Skilled search and rescue (SAR) dogs and their handlers can successfully find missing persons in wilderness, disaster, water, or avalanche areas. Dogs need a variety of skills and traits to locate persons. Many types of dogs are used in SAR, but certain dog breeds are more common.
Disaster Situations for SAR Dogs
Search and rescue dogs are used in a variety of disaster situations. Dogs can track or trail missing persons in wilderness areas. These areas may be too vast and take valuable time for humans to search.
SAR dogs are needed to search disaster areas that are difficult for humans to search, such as the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina areas. Due to the magnitude of these disasters, it was impossible for humans to detect survivors and try to rescue victims. SAR dogs were equipped for this type of job.
After an avalanche, SAR dogs and handlers may be dispatched to find persons buried underneath the snow. When a scent is found by a dog, the dog scratches at the place in the snow where it detects the scent.
Human Remains Detection (HRD) or cadaver dogs are used to locate deceased victims. Depending on what the dog is trained to locate, they can find bodies, tissue, hair, bones, etc.
Dog Traits Valuable for SAR Operations
To find missing humans, dogs must rely on their scenting abilities. Some dogs use air scent to find persons. This requires them to walk around sniffing the air for a scents. Some dogs use their sense of smell to track victims by sniffing a piece of the person's clothing and following the scent.
For SAR a dog needs a high degree of intelligence and trainability. Understanding and obeying commands is a crucial component to the successful search and rescue process for the dogs involved.
Physical endurance and strong drives are important traits for SAR dogs. Depending on the situation, a dog may be required to work hours without interruption or distraction while searching for victims or survivors. One type of training of SAR dogs involves using prey or pursuit instincts.
Most Common Dog Breeds Used for SAR
German Shepherds are used for search and rescue due to their keen sense of smell and ability to stay focused on their job. They were used to detect survivors after the World Trade Center attacks.
Labrador Retrievers are good cadaver dogs due to their great sense of smell. Besides their sense of smell, they generally have good temperaments, which make working and training easier for handlers.
Border Collies make excellent search and rescue dogs because they generally like working with human handlers, have great stamina, and have a highly developed sense of smell. This breed has been used for tracking and cadaver dogs.
Newfoundlands are large, gentle dogs that are known for their efforts to save persons during water and avalanche search and rescue.
Search and rescue dogs find missing persons by using their keen sense of smell; however, they need other traits, such as intelligence and stamina. SAR dogs are used during times of disaster to assist humans in the search for survivors or human remains.
Debbie Baughman - Debbie Baughman is a freelance writer with a variety of interests. She is a lifelong learner who is curious about many subjects. Her ...
Join the Conversation