Lifeguard is not a breed, it is a calling!
No, they will not be able to render the first medical assistance, cannot give a person life-giving moisture and will not relieve pain. But rescue dogs are able to give more - life, finding the victim in a timely manner and notifying people about it. What breeds can do much needed and important activities, and what skills and abilities should they have?
Rescue dog breeds
In general, history keeps a lot of evidence of the loyalty and fearlessness of our four-legged friends. They showed remarkable courage and ingenuity during hostilities, rescued people during floods and other weather disasters, sacrificed themselves for the sake of children. Moreover, these heroic deeds are sometimes completely unrelated to the breed of the dog.
But nevertheless, to work in harsh conditions and in connection with the specifics of the activity, certain innate qualities are required from the dog, which the following breeds have:
- - this breed has long been intended for rescue operations in high-mountainous areas, it is not for nothing that they can anticipate an avalanche in a few hours and notify people about it. The second name of this breed is “avalanche dogs”. They can dig out a person buried under the snow and drag him to safety, or they can bring rescuers to this area.
- - these representatives work in a different element - water. Their anatomical structure and physiological properties are intended for finding an animal in water, even ice water, without harming health. This is the third eyelid, paws and auricles of a special structure, interdigital membranes and non-wet hair. Newfoundlands have incredible diving and swimming abilities, as well as an amazing instinct to rush to the aid of the slightest sign indicating that the person is in trouble.
- – for a long time protecting livestock from the attack of predators, and living in harsh conditions, representatives of this breed have acquired a lot of qualities necessary for survival. Naturally, one cannot do without developed intellectual abilities in this matter. Having become an almost universal dog, the German Shepherd has shown itself in rescue work.
- - the history of the breed is such that from its very origins, dogs have already been rescuers. They helped fishermen catch fish and also looked for people during storms. In addition, due to their strength and endurance, they were draft animals and helpers during the hunt. Modern intellectual abilities allow these dogs to memorize two hundred commands!
Of course, this is far from the entire list, and representatives of other breeds are often involved in rescue operations. But in these dogs, whatever you say, the rescue instinct is in the genes.
Among the skills required from rescue dogs, two main ones can be distinguished - this is to find a person in trouble and inform your colleagues - people about it. Of course, some strong dogs they are able to get victims from under the rubble, dig them out in the snow, but more often they still need the help of specialists. In addition to a subtle sense of smell, physical strength and a desire to work, a number of requirements are imposed on the dog:
- Stable psyche... A working dog should not react to what is happening around, but be completely focused on the task at hand.
- Kindness and benevolence. Four-legged rescuer should be glad to see the victim whom he found, and not growl and grin, frightening. In addition, usually during an emergency, the scene is filled with many people - doctors, rescuers, etc., and the dog should not show alertness or aggression.
- Ability to make decisions independently... In critical situations, when a person is not around, the dog must be able to act without waiting for a command.
- Obedience... Dogs who like to run away when they sense freedom, or when they see another dog, are absolutely inappropriate for the role of rescuer. This work requires strict discipline and accomplishment of the assigned task at any cost.
Needless to say, a dog may be the only chance for salvation, risking itself and not demanding anything in return? These lesser friends can perform heroic deeds, which once again confirms their dedication and fearlessness.
See how rescue dogs are trained:
Real heroes who serve in a completely disinterested and selfless manner, not feeling doubts about those whom they helped, and about how dangerous and difficult work is not chosen by them consciously. At the same time, the owner of such a service dog is always with his pupil (pupil) and devotes a significant part of his life to his noble cause. In addition, you can read about other breeds of rescue dogs by following the link on the profile portal.
According to their qualities, dogs are suitable for carrying out various services and can be involved in activities in services, for example:
Protective guard;
Detective;
Search and Rescue;
Convoy;
Mine search;
Intelligence;
Ore detection and gas detection;
Narco-search;
Shepherd's.
Plus, these gorgeous, intelligent animals are used in social species services such as guides, water rescuers, firefighters, for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities and others. Today we'll talk about what a list of dog breeds found in search and rescue might be.
Rescue dogs on the water
Once upon a time, Spanish and Portuguese fishermen were so tightly friends and harmoniously coexisted with dogs that they entrusted them with pulling nets out of the water, and if it happened, then saving their own lives. Especially famous were the dogs of the island of Newfoundland, located at a considerable distance from the two countries mentioned. When dogs of the breed, named after the island, spread in Europe, they began to serve on merchant and military ships. In another way they were called "divers". Dogs of this breed are distinguished by their quick-wittedness and endurance, they are able to carry heavy weights and can jump into icy water without a command to help a drowning person. Their physiological data allow them to stay in water at very low temperatures for a long time, and this will not harm their health. Anatomical structure eyes (the presence of the third eyelid), interdigital membranes on the paws and a special device auricles allows them to dive to a depth of 30 meters or more.
The training of Newfoundland puppies is carried out according to the method used for all breeds of service dogs up to about 4-6 months, and then specific techniques are applied: training in being in a boat, the ability to swim behind a boat at a distance of up to 500 meters, and the like. If the owner of the dog is a beginner, he should be trained in first aid techniques rescued from the water - artificial respiration, warming massage, treatment of fractures and wounds.
