Has anyone entertained the idea of an AZG or DHV type body here in the US to govern (and ideally, bring together) the various working dog organizations and agencies (SchH/IPO, PSA, Ring Sports, the NAPWDA, USPCA, NDDA, SAR Dogs etc...)?

The reason I bring this up is that there are so many different sports that are actually quite similar, but seem exclusive to a lot of people. The bigger issue to me though is the lack of uniform standards for working service dogs (Police and SAR dogs especially).

In SAR, the events of Sept 11, 2001 and the Columbia Disaster have shed light on the inadequacies of the current system, or lack thereof. I'm not disregarding the work of those that responded to those incidents, not at all, but there have been valid complaints about the quality of work executed by SAR Teams all over the country under many circumstances.

In Police and DogSport there seems to be a lot of overlap and redundancy and in SAR, a lack of uniformity. I am fully aware of the various standards out there, from local, state and national organizations, and there are some good ones. However, if there was some uniform standards, especially in Police and SAR, it would be a lot easier to determine mission preparedness of specific individuals and there dogs for local, state and federal emergency and safety officials.

I think if there was ever a "national" standard it would be very low. It would never meet the real requirements and standards needed by many departments.

There can be great deal of difference between working applications between two different towns that are only a few miles apart. Drive 15 minutes from me and you can be in VERY different parts or "reality."

In a pure urban area, tracking is almost next too impossible. Yet drive 15 mins, and you will track all the time. The departmental needs should be the largest factor in how/what they do with their dogs. I'm not saying to lower a standard, but rather train for what you need and do.

I can't see making a 10 man rural PD with one dog meet the needs of say LV Metro with 20 -30 dogs. NOT that the one dog team should not train to high standards, or high proficiency, but how an you make a generalized standard that is not so watered down that it become ineffectual?

speaking of low standards...has anyone heard anything about the AKC "working dog" trials and how that's going?

I don't think it ever happened.

Josh,
My pesimism is right there with yours, that a national standard would be low and effectively useless, this is definitely a fear of mine.

I also agree that the application of LE dogs varies dramatically by locality and region.

My point is that we have the often overlapping NAPWDA, USPCA, NDDA standards as well as the PSP-1, DPO and from what I understand, PSA is coming up with a PSD Standard. Not to mention Customs and Military standards. How many times are we going to invent the wheel? or how much redundancy do we need?

High proficiency and standards should definitely be our goal. For the most part, the existing standards are pretty good, but there is definitely room for some improvement and consolidation.

In SAR you've got local team and some state standards. FEMA and NAPWDA Standards. NASAR. Some private parties...all with their own standards. This leads to big problems, especially when it comes to inter-agency missions. You've got people showing up on scenes saying they do this or that with little verifiable proof. A number of local and private SAR groups have cadaver/HRD standards as does NAPWDA, now NASAR and possibly FEMA are drafting such standards. Why do it 25 different times/ways?

The Dutch, Czechs, Germans, and I believe the Swiss have all done it, can't we?