Rescue workers in training

At certain disasters the help of well-trained dogs is indispensable for finding all casualties.
As for instance with people who (after an earthquake or explosion) are covered under a pile of rubbish. But also rescue dogs can track down children, who are lost.

Senna at a well:

The training comes with a lot of variety for the dog as well for his trainer.
They are considering the reality, where has to be worked often under a lot of pressure and bad conditions.
The dog will have to enjoy his work, else he will fail under the heavy circumstances.
Pressure will not lead to the desired results.

A few of the training exercises.

Plain-searching.
In a surrounding covered with trees the dog and his trainer are looking for a victim.
If the dog finds something he has to let his trainer know by barking and guide him to the victim.

Breakstone-searching.
This is the searching for victims, who are covered under rubbish.
The dog has to give the trainer directions of where the scent comes out the strongest.
The dog can show this by scratching, digging, barking, or the way he stands.
Trainers will each take a turn to be the practice victim. As well at the Plain- and the Breakstone-searching.


Which dogs are right for the job?
Several types of dogs like the Sheppard, retrievers and also cross breeds are being trained for this job. Where the fetching and the social character of the dog are very important. The anger to find prey is very important during the young dogs training.
By connecting the prey and victim, the young dog is searching for the source of a scent. Because of this the dog, when he's ready to be a rescue-dog, will react on scents carried by the wind. The dogs only search for lying, sitting or hanging persons or scent-flags on water or Breakstone.
Because of this other disciplines, as police and fire brigade can keep on doing their job. To keep the dogs in a good searching condition, they will always have to train a lot. De rescue-dogs are "normal" home dogs and owned by the members.

How does the training work?
The dog learns that if he smells the scent of a human, he gets a treat or a toy. That's where he does everything for. Further on in the training, the treat or toy will be put in a closable jar, so that he cannot smell it. The dog has to react on the humans scent.
Sometimes we train without the treat or toy at the victim. The trainer will give the treat as soon as the dog has found the victim.

The reward:

At a disaster, the dog will smell a person covered under rubbish. The dog associates the human scent with the toy or treat and bingo. A tasty bone may look like a better treat, but is educational not smart. The dog could search in a collapsed building for the refrigerator and not the missing person.

Wolf during her first training, starting with cause:

The dogs (and also the trainers) are doing a beautiful job, and the dogs even love to do it. What's better than a combination of fun for the dog and doing very important and useful work?!?!?!