In 1949, an official standard for the Leonberg breed was fixed in Germany, which is a mixture of St. Bernard, Pyrenean Mountain and Newfauland. Heinrich Essing was engaged in breeding a new breed. The bred dog had a strong rescue instinct for drowning, muscularity and strength, fasting up to 80 cm, weight up to 40 kg and waterproof coat. To carry the lifeguard service on the water, the dog needs absolutely short course special training.
Initially, fate prepared the Labrador breed to be rescuers on the water - these animals were excellently looking for those who were in the water due to a storm. They are strong and resilient and memorize up to two hundred different commands.
Rescue dog breeds in the mountains.
It is considered that oldest breed rescue dogs - Alaskan Malamute. This breed has wolf habits, he rarely barks and external data strongly resemble a forest fellow. In a very short time, a devoted dog is able to dig a large hole, so great is his strength and dexterity. But he will not dig just like that: he will sense the blockage and the injured person from a distance, and he will never confuse it with an animal, and will dig it out in the shortest possible time, carefully, without causing harm, and deliver it to the nearest rescue point.
Rescue dogs in the mountains
The main tasks search dog in the mountains are as follows:
Find the victim and mark his location by barking, or by grabbing a special dipper with his teeth;
Do not be distracted by extraneous stimuli (noises, smells);
Be benevolent, do not show aggression towards medical workers, rescuers-people and other dogs who have appeared at her call;
Have a keen sense of smell, stamina;
Have the ability to concentrate on the task at hand.
The listed skills can be taught and used in search and rescue operations in the mountains:
Spaniels;
Labrador Retrievers;
Dratkhaarov;
Rottweilers;
Laeks;
Border Collie (mainly abroad, as their cost is high) and other breeds.
Dog serving in search expedition, should not be too large, as it has to wade into rubble and small holes. In order not to get confused and not to be injured in caves, the surfaces of which are covered with rhizomes, it is better for the animal to have not too long hair, but it will also be difficult for short-haired animals, the optimal cover is medium. Such a dog must be obedient and, at the same time, be able to make decisions independently.
Despite these requirements, it would seem that they exclude the possibility of participation in mountain expeditions on the rescue of St. Bernards - large dogs with rather long hair, the Ministry of Emergency Situations officer is well aware of the story of a selfless rescuer - St. Bernard Barry, which happened in the Alps back in the 19th century. Barry managed to save 40 people. The dogs of the monastery founded by Saint Bernard were trained to find people covered in snow or fallen in the Saint Bernard Pass and to warm them with their bodies and licking their faces while their relatives ran away for help.
Dogs on service in the Ministry of Emergency Situations
Cynological services exist in every regional center; it is a branched out structure of professional and volunteer teams. There are such well-known cynological units as PSSK (Search and Rescue Service Cynological) and Tsentrospas. Dogs are specially selected through testing, which is carried out for puppies in the first three months of birth. V rescue services puppies that do not have sufficient scent or that show fear will not get in. At the end of the training, each animal passes an exam and is assigned to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which is optimally suitable for its qualities.
It is unlikely that in the history of mankind there will ever appear a more devoted creature than a dog. And at the present time, when an unpleasant, and maybe even tragic event can happen in everyone's life, our four-legged friends come to our aid.
Thanks to their dedication and dedication, the concept of "service dogs" appeared in human everyday life. They are ready to serve us to their last step, to exhaustion, to their dying breath, forgetting about everything in this service. They help everywhere: whether it is the search for lost wanderers during a snowstorm, the search for those doomed to certain death under the rubble (snow or after a catastrophe) or salvation on the water - all this is within the power of our sometimes defenseless comrades. Where do they get their strength to overcome such difficult trials?
Finding the Lost in the Storm
The very first rescue dogs, which began their labor activity several centuries ago, were looking for travelers lost in a storm. Surely you have ever seen paintings that depict large shaggy dogs with a barrel around his neck. Service dogs St. Bernard breed due to its endurance, excellent physical qualities they found and warmed them with a strong drink brought in a barrel, and then brought the lost travelers out to the people. The most famous of these rescuers was St. Bernard Barry, to whom a monument was even erected in the Parisian cemetery. During his life, the dog saved forty people, and the forty-first rescued, confusing him with a bear (the dog lay down to warm the victim with his body), stabbed him. The dog survived, but he could no longer save anyone.
Finding people under the rubble
Distinguishing the smell of a person from the mass of other smells under the debris a meter high is considered the most difficult job. But our loyal friends are coping with this task as well. Everyone knows the events of September 11, 2001 in the United States, but how many people know about such heroes who helped save and saved the very lives of people. For example, the guide dog Dorado rescued its blind master, computer scientist Omar Eduardo Rivera. After the plane crashed into the tower, Rivera unhooked the leash and gave the dog the command to leave, wanting to save at least the dog. The crowd of fleeing people carried the Labrador several floors below, but after a while the owner felt his pet poke his nose at his legs. With the help of a dog and a colleague, the man went out into the street, after which the building collapsed. Rivera considers herself to owe her life to a devoted dog.
Along with the Labrador Dorado, that day, 12 hours a day, another tailed worker worked at the scene of the tragedy - a service dog named Brittany. As part of the Texas Ground Zero search and rescue squad, the two-year-old dog helped save the lives of people in trouble.
