Grade: Advanced Mountain Grade

Handler: Ross MacIntyre

Evie is an 8 year old Labrador. Her parent Mountain Rescue team is Ochils Mountain Rescue.

Evie qualified at 2 years old and she has deployed to many searches with her own team, and across Scotland to assist other mountain rescue teams and Police Scotland.

Evie's reward for finding her missing person is a tennis ball and some hot dog sausages.

Grade: Advanced Mountain Grade

Handler: Iain Brydon

Bio: Poppy is 11 years old and is a Collie / Labrador cross. Her parent Mountain Rescue team is Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue and qualified in 2015 at the age of 2. Poppy has deployed with her handler Iain to multiple searches across Scotland as well as with her own MR Team in the Scottish Borders and the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh.

Poppy loves to play and while her favourite toy away from SARDA is a tennis ball, her reward for finding a missing person is her Kong toy.

Grade: Mountain Grade

Handler: Richard Eadington

Alfie was originally my daughters, however, he had lots of energy and needed a suitable outlet. So we thought we'd give it a try. The majority of Alfie's training was during lockdown, which allowed a lot of time for practice, and probably kept us all sane! Alfie qualified for the callout list October 2021 and he averages around 20 call outs per year.

Grade: DVSD / Water Search Dog

Handler: Joanna Toohey

Tam is a Fox Red Labrador who is 7 years old.

Tam is a Water Search Dog – searching for people who have drowned or been submerged in water ways such as lochs, reservoirs & rivers. This can be achieved by searching from the bank/shore side or in a Rigid Inflatable Rib (RIB).

Tam stared training in 2017, and qualified for bankside and shore line (Stage 1) searching in 2019 and completed his training in December 2021 after undertaking further assessment in an ‘Initial Water Search Dog’ in the RIB in line with NSARDA standards.

Tam and his handler Joanna are members of Nith Inshore Rescue based in Glencaple and SARDA Southern Scotland and have been involved in call-outs where Tam has provided a positive indication of a person or persons in the water.

Grade: Advanced Mountain Grade

Handler: Caroline James

Tymbl is a Black Labrador from Copperbirch Kennel in Ireland. Born in May 2015.

Qualified with SARDA South Wales in Oct 2018 - has since twice regraded with SARDA Southern Scotland

Why “Tymbl”?

Well, my first Search dog was called Keeper, after Keepers pond on the Blorenge, near Abegavenny. The Tymbl is a 6km climb that climbs up the side of the Blorenge and ends at Keepers Pond, so the 2 dogs are consecutively joined both on the map and in my life.

Unfortunately, I realised that probably wasn’t best name choice when he dramatically “tumbled” off a crag on his first assessment. “Velcro” may have been a better option.

Of my two dogs, Tymbl is the thoughtful, deliberate one, a great problem solver, works the problem then nails the solution. A joy to work with whether in Gundog work, Agility or Search work.

No words can describe accurately what Tymbl means to me. His Search Dog career is only part of it.

It is with tremendous sadness that I found out in Jan 2025 Tymbl is in heart failure. Consequently, we are making the most of every minute of every day.

Grade: Advanced Mountain Grade

Handler: Caroline James

Skirrid is a Yellow Labrador from Copperbirch kennels, Ireland. Born in Oct 2016.

Qualified with SARDA South Wales in Oct 2018 with my late husband Simon. Regraded twice with myself in SARDA Southern Scotland, Skirrid is in the Black Mountains, within the area that our former Mountain rescue team, Longtown MRT, covered.

Skirrid was expertly and diligently trained by Simon, his ability and potential was evident from his first training session. As soon as he was physically mature he was ready to be operational.

Skirrid is just the happiest of dogs, a dog who makes you smile, he gives 100% effort in any discipline, prioritising action over deliberation, very fast, strong and athletic on mountain terrain. His indication, when he has found someone is definitely not subtle.

Again, I can not sum up with words what Skirrid means to me, I am blessed to have 8 amazing paws alongside me.

Grade: Grade 3 / Active

Handler: Ross MacIntyre

Woody is a 2 year old Labrador. His parent MRT is Ochils Mountain Rescue.

Woody is following in the paw steps of his big sister Evie and recently graduated to become an active search dog on the call out list.

Woody loves searching for people and his reward is a tennis ball in an old sock, it's his favourite toy!

Grade: Grade 3 / Active

Handler: Susie Mowatt

Caoimhe is a four year old border collie, she has recently passed her Grade 2 assessment.

Caoimhe's reward toys are a yellow hoop and her giant green ball. She loves to play in the water and will leap from the bank into the river when ever she gets the chance.

During her spare time Caoimhe enjoys agility and lives for running up the hills with Susie.

Grade: Trainee

Handler: John Romanes

Ragnar is now just over a year old and is 6 months into his training. He has passed his livestock test and grade 1 assessment.

Grade: Trainee

Handler: Rob Hume

Cairn is a 2 year old, tri colour Border Collie

His parent team is the Borders Search and Rescue unit based in Kelso, Scottish Borders.

He’s been a trainee for around 18 months now, his reward for finding a missing person is a game of tug with a rabbit tail toy and lots of play time.

He joins me quite often on local trail runs and hiking trips.

And is quite the snorer.

Grade: Trainee

Handler: Craig Paterson

Kai is an exuberant young golden Labrador who started out with Guide Dogs Scotland, but soon found he was more suited to the outdoor lifestyle.

His home hills belong to Galloway MRT where he is training, and currently at stage 1.

Kai loves nothing better than searching for people or articles, with maybe a puddle or stream on route.

A lovable dog with a massive heart and appetite to match.

Grade: Trainee

Handler: Blair Wilkie

Bio: Coming soon.

Grade: Trainee

Handler: Colin Ribbeck

An 8 week young Rum was sprung upon his handler as a surprise gift by a group of friends, although it didn't feel that way at the time! They have seldom been separated since. 

Mischievous, devious and an attention hungry nuisance, it was clear he required a job and SARDA Southern Scotland has provided the perfect outlet for his energies, where his reward for a 'find' is to destroy his latest squeaky toy.

His parent team is Arran Mountain Rescue Team and outside of Search and Rescue his hobbies include rope swings, conversation and cats.

Grade: Trainee

Handler: Ailish Eadington

Breagha was bought at the beginning of lockdown and grew up alongside SARDA's infamous Michael the sheep. I was incredibly lucky to spend so much time with Breagha throughout lockdown and we spent lots of time swimming and learning new tricks together. 

Initially starting her career scenting deer, Breagha had similiar skills required from a search dog, so we had a bit of fun messing about together at home. After attending a few SARDA trainings together, I decided to apply and we were accepted as trainees. 

Breagha is known as 'ginger' at home as she is the only dog that isn't black and white! She is a typical Labrador and is completely food obsessed.

Grade: Retired

Handler: John Romanes

Rauour is now retired . He graded as a search dog in 2013 and has since been deployed 168 times, assisting parent Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team , and other MRT's throughout Scotland. Some deployments were solo searches for specific police incidents.

In 2015 he was awarded a PDSA commendation for a critical find of a missing person in winter conditions.

He retired last year, but still gets to put his search jacket on to find articles that I hide for him, as he doesn’t realise that he is retired.

Grade: Retired

Handler: Kirstie Smith (Ex-handler)

The greatest dog, the best body and a very good boy.