This blog carries on our old, defunct website - SomersetSunset.net - posting our old search-and-rescue dog technical notes and papers on SAR dog training and promoting the fielding of volunteer SAR dog units in searches for missing people; as well as Judy’s poetry.
Here’s the intro to the old website’s SAR Dog section:
Hatch and Judy have been involved with search and rescue (SAR) for thirty years. Among the founders of Dogs Organized for Ground Search (D.O.G.S.) in Alaska in 1975, they have been on the cutting edge of SAR dog organization, experimentation development and promotion ever since. They helped pioneer the use of dogs in underwater recovery in the Virginia Search and Rescue Dog Association in 1979. They were founders of DOGS-East and in California they have been members of Wilderness Finders – WOOF and now California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA). In CARDA, Hatch was the first Vice President and Chief of Operations. Judy and Hatch have both subsequently served on the Board of Directors and on various operations committees.
They are Life members of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR). Judy established and was first editor of SAR Dog ALERT for 11 years, 1982-1992. Hatch headed NASAR’s SAR Dog Committee from 1985 to 1990. Judy was named an Honorary Angel of the High Lonesome in 1983 and both, separately, have received NASAR’s Service Award. Hatch helped edit and update NASAR’s Managing the Lost Person Incident in 1994.
Judy and Hatch were on the Advance Team to the Mexico City Earthquake in 1985 and have had dos trained in all aspects of SAR work at one time or another.
The two have been invited to lecture and train in search management and the use of dogs at NASAR conferences and other working dog seminars in Missouri Texas, New York, Nevada, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington State, Oklahoma, Tennessee Florida Arizona, Mexico City, Maine, as well as California.
Besides Judy’s editorships, both have written extensively on the use of SAR dogs. For several years they were jointly the SAR Dog Staff Writers for Dog Sports Magazine.
Here are some of the articles grouped under topics: [dates indicate when each has been posted to this blog; look for more coming]
GENERAL
77 Facts About Search Dogs – Jan. 3, 2021
Search for Eli: Hug-A-Tree Bears Fruit – Jan. 9, 2021
Constructing a Footprint – Jan. 20, 2021
There and Back – Jan. 26, 2021
The Thinking Dog – Jan. 26, 2021
A Day in the Search Log
Past Pavlov & Skinner
Picking a Puppy for SAR – Jan. 6, 2021
AIRSCENTING
Training & the Real Thing – Jan. 20, 2021
The Refind: When You’re Blind in the Dark – Jan. 10, 2021
Some Observations on Weather Conditions and Airscenting Problems – Dec. 28, 2020
Search Dog Strategy: What’s the Plan?
AVALANCHE
Avalanche Dogs: Improving the Odds – Jan. 25, 2021
Maybe They Should Be Buried for a Dog – Jan. 27, 2021
BUILDING SEARCH
Building Search: A Victim’s Eye View – Jan. 18, 2021
CADAVER
SAR Dogs at the ‘Death Ranch’ – Jan. 21, 2021
DISASTER
Search and Rescue Dogs Are Ready to Respond to Disaster
SAR ‘Quake’ Dogs – Jan. 21, 2021
Survivors under the Rubble – Jan. 23, 2021
Under the Hanging Ceiling – Jan. 24, 2021
The U.S. Team in Puerto Rico – Jan. 27, 2021
Here’s the Real Poop
After the Flood: The Shadyside, Ohio, Disaster
The Great San Bernardino Train Wreck
Looking for Remains in the Oakland Firestorm
After the Building Fell Down
HANDLER SKILLS
Training a Search Dog – Jan. 10, 2021
Ready or Not – Jan. 14, 2021
Slinging Your Dog – Jan. 7, 2021
Some Basic Search Patterns – Jan. 7, 2021
Watch Your Dog
SEARCH MANAGEMENT
Managing the Search Function – Jan. 16, 2021
Map Problem
Probability of Detection of Search Dogs or How Long Is My Shadow?
Help from Your SAR Dog Unit – Jan. 24, 2021
A Process of Elimination – Jan. 25, 2021
Once Upon a Time in Metropolis
SCENT TRANSPORT
Convectional Turbulence and the Airscenting Dog – Jan. 7, 2021
Scent Transport and Diffusion – Jan. 11, 2021
Weather Textbook for Dog Handlers – Jan. 16, 2021
Search Gear
TRAILING
The Scent Article (“You wouldn’t believe….”)
WATER SEARCH
Taking Back from the River
Training for Water Search – Jan. 14, 2021
Underwater Searches Using Dogs – Jan. 18, 2021
Water Search: Reading Your Dog to the Depths – Jan. 13, 2021