Rescue of the drowning
As they say, the salvation of drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves, of course, but even here we can rely on our faithful four-legged comrades. The handsome Newfoundlands have excellent qualities for this service. These dogs are physically strong, they are not afraid of any waves, their powerful tail like a rudder helps to accurately choose the direction, and their long hair with a dense waterproof undercoat makes it possible to work in icy water. What can I say, even if Napoleon was once saved by Newfoundland.
Service dogs help us at every step, in critical moments they are simply irreplaceable. And the effort it takes to train a rescue dog is worth it. One trained dog saves the labor of dozens of people.
In this article I will consider best breeds rescue dogs. I will tell you about the size and character of each of the breeds, in which emergency situations they have found their application.
Dogs - best friends, they protect territories, become companions for lonely people, save lives.
Best Rescue Dog Breeds
Rescue dog breeds were bred specifically for search purposes and to protect people in extreme situations or natural disasters. Quadrupeds are faster at coping with assigned tasks, thanks to their keen sense of smell. A dog learns a person in trouble under a large layer of snow, debris from natural disasters, rescues from the water. Let's take a closer look at the different breeds of rescue dogs.
Labrador
Large in size, height at the withers is 53-61 cm, weight 25-36 kg. They are distinguished by friendliness, playfulness, patient, reliable, need constant attention from the owner, and are easy to learn. Not suitable for guards, suitable for people with an active lifestyle.
Labrador training takes place in game form, they are happy to do all the exercises.
The price of a puppy of this breed will be 20,000 - 40,000 rubles.
Retrievers are often involved in rescue operations in the water, their swimming speed is 5 km / h. They help to rescue from rubble after explosions, earthquakes, floods and in other accidents. Can be used as guide dogs for people with disabilities. Helping with disasters requires special education and training, from simple obedience commands to acting out natural disaster scenarios.
Large in size, height at the withers is 66-71 cm, weight reaches 70 kg. Newfoundlands are patient, calm, obedient, loyal, easy to train, suitable for families with children. Phlegmatic by nature, they are not inclined to movement, but they gladly go for a walk with the owner.
They are sensitive to comments, criticism and harshness of the owner, train them with the help of affection, then the process will go more efficiently.
The price for a puppy of this breed will be 40,000 - 75,000 rubles.
They are used to rescue people on the water, it is not for nothing that they are called "divers", they are distinguished by their friendliness, intelligence, endurance. Newfoundland does not freeze in water, resistant to cold, thanks to the water-repellent double wool. The animal has a special structure of ears, eyes, third eyelid, membranes between the fingers, which helps it to swim long distances and dive deep under water. The instinct of salvation is laid by nature, they throw themselves into the water, at the first sign when a person is drowning.
Large in size, height at the withers 61-70 cm, weight 50-91 kg. They are distinguished by endurance, fearlessness, diligence and good learning ability. St. Bernards are calm, kind, loyal, non-aggressive, have good physical strength, do not like loneliness. You should not start families who do not have time to communicate with a pet, get along well with children and look after them.
The price for a puppy of this breed will be 15,000 - 45,000 rubles.
Most often used to rescue people in the mountains, in avalanches and in the water. Scientists have found that representatives of this breed feel a snowstorm before it starts in 40 minutes. At a great distance, they can smell people under the thickness of the snow, they can single-handedly dig a passage to them, pull them to the surface and bring them to their senses.
Large size, height at the withers 55-65 cm, body weight 22-40 kg. balanced, confident, has a good disposition, attentive, obedient, has protective qualities. Suitable for people with a strong character, the animal needs constant physical activity, training and socialization are mandatory.
The price of a German puppy will be 20,000 - 50,000 rubles.
Helping people at german shepherd in the blood, they are used to rescue people in the mountains, under earthquakes and explosions, in water bodies. Thanks to its instinct, the shepherd quickly finds victims and pulls them out.
Large dog with developed muscles, height at the withers 63-72 cm, body weight 32-45 kg. smart, alert, obedient, confident, energetic, fearless, loyal, agile and hardy. They have a quick reaction and speed of completing tasks, while the other dog is busy with one exercise, the Doberman will do five.
The price of a Doberman puppy will be 15,000 - 45,000 rubles.
Suitable for a self-confident owner with a strong character and an active lifestyle, gets along well with children. This breed needs socialization and proper training, without this it can grow up angry and unbalanced.
A keen sense of smell helps the Doberman to look for people in extreme situations, to pull them out of the rubble. This breed can be a blind guide.
German large breed dogs, height at the withers 65-80 cm, weight 45-78 kg. loyal, loyal, intelligent, calm, possess protective qualities with a formidable appearance and gentle character. Non-aggressive, trying to please the owner, striving to take the position of a subordinate in the family, are well trained. Suitable for a family with children, with whom he gets along well and allows you to do whatever you want with you.
The price of a Leonberger puppy is 30,000 - 50,000 rubles.
The dog swims well and is used as lifeguards in reservoirs. It takes a lot of effort and practice to quickly swim to a drowning person, rescue and pull him ashore.
