How to Train Your Dog to Search and Rescue

Dogs have some serious physical advantages over us humans. They're equipped with an amazing sense of smell that allows them to track stuff down from far away. Most canines have strong legs that enable them to move fast through brush or other terrain. To top it all off, pooches come with a keen ear.

These traits make puppers the ideal helpers in a search and rescue. A dog may be able to quickly find the person in need-- long before a team of professionals.

When someone goes missing, especially in the wilderness, it can be hard for rescue teams to know where to start. A dog is able to easily pick up on scents left in the area in the last day or so. Once the pooch finds the scent, he can follow it through the rough terrain, either bark or run back to his handlers, and potentially save the missing person!

The best breeds to use for search and rescue are smart and eager to learn. Labrador and Golden retrievers, Border Collies and German shepherds can make excellent trackers. If possible, start training the pup as young as twelve weeks. Youngsters catch on quicker, but older mutts can learn to perform this important task as well.

Once you've decided to help your pooch become a hero, you're going to need to prepare. Some key things to have include:

• A Helper: Training a search and rescue dog is so much easier with two! Pick a family member or friend who won't mind coming along for numerous sessions.
• Treats: When the dog makes a find, you're going to want to fill him with treats to let him know that's the point of the exercise.
• A Toy or Other Object: During practice, a toy replaces the missing person. The dog will be required to seek the toy, often without having seen where it went in the first place.
• Some Outdoor Gear: Search and rescue dogs are used no matter the weather, so both you and your pup will have to get used to the elements.
• A Harness and Lead: This lead should be at least 20 feet in length, but no longer than 30 feet.

While your young pooch is learning how to rescue, they should also be tuning up their obedience skills. A fully trained search and rescue dog can use location directions from vocal commands alone!

Below are some of the best methods for teaching a doggo how to be a hero. Keep in mind that the order you teach certain skills will impact how the dog uses them. Trailing and tracking skills should be taught before air scent training.