FAQ

MarK9 Frequently Asked Questions 
1. What is MarK9?
2. How do I join MarK9?
3. What kind of dog can I train for SAR?
4. Do I have to start with a puppy?
5. How long will the training take?
6. What skills will I need to learn?
7. What must I train my dog to do?
8. Is this time consuming?
9. Is this expensive?
10. Do I have to be in good physical condition?


1. What is MARK9? 
MarK9 is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation, Maricopa K-9 Search and Rescue, Inc., We are an all volunteer search and rescue (SAR) dog unit. We are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) and other agencies (local, statewide, nationwide and even worldwide) in emergency responses to help find lost victims or victims of disasters. MarK9 is also a posse of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Note that there is no paid positions and most equipment is paid for by individuals.  
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2. How do I join MARK9? The first step is to contact us and arrange to come out and observe a few of our training sessions. The complete applicaton process will be explained and you will get a chance to meet some of the team members. If you are still interested you may join as a Trainee. We require that you train with us as a Trainee on a regular basis for 3 to 6 months. This gives you an opportunity to work with MarK9 handlers and get to know them. It will also give you some idea of the time commitment and amount of work required to become an operational team member. During this time you will complete a Search and Rescue Academy and the Sherrif's Office Basic classes. Following this trainee period, you may apply for full membership. MarK9 is part of the MCSO Posse. To become a full active member of MarK9 you must apply and qualify to become a volunteer posse member. This is a subset of the Sheriffs office, so if you have any prior criminal record, or DUI in the last 3 years, you may not qualify. Contact the training officer if you have any questions. 
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3. What kind of dog can I train for SAR? 
There are numerous breeds of dogs that are capable of doing SAR work, though you will see that most are from working, herding or sporting breeds. Some breeds are more suitable than others. Not all breeds of dogs and not all dogs within a breed have the temperament and talent to do the work required. Dogs at the extreme ends of the size range, i.e. very small or very large, tend not to be well suited for this work. The dog does not have to be a purebred, though you may have the advantage with a pedigreed dog to look at the parents as a guideline for temperament and working ability.