Or Malinois - a medium-sized dog, height at the withers is 58-62 cm, weight 20-30 kg. Cautious, responsible, energetic, does not show aggression, is always ready for action, has guard qualities. She takes care of children, is not averse to playing with them, suitable for owners with an active lifestyle. Without physical activity will start to spoil property.
Price per puppy Belgian Shepherd will amount to 15,000 - 40,000 rubles.
The training of the dog takes place with the help of the game, it lends itself well to training, all attention is concentrated on the owner.
Malinois work in the mountains, rescuing people from the thickness of the snow, along with the St. Bernards. Thanks to grace and dexterity, animals find people under the rubble, which helps to save their lives faster.
Dog large sizes, height at withers 57-68 cm, body weight 27-32 kg. By temperament, they are balanced, controlled, courageous, quick, intelligent, loyal, with developed hunting instincts. The companion dog gets along well with children, commands are learned quickly in the form of a game.
The average price for a puppy will be 25,000 rubles.
Found its application in the coast guard to rescue drowning people from the water. They deftly and quickly reach, rescue and deliver to safety.
Four-legged rescuers must be obedient, docile, intelligent, resilient, have a strong constitution and well socialized in society. Every rescue dog has a natural sense of smell and stamina, but with effective work specialized training is required. The animal must find people in the ruins, give a voice, inform the guide, and then lead the rescue team to the place with the victims. Difficult work requires its quick completion, because human life depends on it.
By choosing one of the rescue dog breeds as a pet, you will gain true friend, a caring nanny for children and an active sports partner.
Earthquakes, avalanches, terrorist attacks and man-made disasters - all this, unfortunately, is a part of our life. We are used to sympathizing with the troubles of people from afar, worrying about those who were buried under an avalanche or under the rubble of a collapsed building, just looking through the TV screen: after all, we really cannot help these people. When everything is over, we can take part in collecting money for medicines, donate blood, send parcels with clothes and money orders. But this is necessary for those who have already been rescued. And before that, it would seem that it is not in our power to do something for people who were buried alive and desperately waiting for help, even if a misfortune happened nearby. But in fact, perhaps we and our dogs could help someone in trouble.
Content- First steps in PSS
Do you know that in most European countries 90% of dog handlers who take part in rescue work with their search dogs are volunteers, that is, people of various professions who prepare their dogs and then go to places where trouble has occurred, voluntarily and free of charge. Of course, to become a volunteer rescuer, desire alone is not enough. Training a search dog requires a lot of work and perseverance, in addition, a volunteer, before being admitted to rescue work, must pass a special certification, pass two exams: the dog, in conditions close to real ones, must show the required search skills, and the volunteer must show his own the lifeguard's own knowledge. But, despite the difficulties, a huge number of people prepare their dogs for search service and become volunteer rescuers.
There is the International Organization of Rescue Dogs IRO, and in different countries there are national associations of volunteers - dog handlers. Now such an organization has been created in Russia, its name is "Russian Search and Rescue Society of Volunteer Dog Handlers ROSSPAS-KV".
The main goal of the dog handlers, united in ROSSPAS-KV, is to help people who find themselves in a disaster zone or disappear in a deserted area. To do this, ROSSPAS-KV creates volunteer groups in which anyone can undergo training in the search and rescue service (PSS) with their personal dog, and eventually pass certification for admission to real search operations. There are several such groups working in Moscow now. Some groups were created just a few months ago, others have been around for quite some time. Some of the members of such groups even became certified dog handlers - rescuers of the Ministry of Emergencies. Now the society of volunteers ROSSPAS-KV is creating its subdivisions (and, accordingly, groups) in the regions so that anyone who wants to help the rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in their city or region can do it. Groups in the regions will act independently, taking into account local specifics, but within the framework of the organization's charter and the volunteer's code of honor.
PSS volunteer groups
Volunteering is hard work. A lot of time must be spent on training the dog, to study it yourself. Training in a volunteer search and rescue team is quite different from any traditional training on a training ground. It differs primarily in the fact that there is no training ground. Most of classes take place in places where people usually do not voluntarily go - construction sites, destroyed buildings, basements, forests and rugged terrain. And, the main difference from training with a dog, which is usual for many dog breeders, is that you need to help others a lot. Here you will not stand and wait for your dog's turn. Rather, the dog, perhaps, will wait for its turn, but you will not. Search training - rescue dog is impossible without the help of a large number of people, the so-called extras, who in the course of the lesson portray the victims. Every dog handler has to be such an extra in the course of the lesson more than once. First, you help others, portraying the victim, and when yours comes through to work with the dog, extras will be ready for you too, cleverly hidden in the bookmarks - the so-called places that imitate natural blockages, wells, etc., in which victims may be. people. Correct bookmarking is a whole science, and you, too, have to learn it in the course of the class. In the bookmark, you not only need to arrange an extra with all the conveniences (and sometimes you have to be in such bookmarks for a very long time), but also take into account all the odor outputs in order to correctly evaluate the dog's work and avoid mistakes in training.
Different people come to the search service for completely different reasons: romance, the desire to keep the dog busy, communication, nature, entertainment, sports ... But there are very few left. Few people who come to class for the first time can confidently say that they will remain in this service for a long time. And this is not required, at first you can just try your hand. Perhaps you will not be afraid of difficulties and the noble profession mastered by your dog and you is worth all the difficulties.
