for 10 minutes without a clue what to write?
That, for the record was a rhetorical question!

If anyone is interested in what I did eventually write you can read it

 here http://searchdogssussex.com/blogpost.php?permalink=the-newbie

Setting the scene..

Here are some photos again from Saturdays training . . . .

Sharon "Who needs an OS Map when you have a grubby window and a vivid imagination!

Hiding in the holly bush under a camouflage cover...as you do on a Saturday morning!

Cain smiling for the camera! And the view from the edge of the woods

The Wandering Misper

A Misper is a missing Person, and not, as my cousin thought "a song from the Mikado or a good name for a racehorse!" although I love his thinking.
At Saturdays training session it was warm, not brilliant sun, but with all the walking we do it made us all take our jackets off.
After hiding for a couple of the dogs I Tec'ed for Steve and his dog Cain before becoming the wandering misper.
Usually when we hide for a dog to search for us we remain static and often cover over with something camouflage, today however Steve W. asked me to shuffle up and down a path to see how Ace would react. The View Ranger map looks as if I am trying to colour the path in I went up and down so many times, when I heard Ace's harness bells I shuffled and put my head down, covertly watching what he would do without him making direct eye contact, he was startled and unsure to begin with but ran straight back to his handler and alerted as he is trained to do! Top marks Ace, even though you were not used to finding such a Misper.

On a separate note at least the girls at training managed a little uniqueness, Sharon, Anna and myself! As for the lads, other than Leo there was Steve B, Steve W, and Steve T! :-)

During the first video there is some laughing . . . .sorry but the search dog got under the camouflage sheet with me,

Third

Second

First

Nav's

On Saturday, together with some other members of our team and two instructors, I did my navigation course.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that me a map and a compass are a recipe for disaster! It was the last hurdle to get over before becoming fully qualified.
I wondered if I should maybe just hand back my kit put my hands up and say "Its been good while it lasted" but as with anything else I get my teeth into I'm not going to give up that easily.
 I headed off to the Devils Dyke in East Sussex for the first half of the day, most of which was class room work. I don't mind admitting that by lunch time my brain was fried and I thought I might well be on the way out!
A shortish drive in convoy to Bignor Hill for the Afternoon session followed.
Cold slight rain in the air and superbly windy we started out, pacing and landscape, handrails, grid North and magnetic North, measuring, six figure map references, map symbols, natural features and a whole host of 5m contours...
We all passed!
For myself and another this means we are now operational!
Perfect end to the day!

Under the Rhododendron

Today saw us training again.
 When we arrived at the training area it had been raining but was now just overcast and drab! I might have said "At least its not raining!" I should have learned by now that saying things like this just provoke the god of rain to have a little fun, well god of rain exceeded expectation this time!
For the first few searches we just had a light shower, by the afternoon it was pouring down and we were all cold and wet.
On the plus side it was daylight it was a day time training session... it could have been so much worse it could have been dark too!
Also a plus for me at any rate was the fact I was hidden in a huge Rhododendron giving me quite a lot of protection from the weather!

About the team

If you are interested in the Search Dogs Sussex team and want to know more please use the link below

http://searchdogssussex.com/

Coffee Morning, Fund Raising, PR.

Saturday morning at 10:00 We held a coffee morning in aid of Search Dogs Sussex.Many of my friends and Team Mates from SAR came along, we wanted to raise funds for equipment, with new dogs qualifying we need to kit them out and their handlers and Techs.
We had the usual teas and coffees but we also had some epic cakes. There was a stall for wood-turned items for sale and one with some of our own merchandise.
We had two of the team dogs, one qualified and one trainee, information boards and a slide show. Team members were on hand to talk to people who wanted to know what we do and also to find out more if they thought they may want to join the team.
We raised enough to kit out three dogs with their thermal coats (to wear after they have completed their search and for their light collars too.
The following day we sold any cakes which had not sold and managed to make over £50.00 to add to the total.
All in all a success.
 Thank you to Maz, Sam, Alana, Nicola Sheena and Mark for your help and support.
Thanks also to the team members who gave up a training session to help put on the event and to everyone who put the word out there by facebook posts, Radio ads, poster drops and website ads.
Thanks also to MOLLY and IZZY who were the stars of the show.

Found.

One of our search dogs finding me at the Amberley site.

Amberley Chalk Pits Museum

A couple of week back we were very lucky to be able to train at Amberley, it was closed to the public and although there were a few people working there we had the whole place pretty much to ourselves.
It made for a different type of search as there were buildings and porta cabins as well as wooded areas, I think we all enjoyed it even if we were covered in chalk when we left!
There was also the odd run in with a spook or two!

Propped against a tree in the middle of a wood.

Some of the sights we see when hiding in the woods waiting to be found by one of the Search dogs!
Its really beautiful sometimes.