Dutch Shepherd Forum

Hi all,
I’ve been volunteering with my local k9 SAR team for a year(ish), and I’m starting to look around for a dog of my own! I currently have a Mal mix—she’s very easy to live with but isn’t a good SAR prospect. I’m thinking of getting a Dutch Shepherd—there are several on the SAR team that are amazing to work with.

I’m probably a year away from being ready for another dog, but I’m think of placing a deposit for a puppy soon. I’d also love suggestions on how to improve my ability as a handler in preparation for working with a more driven dog.

Welcome.

As with anything, practice is key. It sounds like you're off to a good start being around your local SAR team.

Thinking outside the box here - have you considered fostering for one of the DS rescues? It's a potential win-win-win. You get valuable training and handling skills, a dog's life is saved, and you might actually foster-fail and find your SAR dog.

Yeah, if you can foster a higher drive dog for a while, that will give you a ton of valuable insight.

Aside from that, be patient. It's real work to stay ahead of these dogs. It requires a lot of thought on how to set them up for success in small increments, daisy chaining smaller lessons into the bigger picture