Dina Kuznetsova, instructor of the PSS group reports:
Previously, we accepted absolutely everyone into the group. Now, if a person expresses a desire to study in a group, I immediately tell him what our classes are "fraught with". That it takes quite a lot of time, that you cannot skip training, that it is dirty and uncomfortable with us, that the dog, especially at first, will have to endure all sorts of "jumps". For example, in the first lessons, all dogs that are given the designation with a voice come up to the owner and bark endlessly. And this cannot be stopped! This then passes, but first you have to endure. Also, a person has to be warned right away that even if he is not going to be a volunteer, the training process itself is such that he may have to forget about the dog as a real protector, the dog will most likely be friendly to strangers and will take food from the wrong hands. And then ... We have now introduced a trial period - 2 months, so that you can take a closer look at each other, find out whether a person will like the service, whether it will hook, and of course, whether they are suitable for volunteering. search work dog and dog handler. And then probationary period a person either begins to purposefully work on himself in order to become a volunteer, or ... a person just likes to do service, or to participate in competitions. How to deal with such people - every instructor decides for himself. But all of us, instructors of ROSSPAS, should not forget that our main goal is precisely the training of volunteers, that is, people who, in case of trouble, will be ready to help people.
First steps in PSS
So, you decided to try your hand and come to train in the PSS group, or, if there is no such group in your city, try to start training on your own with your friends. To begin with, it should be said that it is impossible to study alone. As mentioned above, you will need big number extras and assistants, so if there is no group in your city, and you want to study, try to create this group. Do not hesitate to contact ROSSPAS-KV members and rescuers in your area. They will help you in every way to learn, organize classes, the main thing is desire.
Choosing a place for classes
Classes are held at abandoned construction sites, ruins of houses, catacombs, dumps of old cars, railway cars, etc. - such places are necessary for learning to search in a technogenic environment. And for searching in the natural environment - everything that the terrain in your region allows: forest, mountains. It is better to choose a forest with very rough terrain, so that the dog cannot see a person from a distance.
Places to work must be changed constantly. At the initial stage, it is best to train at construction sites (ruins), and change training locations every 3-4 sessions. In the future, the seats need to be changed even more often. The general rule is that the more experienced the dog, the more often it needs a change of scenery. It will be possible to return to the place where you have already trained after several changes of places. If several lessons in a row are held in one place, you should remember that the bookmarks (places where people are hidden) should be new in each lesson. There should be not only a change in construction, but also a change in different types of terrain. From time to time, with novice dogs, you need to get out into the forest, but be sure to organize deaf bookmarks there.
Places for classes are also selected based on the level of difficulty. For example, basements (where it is dark), rooms with smells of burning, feces, mold, etc. should not be used for beginner dogs. Best of all, if it is a spacious, light and well-ventilated building, or a clearing with building materials in the fresh air.
Building bookmarks
On the initial stage For PSS lessons, it is necessary to work only on "deaf" tabs, that is, those where the dog will not see the person and will not be able to get to him. This is very important, because if the dog is initially allowed to see a person, then this can lead to the fact that it will look with its eyes, and not use its scent. And if the bookmarks allow you to get to the extras, then later the dogs have problems in identifying absolutely deaf and inaccessible bookmarks. If there is no opportunity to work at a construction site, then it is possible to organize "blind" bookmarks in the forest, digging holes and covering them with boards. The main rule is that the dog should not see an openly lying person.
It should be borne in mind that dogs very easily "disassemble" bookmarks, sneak, squeeze, jump. It is also a mistake to prepare a bookmark, into which the dog can stick its head and see the person.
You should start with simple bookmarks. These are tabs that stand out visually, that is, stand apart from others, so that the dog, smelling the smell, can easily determine where it is coming from. It is necessary to ensure that the dog can freely approach directly to the place from where the smell comes out. The odor outlet and the odor source should be in the same place. This is how we train dogs to identify the source of the scent in the immediate vicinity.
Also, the bookmarks should have good volumetric odor exits either evenly upward and to the sides (all kinds of boxes) or in one direction (long pipes where a person sits on one side, bookmarks with a door or hole on one side).
Do not forget to determine the direction of the wind, as the smell can blow away to another exit or even drift to the side.
You can use a lighter or torch to determine where the odor comes out and the draft (that is, in which direction - from the hole or into it). We bring the lighter to the hole and look in which direction the flame is leaning. The air draws there. The torch gives us smoke. Having properly puffed in the bookmark (only this must be done in advance, so as not to confuse the dogs with the smell of smoke), we look where the smoke will go out. Thus, we determine the possible odor outputs.
It is also worth remembering that dogs very quickly get used to one type of bookmarks, so they need to be diversified - holes in the ground, boxes, piles of iron, slabs, in walls, raised above the ground, and so on.
Over time, the bookmarks can be complicated by making point outlets of the odor, raised above the ground up to 2 meters, deep (the odor outlet is far from the source or weak). Please note that the support of the statistician is required for quite a long time, that is, his communication with the dog from the bookmark, and therefore, complicating the bookmarks, it is worth making them so that this possibility remains.
When preparing the bookmark, we must remember that handlers of dogs, as a rule, prefer to carry out the process of searching for them visually. We constantly have to fight with this, using bookmarks, on which the human gaze will not stop, and the handler will not be able to give a tip to the dog.
