|
|
While we were at UC Davis I met a super lady, now Dr Jan Brennan, who was a year behind Al. Jan took over the obedience classes for me when Al graduated. Jan also introduced me to Search and Rescue work. It is one of the most gratifying things a person can do with their dog. Not in monetary terms, as it is a volunteer assignment, it is an opportunity to give back, or pay it forward, as they say now. This is far more than seven lessons and only for those folks who enjoy working with their dogs on an ongoing basis. Search and Rescue covers a whole range of disciplines. There is “disaster searches” such as earthquakes, mud slides, avalanches. (I have never trained an “avalanche dog” as snow is hard to come by on a regular basis, here at the ranch,) Also there is searching for lost people, as in a “wilderness” search, and variations of that scenario Dogs are also used in “water recovery.” That dog is trained to locate a drowned victim and can be very effective in locating the place for divers to go down to complete the mission.
In Search and Rescue the dog is sent out, away from his handler, to accomplish the task, as opposed to Man Trailing work. I use the European method in training, where the dog wears a “bringzel” to use as an indicator to his handler that he has made a “find.”
|
|
|
|
