Helping the Search & Rescue K9 Handler with SBO-OVSAR

Hello Scouts!
My name is Melissa Lewington, I am a Search & Rescue K9 Handler with SBO-OVSAR. We are very grateful that you have accepted our invitation to come and hide for us and our K9s. We are a team of 6 dogs and 6 Handlers and 10 support/flankers. This Summer and into the Fall we have multiple mock tests and evaluations planned as we all individually work towards certification. This is where all of you come in. I have included a link to a calendar for our training that will be updated monthly. Some of the dates listed have "Mock / Eval" in the title for these we need those that are new. We will try to list the dogs that need the new/ unknown hiders so that if they are not one you've hidden for then we would love for you to come. Parents/ Volunteers and Scouts are all welcome to hide. We train 2-3 times a week so there are lots of opportunities to come out. Weeknight training we would need 1-2 to come out and on Saturdays 2-4. We will have the location listed and will include a map if required. Please send me an email letting me know when you are attending so that we can plan accordingly.
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=b2h0azF2M2FndG44NXFuMm5ub25ndjg3a2tAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ

Please come prepared to be hanging out in one place for a while (ground tarp and sleeping pad, rain gear, etc.). Bug spray and sunscreen are also a great option for the warmer months. Remember that many of the places we train at can have ticks so please check yourself when you get home. And let us know if you do find any.
What to Expect: As hiders you have an important role to play - you are the key to the reward for each of the dogs. We need you to go big and be as enthusiastic as possible. YOU are the party! The dogs work hard to find you and their reward is an awesome session of tug. Each Handler will tell you any specifics with their individual dog. A few things that apply to all, do not chase or run from the dogs when rewarding them it leads to bad habits.
The handler will tell you how they want you positioned - sitting, standing or lying down, covered, in a tree etc. Regardless of how you are positioned you are to play dead "no touch/ no talking/ no eye contact. All of the dogs are what we call a stay and bark. This means that when they find you they will stay and bark at you until either the handler arrives or they reach the required number of barks (the handler will tell you to reward after # of barks or bark until i get there). Ex 6 barks : this means that when the dog barks 6 times they get rewarded by you with a huge party. Do not be alarmed but they will likely bark in your face especially if you are sitting or lying down. Another note, hide the toy so that the dogs don't take it from you.
Someone from the team will place you in your hiding location. Once placed it is important to not leave the area until instructed. For the mocks/ evaluations we will make sure that there is a way to contact each other either by phone, radio and those that place you will mark your location.
All members of the team (SBO-OVSAR) are certified in ground Search and Rescue with OSARVA and AQBRS (Ontario and Quebec), are first aid certified (several are wilderness first responder) and have police records checks - vulnerable sector.
For those of you who need volunteer hours for highschool we can sign off on your time. All we ask is you log the time and date and we can sign off on the form.
Thank you all from the whole team. We look forward to meeting all of you.

~Melissa and K9 Luna
Ask questions and we'll do our best to answer. We want this experience to be as fun as possible for you all.




Winter Skills day loot