You should not use the same methods of restricting access to a bookmark (shields, doors, etc.) all the time, because dogs also get used to them and begin to identify them visually.
We observe safety
The places where we are doing PSS are rife with all kinds of dangers. These are pits in the floor where you can fall, and crumbling sand, and falling bricks. Especially dangerous are old emergency buildings, where at any moment a wall, ceiling or floor can collapse. Therefore, when choosing a place for an occupation, first of all, you should think about safety, so as not to turn from rescuers to being rescued. The accumulation area (where people and dogs wait for their turn) should always be in a safe place. Bookmarks should be organized in places where there is no danger of collapse, slab movement and other things. You should also watch that the details of the design of the bookmark do not fall on the head of the extra or the dog. Since dogs work without leashes, it is necessary to watch that there are no invisible holes in the floor and the like, especially at first, while the dogs do not know how to move correctly in such places.
The most common injury in class is paw cuts. Shoe covers can be used, but those on sale have a very slippery surface, which in itself can lead to injury, this must be taken into account. In addition, it is worth teaching the dog to move along the rubble, so in places where there are no scattered glasses, it is better to let the dog in without shoe covers. In emergency buildings, it is best to use hard hats to protect your head from accidental falling bricks.
Never forget how many extras were hidden and in what places, as well as how long the extras remain in the bookmark. In winter, this time should not exceed 40 minutes, and it is desirable that it fit in 20 minutes. In summer, more is possible, but it depends on the bookmark. If it's a cold, wet basement, then you shouldn't keep a person there for 2 hours. When burying in the snow, remember the location of the extra by landmarks. Flags and the like, of course, cannot be placed above the bookmark.
"Combat kit" for classes
For classes, first of all, you need warm, comfortable clothes, especially in winter. Even in summer, sitting in a bookmark can be pretty cool, especially since you can't move. Warm pants, jackets, comfortable warm and waterproof shoes, hats and mittens are a must in winter.
For classes you will need:
What gadgets can you still dream of? The dog handler's imagination is very developed. Moreover, there are always not enough "devices" for our business. These include: - spotlight for effective illumination of the territory.
- Walkie-talkies are a very useful thing, especially when practicing in the forest.
- A lot of all kinds of clothes - warm fleece jackets, membrane shoes and outerwear ...
- Snow-protective "flashlights" - devices for protection from snow getting into boots
- And so on and so on ...
How is the lesson
The structure of the lesson depends, first of all, on the experience of the dog handlers working with their dogs. If these are beginners, then it is possible to work only in turns, since at the beginning of training, constant supervision of the trainer is necessary. Further, when the dog handler is already experienced and knows what he wants to work on in this lesson, he can take extras himself and go to work.
In any case, there is always only one dog in one search area. The average duration of a class in a group is 3-4 hours. First, the bookmarks are built, then the dog handlers take turns working with their dogs. Then you can go to another place (to another set of bookmarks) and again work with all the dogs in turn. Thus, 2-3 launches are made per session, and the number of conditional victims at each launch varies. “Start-up” refers to work on one set of bookmarks that is done without resting. Those. the dog is sent to search, it finds 1 person, it is encouraged and immediately sent to search for another. Depending on the level of training, a dog can find from one to 8-10 people in one run. Novice dogs are best handled at the beginning of the session, before they get tired.
If the group is large, and some of the handlers have to wait for their turn for a long time, you can use this time to acquaint the dog with the territory (if space permits, so as not to interfere with the working dogs), so that an orientation reaction does not arise during the search (this is necessary for beginner dogs) , teaching the dog to move along the rubble, fearlessly overcoming obstacles encountered on the way, entering dark rooms is also part of the training.
For beginner dogs, the session should be short-lived, intense, fast, in one breath and very recklessly, especially the session with puppies. In no case should a dog get tired, including waiting for its turn. Experienced dogs can already stand the wait calmly. The search itself should be in such a volume that the dog does not get enough of it and wants more.
It should be borne in mind that what more experienced dog, the more she is committed to serious work. Try to do exercises for beginners with such a dog and you will see that what she did a few months ago is now doing in a completely different way, taking into account all her baggage of experience that she has accumulated during this time.
Initial training of dogs
Selection of dogs
The dog must be healthy first of all, at least not have diseases that interfere with the service. This is especially true for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, tk. the workloads in our service are very high. A PSS dog must have a good psyche resistant to influences, pronounced food and (or) play motivation, good connection with the owner, be active, mobile. No aggression! The dog should be calm about strangers, and preferably willingly communicate with them.
Pre-preparation
At this stage, it is important to prepare the dog for future work, to determine the methodology and motivation for work. How the preparation will be structured depends on the chosen methodology, but there are certain “rules” that are common to everyone. When choosing future motivation, it is necessary to focus on what the dog needs more. The need for food is much easier to develop, it is enough not to feed the dog. With a toy, if the dog does not "break the roof" at the sight of it, it is not worth trying. Remember that it is very difficult, often impossible, to transfer a dog from one motivation to another. Its formation takes place very quickly, therefore this choice must be made even before the search itself begins. The methods differ in search technique (shuttle search, controlled, free), in ultimate motivation (based on the play behavior of dogs; search-orienting; need for the leader's approval). There are techniques that are based on the development, first of all, of search behavior, and the designation is introduced later. Others pay special attention to signaling behavior. In all methods, the dog is taught to work by the smell of a living person (and not things). Regardless of the methodology chosen, at the time of the beginning of the training directly by the search, the dog must:
We start working on the search
The initial classes are the most important. On them we develop motivation in the dog. The motivation is that the dog knows that only after completing a certain set of actions in a strictly defined order - launching the skill with the command "search!" or "look for a person!" In this case, the dog should be interested in this reward. If we work on a treat, then the dog must be hungry (1-3 days of hunger strike).
