Come "Get Lost" for your Gallatin County Search & Rescue search dogs! Pretend to be a lost person, play with the dogs who find you, and learn more about how the Gallatin County Sheriff's Search & Rescue dogs work to find missing people.

Whether you're a seasoned hiker or new in town, this experience offers a unique opportunity to connect with your community, meet like-minded individuals, and enjoy the great outdoors. You do not need any specific level of fitness or outdoor ability to participate.

As a training Volunteer, you might...

• Pretend to be lost, “hiding” in the woods for our air scent dogs to find you. Bring a chair, book, and thermos of tea, then enjoy the solitude!

• Set a track for our tracking dogs to follow, and then find you at the end. This can be great navigation practice!

• Help set up “blind” training problems to help test our handers’ skills – get creative!  

And, you will definitely get to play with dogs to reward them for a job well done!!

How it works:

We’ll post our training dates on Meetup.com each month. Look at the calendar and sign up for any dates that catch your eye!

No long term commitment required – come once, or come often! We are grateful for whatever time you are willing to share.

Training locations vary based on season and weather as well. Example training locations include Crosscut Mountain Sports Center (summer) or Headwaters State Park (Spring/Fall/Winter) – typically, a short drive from Bozeman.

If you’re interested, click here to view upcoming dates!

More details:

• Bring the right equipment: weather appropriate clothing (warm, waterproof layers, tall boots and warm socks, gloves, hats, etc.) shoes that will be comfortable off trail, snacks and water, sunscreen, and bear spray.

• You can expect a mix of walking and sitting, waiting for dogs to find you. After you're found we may ask you to wait for another dog, or you may have the opportunity to walk along with a handler to see a dog work.

• Download the free Caltopo app on your phone before you head out to meet us. It's available for iOS and Android and is really handy in helping you know where to go!

• Please leave your dog at home, for our safety and theirs!

• Most trainings are kid friendly, but please let Alyssa know if you plan to bring anyone under age 15.

NOTE:

We are not evaluating any new search dog/handler teams at this time.
Click here for more information on what it takes to become a search dog handler.