SAR Club
SAR Club makes live find K9 search and rescue training fun and accessible!
Whether you are interested in trying K9 SAR or are an experienced handler looking to improve specific skills, Synapse Canine’s SAR Club is a great way to get involved from whichever starting point you’re at. Unlike traditional group classes, SAR Club meets twice per month – every month. Since training a search dog can take months or years, this format is an effective way to access professional training without the steep price tag.
What is SAR Club?
SAR Club combines hands on learning with relevant lectures and education. When you arrive, we will pair you with a volunteer hider and discuss where you are currently at and your session objectives. Members will be expected to keep track of their progress to ensure that they continue progressing from one session to the next.
Members with no or little experience will be accompanied by our Lead Trainer, Stasia Dempster, or an experienced K9 handler during their runs. Debriefing will take place after each run for more experienced handlers to discuss troubleshooting and areas for improvement.
SAR Club Schedule & Details
Sessions will take place primarily at our location in Hamptonville, NC, but will occasionally be hosted in alternative locations.
SAR Club is hosted on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, from 9:00am-11:00am.
The cost is $100/month. Tuition is due by the 7th of each month to ensure that we can coordinate effectively with our volunteer hiders.
New and inexperienced handlers should arrive at 9:00am and will run until approximately 10:00am. More experienced handlers can arrive anytime between 9:00-10:00am, with most runs beginning around 10:00-10:15am, depending on the desired age of the run.
You will need: long pants (please contact us for recommendations), close toed shoes, and any additional protection desired for being in the woods. We also highly recommend bringing plenty of water.
Your dog will need: A very high value motivator (we recommend bringing high value food and a toy if this is your first time), a flat collar and a standard leash. If you plan to do air scenting with your dog, a harness is optional but you will likely find a GPS collar or e-collar useful. If you plan to do trailing, we highly recommend having a well-fitting back clip harness and a 30-33’ long long line. Please bring water for your dog!
Please know that there is a good chance that your clothes and your dog will get dirty while training, so plan accordingly. Finally, ticks are very prevalent in NC during the summer, so we recommend either having your dog on a preventative, another natural deterrent, or a permethrin treated vest/suit. It is always worth flea combing your dog or manually checking them for ticks after spending time in the tall grass or wooded areas.
About SAR Club
SAR Club is designed for prospective and current live find K9 handlers – either trailing or air scenting – wanting a consistent way to train their dog with access to an experienced trainer. SAR Club is more self-led than a typical group class in the respect that classes will not always have themes or constant instruction, and sessions are designed for the needs of you and your K9 rather than for the entire group in its entirety.
There is no enrollment commitment, and breaks can be taken between months if desired.
Most sessions will be self-directed; however, there will be themed sessions where we focus on a specific topic and runs will be designed to help members work through this theme. We will also have sessions where a lecture is provided, and these lectures are meant to help members better understand odor dynamics, canine olfaction, handling skills and more.
We also have a Facebook group designed for our members to communicate throughout the week! This group is a place where members can share photos, videos, questions, and partake in related discussions. Resources will be posted in this group for continued learning throughout the week, and scheduling details will be shared here (alongside an email group for those who would prefer not to use Facebook).
This group is also for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer hider, and for any current hiders interested in scheduling to run on a specific date.
If you have ever wanted to try search and rescue with your dog, come out and join us! Search training is a highly enriching, confidence building discipline which has the benefit of being extremely rewarding and beneficial for our communities. Search work enables your dog to productively partake in an activity which canids are designed for (hunting) while building an incredible team bond.
Whether you choose to join a SAR group or not, SAR Club is a fun and educational way to engage in a fast paced, outdoor activity with your dog.
SAR Club Registration (Handlers & Dogs)
You can register for SAR Club by filling out the form below. If you have questions about SAR Club, you can call/text us on (336) 947-9240 or by emailing stasia@synapsecanine.com.
SAR Club Registration (Volunteers)
Interested in volunteering at SAR Club by hiding for the dogs participating? Call (336) 947-9240, email stasia@synapsecanine.com, or fill out the form below.