The Accuracy of Search & Rescue Dogs
Anytime there is a disaster, a call goes out for search and rescue dogs. Their assistance can be vital in bringing the lost home. Many local and national organizations such as local police departments, the FBI and FEMA all use dog search teams. A single team can be as effective as 20 to 30 trained human searchers, according to the National Association For Search and Rescue (NASAR). However, many factors affect the accuracy of search and rescue dogs.
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Mode
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While it is common to see dogs sniffing the ground in movies, most search and rescue dogs don’t track through ground scent. Instead, they track airborne scents. Airborne scents actually stay in an area for as long as the person is in the area, whether dead or alive. Ground scents can get washed away, or covered by the trails of searchers or even other animals. However, changes in wind direction or wind strength--even the humidity level--can affect how far and wide the scent will travel.
Sense of Smell
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A dog's sense of smell is more than 50 times more sensitive than a human's, according to Webvet. This gives dogs a greater ability to not only smell, but to discriminate one smell from another. This ability allows them to be great trackers in the wild, looking for food. It can also make them very accurate trackers in search and rescue. But, like people, individual dogs are more or less talented when it comes to a sense of smell.
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Training
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It takes more than just a great nose to find lost hikers. It takes training. NASAR recommends a year of twice-weekly training before a dog is ready to work in basic search and rescue. Just a few of the skills the dog must have are basic obedience, crowd training, scenting and alert barking. Without the proper training, a dog can lead searchers in the wrong direction or pass over scents undetectable to humans. Training the dog is only half the issue.
Human Role
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A dog alone can’t organize a search and rescue. Paired with a human handler, the team can be a formidable force, as long as the human is also well trained. A search and rescue dog handler must have basic training and continue to train in new and updated procedures and technologies. The handler must have basic wilderness skills and be physically fit. It is important to realize that the accuracy of the team is due in large part to the skills of the handler.
All Breeds Welcome
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Almost any dog breed can be in search and rescue. Large dogs like Labradors and German shepherds are used in a wide variety of rescue situations, from avalanches to building collapses to wilderness searches. Medium dogs like border collies do very well in wilderness and urban searches. Even small dogs are useful since they are able to get into constricted areas. Regardless of the breed, the dogs need pleasant, open personalities, and good basic obedience skills before training ever occurs. A dog easily distracted or reluctant to search in dark or enclosed spaces can affect the accuracy of a search.
No National Standards
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While organizations like NASAR and FEMA have high standards for training and testing both dogs and humans, there are no national standards. People often want to help, even if they have little or no experience in rescue procedures. This can be disastrous for both the victim and the would-be rescuer. But it is important to remember that healthy, well-trained dogs paired with strong, well-educated handlers can be very accurate.
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References
- Photo Credit search dog image by Jim Parkin from Fotolia.com
