Rescue Dogs
Author: Simon Harris
We have all grown up with at least one hero in our life, but
how many people can call their hero Duke or Kiva? The answer-
anyone who has had their life saved by a rescue dog.
Whether it is a house fire, tornado rubble, leftovers from an
earthquake, or flowing water behind a hurricane front, these
specially trained rescue dogs rush in with no concerns for
their own welfare, pulling out victims, some dead and some
still alive. They do this time and time again.
With a powerful snout and the ability to smell things a human
may not, rescue dogs are hard-working and very loyal to doing
what is expected of them. And what do they ask for in return? A
hug, a treat or a little one-on-one play time. Not a huge
reward, however for these special dogs, it is very satisfying.
There are different types of breeds who make better rescue dogs
than others. For example, bloodhounds have a talent for prowess
and are known for uncovering criminals. Newfound lands are good
avalanche rescue dogs and Labrador Retrievers are good cadaver
dogs. Any dog can become a rescue dog as long as they can
concentrate on tracking scent, such as German Shepherds,
Belgian Malinois, and Golden Retrievers.
Before being allowed to track, each rescue dog is put through
extensive evaluations. Scent detection training is then started
and their skills are developed through regular sessions. In
order to track, the dog will pick up on the odor of the
person's skin cells that flake off the body. These skin cells
float in the air and hit the ground as a person moves along,
and they float to the surface of the water if the victim has
drowned.
The men and women behind these furry heroes are all volunteers
who are fit, enjoy spending time outdoors, and take pride in
training and communicating with their rescue dogs. These men
and women may also belong to rescue teams such as SOSARD or
SWOSAR, who are called out by the police department and may
travel several hours to reach a search site. Along with their
rescue dog they search in all different types of weather and
terrain for lost children, missing fishermen and hunters,
accident victims and injured hikers.
There is yet another type of rescue dog, who can sniff his
trail from the air. Air-scenting rescue dogs work directly and
specifically from aircraft, tracking the air and searching for
victims. These dogs specialize in structural collapses and
drowning victims. Because these air-scenting rescue dogs work
on scent trailing above the ground and away from handlers, they
become very useful in areas that have been contaminated by human
searchers, after it is allowed to be aired out for awhile.
In many survivors' eyes, these furry canines, which make
wonderful family pets, make the best heroes of all!
About The Author: This article courtesy of
http://www.better-dog-training.net
For more free-reprint articles by Simon Harris
:
Pet Apparel | Pet Bed | Pet Books | Pet Door | Pet Food | Pet Gift | Pet Grooming
Pet Jewelry | Pet Magazines | | Pet Medicine | Pet Posters | Pet Training | Pet Travel
Pet Toy | Dog Game | Dog House | Cat Furniture | Cat Lover Gifts | Dog Lover Gifts
Contact Us | Shop-4-U | Articles | Newsletter Signup
HomeShop-4-Pets All rights reserved.