How to get Involved in SCEM K9. . .

Interested in joining our team? Read on.

    ~ You must be 18 or older to join. No exceptions.

    ~ You must attend the Interested Member meeting, without your dog, (offered twice a year).

    ~ You are then invited to observe a training session with our team (without your dog) and let you see how we work. 

    ~ Attend an interview with Team Officers. 

    ~ Next, if you are still interested, your K9 is evaluated by our Obedience Officer (if you are interested in joining with a K9). If the dog passes temperament tests, you may fill out an application to Sedgwick County Emergency Management (this includes a background check). If the dog does not pass the evaluation, it must complete an outside obedience course and be evaluated a second time before acceptance into training. Not all dogs are accepted into training.

    ~ You may still fill out an application if you are joining without a K9 or if your dog has not passed the evaluations yet.

    ~If you miss the observation training session announced at the meeting, it is YOUR responsibility to contact SCEMK9 for future training sessions, etc. 

    ~ If your background check is clear and you are accepted, you may start your Probationary period of 120 days with the K9 Team. This process and additional details are explained in detail at the Interested Member Meetings. 

The next Interested Members meeting is April or May 2005.  

The meeting will be a weeknight evening (approx 1.5 hours) and is mandatory if you wish to try to pursue membership with the Team. If you attend this meeting, leave your K-9 at HOME! These meetings are offered twice a year. If you cannot attend this meeting, you must wait until the next scheduled meeting time (tentatively Winter of 2005). No exceptions. Check this page, and the Events page, often for updated meeting information. The meeting date is posted approximately 3 weeks in advance via this web site. Contact Stephanie for more information. 

YOU are responsible for checking this web site for meeting dates and then contacting Stephanie for the location.

We must know in advance if you will be attending.

Scroll down to read about what you can do prior to attending the meeting.

For information about being a SAR Dog Handler, please read this informative article from our friends at Absaroka Search Dogs. Another article related to deciding to be a search dog handler is from Beartooth Search Dogs. We feel similarly to the authors of these articles. 

Click here for information about joining any SAR Team.

What Can I be Doing to Prepare Before Joining?

We are often asked this question and have decided to add a list of information to this web site.

For further information, email Stephanie or call . 

Read and learn all you can about the subject of SAR.

You can find this information on the Internet and through some of our links on our LINKS page.

There are also many books in print about Search and Rescue and K9 training. 

Obtain First Aid and CPR certification. 

You can do this through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. 

What about my dog?

Obedience, socialize, obedience.

The most common reasons for dogs not passing the evaluation is inattentiveness to the handler, lack of a bond with the handler, and poor socialization with people and other animals. Taking an obedience class will help with all of these aspects. We recommend several options. Chisholm Creek Kennels obedience classes, Oak Crest Pet Hospital Obedience classes or contact us for information on special lessons in Clearwater, Kansas. The latter two are taught by SCEMK9 members.

-Other General Information-

There is a long list of information we would like to include here regarding our minimal time commitment that must be met at training in order to remain on the team, specifics regarding the probationary period, etc. Instead of listing them, we feel it is easier to explain this and many other pieces of information at the Interested Members Meeting. 

The next Interested Members Meeting is April or May 2005. 

We must know in advance if you will be attending.

Check this web site for additional information. 

The Interested Members Meeting is mandatory for those wishing to join the team.

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