If you don't already have a dog, a good idea is to spend some time at some of our training session to observe different breeds before you make up your mind. Talk to different people about the pros and cons of their breed in doing search work. Certain breeds may have inherent traits and talents that make them either easier or sometimes more difficult to train than other breeds. If you are set on a specific breed, you will usually be better off buying from a working line and not a show line. Investigate genetic diseases of the breed and make sure you get your dog from a line that has had minimal or no health problems. A reputable breeder should be able to answer any questions you have about health problems as well as working ability. You don't want to put years of hard work into training a dog just to find out later that it is not capable of doing the work due to a genetically linked disease. You want to start with a dog that has as much potential as possible to do the work. 
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4. Do I have to start with a puppy? No. You may train an older dog for SAR. However, one of the advantages of training a puppy is that it will most likely have a longer working career. Younger dogs may not have acquired unsuitable habits or behaviors that may have to be untrained. You can also often train desirable behaviors into a puppy a little easier than into an older dog. Can I train more than one dog at the same time for SAR? It takes a great deal of time and commitment to train even one dog. So if you have more than one dog, we recommend that you concentrate on just one unless you are an experienced dog trainer. We can help you evaluate which dog would make a better candidate for SAR work.
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5. How long will the training take? You should plan on 1 1/2 - 3 years to train your dog and to gain the skills you need to become a mission ready team.
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6. What skills will I need to learn? You must learn CPR and take the "Red Cross Emergency Response" or "approved First Responder course" training, or equivalent. You must become proficient in use of map and compass as well as radio communications. Other training includes wilderness survival, SAR theory, man tracking and helicopter safety. Previous outdoor experience would be beneficial. You may purchase a Policy and Procedure Manual that will include all the requirements for certification, once you become an apprentice. Many requirements can be fulfilled at the various official MarK9 monthly workout sessions. Others you may satisfy through seminars offered by other Search and Rescue organizations or the local Red Cross.
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7.What must I train my dog to do? The type of training your dog receives will be somewhat dependent on which basic certification you choose, either area search or trailing. However, all dogs must be well socialized, agile enough to safely negotiate obstacles in the wilderness and/or in disaster rubble. The dog must be able to swim. You and your dog will learn how to get in and out of a truck, helicopter and other vehicles. You may achieve specialty certification in other disciplines such as cadaver or water searches, after you are mission ready in either area search or trailing. However, all dogs must begin as area search or trailing search dogs.
You will find that there are different ways to get the same results with training. However, if you start with one method, don't skip to another just because it seems easier or because someone tells you their method is better. Try to stay with one method unless you find it is totally impossible to attain your goals. If you switch from one method to another, your dog may get confused and may not be able to learn the skills that it needs.
If you have never trained a dog before, it will be helpful to read a good basic dog training book that explains how dogs learn. You must take a basic obedience class on your own. Believe it or not, the most difficult aspect in training a dog is to always remember that dogs think like dogs, not like humans. Most training problems can be traced to the handler forgetting this basic principle and trying to get the dog to do something it doesn't or can't understand. When you start training, you must begin keeping a training log for all your training sessions for you and your dog. This will help you keep up with the progress of your dog as well as to identify any problems or difficulties that may arise.
Most of what you will learn about training your dog will come from actual training sessions as well as input from fellow members and especially the training sponsors. However, your ultimate success will mostly be determined by the amount of time and effort you put in.
At a training session, don't let your dog run around loose unless it is working. If other dogs are tied up or under any kind of obedience command, don't let your dog bother them. Some dogs will naturally protect their vehicle or the area where they are tied! Above all, your dog must learn to be very obedient and should always be under your control!
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8.Is this time consuming? YES! Expect to train 2-3 times a week (including night training) when you are starting out. You can do some training on your own, but there is no substitution for training with your local group, even after you are mission ready. The official MarK9 monthly training usually takes place two weekends of each month in varying locations. You are expected to attend as many as possible during your training ( i.e.attendance of 70% monthly general MarK9 workouts are required as "sign-offs" prior to becoming field qualified). When you become a certified mission ready team, you will still need to continue to train regularly to keep your basic skills sharp.
Call outs for actual searches tend to occur in the middle of the night. Most searches will probably be in Maricopa County or other nearby counties. You may be called to a search in other areas in the state. Though you are not required to go on all searches, we are on call all day and night every day of the year. Most requests for canine search teams come through MCSO at this time. The most effective dog handlers today are searchers first, and dog handlers second.
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9. Is this Expensive? YES! Since this is a volunteer organization, you pay for all your required equipment. That includes navigation, communications and other electronic gear as well as hiking, camping and survival gear. You also have to consider wear and tear on your vehicle, gasoline, etc. All of your equipment must be purchased prior to your mission ready test. Your Policy and Procedure Manual contains a list of all the required equipment. Because this is a volunteer organization, many of your expenses may be tax deductible-please consult your tax advisor to determine if it applies to you. On some searches you must be self sufficient for at least 3 days.
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10. Do I have to be in good physical condition? You definitely need to be both physically fit and healthy. If you have any disease or a physical handicap or problem, it is best to consult with your physician to make sure s/he approves of this activity. Searches can potentially last up to 12 hours a day for several days and be located in areas of very rough terrain with inclement weather. There is also the possibility of having to spend the night out in the wilderness during a search. So mental as well as physical fitness is a must. Remember, on a search, you are there to help find subjects, not become a victim yourself.
A Fitness Test must be completed before your Mission Ready tests, and annually thereafter. The MarK9 Fitness Test consists of either:
1) Run/walk 1.5 miles on a quarter mile track in 15 minutes or less or
2) 6 mile hike with a 35 lb. search pack, exclusive of water, in 4 hours or less.
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