The first exercises are always based on the person running away. We start right away with strangers. If the preliminary preparation is done properly, there will be no problems with this. First, the extra plays the dog (or shows a treat), then runs away to a simple shelter in front of her eyes and calls her nickname all the time. The dog sees where the extra runs, he does not see only where exactly he is hiding. This is best accomplished by placing a bookmark around the corner, you can simply cover the eyes of the dog. As soon as the extra hid and called the dog, they let her go. She runs after him, and the owner follows her. As soon as the dog pokes his nose into the bookmark, the extra gives her the command “voice!”, After which he begins to communicate with her, praise her, stimulating her barking and periodically encouraging her with a treat. It is important to be very friendly. Never let the dog move away from the bookmark. It is most important. If he tries to leave, call to him, tease with a piece. You can open the crack in the bookmark so that the dog sees the person (but only after it barks). The owner is standing nearby. Depending on the behavior of the dog, if it "does not let go" far, then you should not provoke. But no closer than 3 meters. After 15-20 barks, the owner approaches the bookmark, opens it and gives the extra to crawl out. After that, the extra communicates violently with the dog, if necessary, plays. You can continue either by running away with the same extra to another shelter, or with another extra.
Depending on the technique, the escape pattern can be constructed in different ways. If the dog is taught to shuttle search, then begin training at the training ground, using shelters "in the corners" of the shuttle. You can use boxes, which are buried in the ground at a subsequent stage. Then they move on to work at construction sites. If a free search is taught, then there should be a minimum of influences on the part of the owner. The dog is taught to move freely around the territory, guided by the flow of air where the person is. 
When the dog confidently follows the extra and, having found it, barks until the owner approaches, we begin to make complications. We use several nearby shelters, in one of which the extra is hiding. Let the dog see only the direction of movement of the extra up to half the way. Or, in front of the dog's eyes, the extra hides in one shelter, then they cover the dog's eyes, and the extra hides in another, then let the dog go. Increase the launch distance. Make more complex bookmarks with more complex approaches to them. Gradually, running away is done so that the dog sees that the person is running away, but does not see the escape route. Then we enter the "call" of the dog as an extra only from the bookmark, and then we remove it altogether. Then we begin to teach the dog that a person does not necessarily run away in search. To do this, we make two people run away at the same time, each of whom teased the dog with a treat. First, the dog finds one, then the second “hidden in advance”. So we gradually move on to working with people hidden in advance. The work of the extra in the bookmark is also important. Roughness, silence, unspecified in advance, incorrect encouragement (when the dog, for example, is silent) or its absence is not allowed. It is necessary to remove communication with the dog carefully and gradually. Barking must be sought for a long time. Encouragement should be mandatory when finding each person! Gradually, the moment of encouraging the dog from the beginning of the bark and until the first bite is delayed. When the dog already understands what is required of it (this happens rather quickly), we introduce glass jars in which we put the treat, close the lid so that at the time of the designation in the bookmark it does not smell like a treat. If landing or laying is chosen for designation, then when a person is found, the owner, or better the extra (this must be determined in advance), gives the dog a command. Having given a short time for exposure (10-15 seconds), the owner approaches, gives a treat to the dog (and if there is an opportunity, the extra gives a treat), after which the extra is opened, he communicates with the dog and feeds it with pieces.
When dogs are already normally looking for previously hidden people, they begin to introduce additional complications. These are both more complex bookmarks and an increase in the duration of the search, a variety of physical activities immediately before the search, work in dark rooms polluted with extraneous odors, etc.
All complications, order, methods and so on are the fruit of the instructor's imagination :) and his ability to determine the readiness of the dog to move to the next level. In general, a full-fledged training of a dog for PSS takes about 2 years.
Even well-performing dogs at some point can stop working correctly, start making mistakes, for example, problems with signaling behavior can arise. The main thing is not to despair and continue to work, only regular exercises will give results.
Forms of organizing the training process, monitoring and checking the readiness of dogs
- a regular lesson in which the required skills are consistently practiced, shortcomings are eliminated, complications are introduced in accordance with the lesson plan.
Control lessons- here for all dogs it is planned to complete one task and compare the work of the dogs, check the quality of the work and outline the errors that need to be eliminated.
Joint classes- several (at least two) groups of the search and rescue service participate in them. They are good because there is an opportunity to use strangers, extras not known to dogs. It is best when first one side - one group - organizes bookmarks for the other, and the other works on them, not knowing their number and location. On another occasion, this group will organize the same for the first one.
