Search Dog Sam is Karen's first 'search' dog

Sam was born approximately May 2008 his exact birthday is unknown as he is a 'rescued dog' from Battersea Dogs Home.
Karen imagines he would have been a very cute looking puppy, but by three months old he was probably too much of a 'live wire' to be kept purely as a pet which saw him being abandoned on the streets of Forest Gate in London, and picked up by a stray by the Police.
Sam spent three months at Battersea Dogs Home being over looked by potential owners, so the decision was made in the November of that year to 'shipped him off' to Allensdale in Northumberland, to a lady that re-homes the more difficult dogs to find home for.


Three days after arriving in the North East Sam was picked up by Karen and was to start on a long journey of becoming a search and rescue dog.
Sam passed both his obedience test and stock test in 2008 an example of stock test can be seen here. Search dog must have a good level of obedience and must not chase stock as we expect these dogs to work up to 500m away from the handler searching the air for human sent.


Sam then began the to learn the game hide and seek. For finding the person hiding, the reward is a lovely game of tug and then, most important for Sam, a cuddle and a pat.

This is all the incentive that these dogs need to work!!!!!

Karen and Sam reached 'Operational Standard' by successfully completeing an assessment in January 2010. The Assessment was held over three days in the Lake District during the worst winter that we have had in twenty years. The assessment comprise of two searches as day for three days, each search lasting up to two hours. The handler and dog are shown an area of mountainside in which they are asked to search whilst being watched and assessed by senior dog handlers from all over the British Isles.

Karen and Sam have now reached 'Novice handler' status and must repeat this assessment in two years time. This will ensure that the standards that Karen and Sam work to remain high. If successful in two years time Karen and Sam will reach 'graded handler' if not succesful Karen and Sam will no longer be operational.

Ten days after Karen and Sam became operational they had there first call out, and also had their first find.

Karen says that its hard to put into words the feelings that you have when you work so closely with an dog, she believes that the bond between them is exteptional.