Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply to train a dog with Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England?
Our dog handlers are drawn from full members of Mountain Rescue teams with a minimum of 1 year operational callout experience. Many teams will require more than one years experience.
This is because our dogs are worked as part of their handlers mountain rescue team and if their dog finds a casualty, handlers need to be fully competent in all aspects of mountain safety, casualty care & their teams rescue procedures while lone working in remote upland areas.
Unfortunately, if you own a dog now that you would like to train, it is probably already too old. It takes about 3 years to become a mountain rescue member with the necessary experience to begin dog training and another 2-3 years before the dog is ready for assessment.

If you are part of a mountain rescue team and wish to become a dog handler, please speak to your team leader and local dog handlers for a recommendation to MRSDE.
If you are not yet a member of a mountain rescue team and wish to join, find your local team at https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/teams/

If you live in a lowland county, see https://www.lowlandrescue.org/member-teams for teams local to you for information on their search dog training.

I have a dog I wish to give to MRSDE. Can you accept it for training?
Sorry, but we are unable to accept dogs offered to us. Please contact your local dog rescue or a national rescue charity such as the Dogs Trust or RSPCA for rehoming options.

Can MRSDE search for missing pets or belongings?
Sorry, but our dogs are only trained to find and indicate on human scent. We are unable to search for missing pets or belongings.

Contact Us

If we haven’t answered your question above, please send us an email and one of our volunteers will get back to you as soon as possible.