An educational and entertaining experience that strengthened the bond between man and animal

When I first heard about SICS (Scuola Italiana Cani Salvataggio) I could never have imagined how much this experience would give me. I cannot thank SICS enough for all the moments of sharing, the emotions, the smiles, the happiness and the pride in every achievement.

In October 2022, my little dog Mango, a two-and-a-half-year-old Labrador retriever, and I signed up for the course. Mango and I have always had the same passion for the sea. I remember that ever since he was a puppy, between one run and another on the beach, he would dive into the waves swimming without fear. That is why I thought of deepening this interest of ours, trying to build something beautiful. What SICS offered us, thanks to the teachings of our instructors, was an extraordinary training course that allowed the bond and relationship between Mango and me to be consolidated and strengthened even more. In fact, this proved to be a formative experience for both of us, from every point of view. During this course, we grew together, got to know each other better and understood our strengths, but also overcame our weaknesses by helping each other.

The course classes were held every Sunday throughout the winter, until June. The exercises consisted of ground training, where the aim was to learn how to best handle and lead one’s own dog. The second part of the lesson was dedicated to training in the water, aimed at recovering the figure by implementing different techniques and operational strategies.

All this was implemented without ever losing sight of play as a form of learning, thus making the training process enjoyable and fun for both dog and handler.

At the end of the course, we took part in the SICS ACADEMY workshop held from 1 to 4 June in Forte dei Marmi together with 50 other dog units. They were four intense days in which we shared h24 moments of daily life interspersed with moments of theory in the classroom and training at sea with the help of Coast Guard and Fire Brigade vessels. Specifically, I had the opportunity to test the temper and courage of my furry one both on the jet ski and on the CP patrol boat.

I will never forget the commitment, determination and perseverance that Mango and I put in to tackle each and every training session; the joy when, after the exam, we were handed our first licence and the satisfaction of our first station on the beach.

Our goal is to improve over time and we are ready to continue our adventure by training with the team.

Thank you Emergency Live for giving me the opportunity to tell you about our experience.

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Ilaria Liguori