Teachings- the closest to real working conditions checking the readiness of dogs, in accordance with the standard. Additional complications can be introduced in the form of rappelling with dogs, work in difficult conditions (night time, rain), taking into account the fact that dog handlers do not know in advance the number of victims, the location of the tabs and working conditions. You can do a "team" search, when the dog handlers have to work together according to pre-planned tactics (for example, dividing the territory into search squares for each dog, or sequential search). And also to combine checking the dogs with checking the readiness of dog handlers for rescue operations (for example, knowledge of the basics of first aid, when he must provide first aid to a found "victim").
Tests (certification)- checking the readiness of the crew (dog handler) to act as intended. They are carried out in the system of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Successful completion of the certification gives admission to the calculation to participate in rescue operations for 1 year.
Competitions- are carried out with the aim of improving professional skills, sharing experience in training and using dogs, checking readiness for actions according to their intended purpose and certification, as well as identifying the best calculations. At competitions for calculations, various additional complications are organized that may arise in real work. So they can be called a real holiday for dog handlers. It is worth remembering that competition is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve mastery in real work, and therefore to get great chances to save a person.
We recommend that owners and instructors keep a diary of the performance of each individual dog in each session. For the owner of the dog, this is a way to better understand his dog, and for the instructor - to see how the owner understands what is happening, to supplement, discuss with him the work of the dog, and maybe see it from the other side. Diaries also help to remember what this or that dog was doing and to trace its development over the entire period of training. It is most convenient to keep diaries in in electronic format and then sent by mail to the instructor.
What you should pay attention to:
- You can't constantly use the same people as extras, even at the entry level.
- Train your dog to different quantity extras on the search. At the beginning 1-2, then we enter the third. In this case, it is desirable that at first he ran away or called the dog from the bookmark.
- On the initial period classes when the dog needs to reinforce signaling behavior, you should use only sane extras who know how to communicate with dogs, because inept work can ruin everything at once.
- After each search, the encouragement of communication with the statistician should be maximal, the dog should be interested in communication and, as a result, in the search for a person.
- Do not forget to pay attention to training your dogs for rubble, moving over obstacles, darkness, height.
- Before searching, you should familiarize the dogs with the area, letting them run and sniff everything, so that during the work the dogs do not have an orienting reaction. When the dogs are more experienced, you can smoothly move on to work in unfamiliar areas.
- Regardless of the chosen training method, it is important to remember that there are several "components" that only add up to an excellent result.
- This is the search itself: manner of searching, passion, speed, focus on results, i.e. The dog should search for the sake of finding (remember the motivation), and not just because he likes to run.
- Signaling behavior: very important. If the dog finds, but does not indicate, assume that you have not found anyone. It is scary to imagine yourself in a situation where you cannot help a person on real rescue work because the dog does not make a clear good designation.
- The dog should not be "removed" from the bookmark, i.e. to leave without permission.
- Endurance and psychological preparation: the dog (and the dog handler too) must be ready for long-term work and emotional stress. This is not a matter of one day, it must be done gradually, without overloading the dog.
- False designations are another matter. They can happen due to improper organization of bookmarks, due to frequent work on monotonous bookmarks, when the dog begins to orient itself according to external signs, due to increased excitability of the dog, due to residual human odors in the bookmark (especially in novice dogs), smell food, freshly worn things. These additional provocations are introduced later, when the skill is already formed and quite stable.
- It is worth teaching dogs to smells they do not like coming from "homeless people" (perhaps, attracting them to work with experienced dogs), since this smell is closest to the real smell of the victim who was under the rubble for several days.
- For playing with a dog, it is extremely undesirable to use forest sticks (that is, special dumbbells are possible), since dogs, especially when searching in the forest, can start picking up sticks near the bookmark, thus self-encouraging, without completing the skill to the end.
- When practicing and searching, and afterwards, it is necessary to move from one species to another when the primary skill has already been formed (the dog clearly knows what they want from it on the trail or on the search), otherwise you can confuse the dog.
- It is not worth doing in one day. different kinds services (including obedience), especially if new skills are learned in both types of services (that is, the development of courses goes in parallel). It is recommended that only obedience is taught during the training of the search service and the tracking, otherwise the dog may get confused, frustrated and greatly overworked, which will lead to bad job everywhere.
What to look for in tracking work.
You need to focus not so much on standards as on real needs. Search in the woods up to 3 days old trail. In the city - up to a day. Work on various surfaces, in the dark, in bad weather conditions, with distractions, etc. A large number of corners, intersections of other people's tracks, and so on that can be encountered in work. Special attention devote to finding the beginning of the trace. As a rule (if this is not a completely uninhabited area), a specific trail is sought a specific person, for which the dog is allowed to sniff a thing with the smell of the victim before searching. Things on the trail are indicated by stacking (it is possible in another way). It is impossible that the ways of denoting people and things coincide. In general, training a dog for tracking work takes about 3 years.
Training a search and rescue dog is tricky and nuanced. But if you are interested in this service, and your heart has been touched by the opportunity to really come to the aid of people together with your dog - welcome to ROSSPAS-KV. We will help you organize a group in your city or region, go to seminars and training camps, get the necessary information. Please contact the leaders of the groups and regional offices of ROSSPAS-KV:
If you can supplement this list with the addresses of really working groups or correct outdated data, please, be sure to write to us - or through the form below.
